Brand new implement rust and bent

[fried1765]

I certainly would not worry about the minor imperfections. I have used my Land Pride SGC 0654 grapple for over three years, and it has held up extremely well. I have used it to pop out rocks, carry logs/brush/large rocks/smaller telephone poles and transport the remains of an old hog parlor (timbers, posts, metal roofing) that I tore down.

Like anything avoiding damage has more to do with the operator than the equipment. If you are regularly damaging your LP grapple (appropriate grapple for your machine), you are damaging your loader and your hydraulic system. All of this talk of some manufacturer's grapple being tougher is misplaced.

"All of this talk of some manufacturer's grapple being tougher is misplaced"
With all due respect,...I totally disagree!

 

[GreensvilleJay]

'Whatever one man makes, another can destroy'

 

[GrizBota]

Thanks everyone. It was the first tine or outer tine. I get it will get damage from use but would rather be damage from me and not someone else. If i bought a new car or tractor i would not except a large scratch or dent. Just wanted to see if i was too picky or not.

Too picky. Not uncommon for equipment to have a scratch or bump. As mentioned, just using as intended will scratch the finish. A very slightly bent tine is of no consequence. But if it’s worth the effort to you to see what your supplier will do for you, you can ask. But next time you order, you might get “special” treatment.

As to those concerned with the tine gauge and bracing, LP makes several grades (3 or 4) of most of their equipment. The OP’s grapple is a light duty unit. Probably not fair to compare to another manufacturer’s standard or heavy duty unit. And this is fairly obviously handling damage. It probably wasn’t known when it left LP’s facility, if that’s where it even occurred.

 

[fried1765]

Too picky. Not uncommon for equipment to have a scratch or bump. As mentioned, just using as intended will scratch the finish. A very slightly bent tine is of no consequence. But if it’s worth the effort to you to see what your supplier will do for you, you can ask. But next time you order, you might get “special” treatment.

As to those concerned with the tine gauge and bracing, LP makes several grades (3 or 4) of most of their equipment. The OP’s grapple is a light duty unit. Probably not fair to compare to another manufacturer’s standard or heavy duty unit. And this is fairly obviously handling damage. It probably wasn’t known when it left LP’s facility, if that’s where it even occurred.

It would certainly seem that even the cheapest version should not be delivered with a bent tine!

 

[GrizBota]

It would certainly seem that even the cheapest version should not be delivered with a bent tine!

Ideally not. As the OP said, no damage was identifiable until uncreated. So neither LP nor the supplier intended this to be the case. If an operational concern, it would need to be addressed. If a minor cosmetic concern, hook it up and use it as intended. Or not. EA is still taking orders, right?

 

[fried1765]

Ideally not. As the OP said, no damage was identifiable until uncreated. So neither LP nor the supplier intended this to be the case. If an operational concern, it would need to be addressed. If a minor cosmetic concern, hook it up and use it as intended. Or not. EA is still taking orders, right?

I have absolutely no idea if EA is still taking orders!
I do know that in the current environment, I would NOT be ordering ANYTHING from EA.

 

[Vince1230]

EA may be taking orders and money but not answering phone or delivering. I ordered an EA grapple but they look to be having issues. Since they stopped returning calls i got money back from credit card company. No matter how good a product customer service is most important. Not anwering calls or email huge issue.

 

[Chris_]

Take you all of a minute to bend it back and spray a touch of paint if you're worried about it

 

[KKBL]

Hope you can get some money back for the damaged as received problem. The metal can be easily by straightened using a long pipe that will fit over the bent tine or try a 3 foot pipe wrench if you have one. Sand the rust and use any good black paint to replace the finish that is missing. Don't be surprised if the powder coated finish starts to fail in other areas in the future.
I was in charge of engineering and quality for metal fabrication and finishing for over 45 years. Proper metal cleaning / pre-treatment and correct baking is critical for a durable powder coated finish. It would be difficult to do all of those things well for that type of fabrication without great expense. The only tractor attachment we have that the powder finish is holding up nicely on so far is a Woods brand. All of the other attachments we have with powder finishes have some coating issues.

 

[mikester]

Is the bent tine the one with the blue arrow? You mentioned lower, on right side. Sometimes it is hard to tell with camera distortion.

I personally would be more concerned if any of the surrounding structures have been tweaked.

As others have mentioned, with use you're more than likely to bend a tine or two and for sure the paint will disappear with use.

I have the SGC0660 on my L2501 and have about 100 hours on the grapple. Knock on wood, no bent tines yet but the tine tips are void of any paint. My soil is very sandy and for the most part void of rocks.

View attachment 122197

View attachment 122198

Any curve I see in your photos looks like parallax. Put a straight edge against the part and measure the deflection.

FYI you WILL get a little deflection due to the welding process.

 

[DustyRusty]

I wouldn't want to sell you anything in the future if I were your Kubota dealer. It is a tractor implement, not a Rolls Royce. I would have told you to grow up, however, that might get me in trouble with the moderators if I had done that. I suggest that in the future you purchase Buddy L implements for both fit and finish.

 

[hodge]

I don't see it. If it is bent, it's very slight, and it will likely bend more due to design and thickness. I'd hook it up and use it.
As far as getting money back from your dealer, I'd pick my battle carefully. In my opinion, none of your concerns rise to the level of demanding money back. Dealers have limited patience with customers, and I'd protect that commodity for bigger things.

 

[Vince1230]

I never said i asked for money back. I asked if this was normal. Also i read on this fourm that bending these types of metals back has caused breakage. When i bought my box blade land pride from different dealer, it was not like this so that is why i questioned what others have seen in past. Also bought a brush hog from dirt dog and did not have concerns. Thanks for everyone's views and thoughts as they varied. It was great to hear the different views.

 

[fried1765]

I never said i asked for money back. I asked if this was normal. Also i read on this fourm that bending these types of metals back has caused breakage. When i bought my box blade land pride from different dealer, it was not like this so that is why i questioned what others have seen in past. Also bought a brush hog from dirt dog and did not have concerns. Thanks for everyone's views and thoughts as they varied. It was great to hear the different views.

.

I suspect that your dealer sold you his bottom of the $ line product.
The design lacks gusseting.

 

[Elliott in GA]

.

I suspect that your dealer sold you his bottom of the $ line product.
The design lacks gusseting.

The OP has a BX; it is the Kubota/Land Pride matched grapple for a BX. The grapple is already more than strong enough for proper use with the loader/hydraulic system. Having a stronger grapple (or a box blade or a .....) for a BX is of no value.

 

[mcmxi]

The Sgc0548 was discontinued unsure when but was likely in yard awhile. Bent tine is on right when on tractor.

I had that very model with my BX25D. It was a decent little grapple that I mostly used to move logs around and hold them up for cutting. It's not chainsaw resistant, that I can assure you!

 

[GeoHorn]

I wouldn't want to sell you anything in the future if I were your Kubota dealer. It is a tractor implement, not a Rolls Royce. I would have told you to grow up, however, that might get me in trouble with the moderators if I had done that. I suggest that in the future you purchase Buddy L implements for both fit and finish.

LOL… I had to look up “Buddy L”…. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddy_L

@mcmxi … I know You know….but just to pass it along to others….. Using a grapple with a load as Unbalanced as that second pic of the long log held waay-out on one side…. Really Sresses! the grapple, Loader, and tractor frame… and can cause serious twisting alignment/issues if carried to the extreme.

 

[mcmxi]

@mcmxi … I know You know….but just to pass it along to others….. Using a grapple with a load as Unbalanced as that second pic of the long log held waay-out on one side…. Really Sresses! the grapple, Loader, and tractor frame… and can cause serious twisting alignment/issues if carried to the extreme.

Good point. The photo doesn't show how that log was centered relative to the tractor. Here's another angle that gives a better idea. With that little tractor, I had to get just about every load centered in order to pick it up and move.

 

[fried1765]

The OP has a BX; it is the Kubota/Land Pride matched grapple for a BX. The grapple is already more than strong enough for proper use with the loader/hydraulic system. Having a stronger grapple (or a box blade or a .....) for a BX is of no value.

So......grapple delivery with a bent tine is OK for BX owners?

 

[jimh406]

So......grapple delivery with a bent tine is OK for BX owners?

I don't think it's ok, but on the other hand, it's not that big of an issue. I'd report it to the dealer and move on.

I don't know about your implements, but mine typically get rust on them that gets warn off from use. The bent tine doesn't seem to be a functional issue although I agree annoying for a new implement.