Bx23s wheel spacers and grapple questions

[ravensview]

Hello, I have a couple of questions for those who are using and running these accessories on a bx23s, first off wheel spacers anybody using them on a bx23s? Any issues with them? I am looking into them mostly so I can install rear chains in the winter, but also to add some extra stability, also what size are you using? Secondly I am looking at getting a grapple down the road, are they worth it with the limited lift capacity of the bx23s or would a set of pallet forks be better (I know I would like both)? I already have the third function installed as I had it installed when I bought the tractor, I got this in the beginning of December and have around 100hrs on it, it really does make my tasks easier although I am learning to work within its limitations I am enjoying its capabilities, I recently installed a ptb on it and those capabilities increased immensely.
thanks

 

[B737]

Just installed the Artillian Grapple on my BX2350. I picked Artillian mostly because it allowed me to add a cheap stump bucket, and its modular nature (easy to store, move, break down ect). Like any other implement on a BX just have to take into considerations the limits of the BX. I dont have much stick time with it yet because it just arrived. It will be getting some use this coming week. Video at the bottom of this post is a good demonstration of the artillian grapple.

The next grapple contender (for BX) I think would be the Land Pride SGC0548. I'm not sure if this grapple needs an adapter plate for SSQA. All the videos I've seen of it show it being used as pin on. It's listed as 160 pounds, which is really light (a good thing). It comes in 100 pounds less than the artillian system. If the SGC0548 needs an adapter plate to be used with SSQA then the margin would be closer. It also looks like the LP unit has a tighter pinch than the Artillian as well. You will need rear ballast. I will be using mine with 320 pounds on the 3 point and loaded rear tires.

Wheel spacers; Bro-Tek is one of the popular names you'll find around here. Rich lists what sizes will fit your machine based on mower deck width on his website. I use his 1.5" spacers since I have 60" MMM. They are really nice pieces (almost too nice for a tractor!). They install very easily, and instill more confidence on slopes. Guys here also buy Jeep ones on amazon for $40 and make them work.

Bro-Tek

Bro-Tek Tractor Accessories

www.bro-tek.com

 

[bearskinner]

I am running 2” rear only wheel spacers none in the front. The added stability, even on flat ground is absolutely phenomenal . If you have brush to clear, trees or logs to move, the Grapple is the implement I use mostly on my BX. Even more than the bucket loader. I have the land pride unit, and a lot of folks talk about how light it is compared to some super heavy duty units. I have cleared literally hundreds of trees, many more loads of brush. The earlier problems I’ve read about with inadequate welds had been repaired by the time I bought my unit. I have not experienced any problems with hundreds of hours of working with the Grapple.

 

[ravensview]

Just installed the Artillian Grapple on my BX2350. I picked Artillian mostly because it allowed me to add a cheap stump bucket, and its modular nature (easy to store, move, break down ect). Like any other implement on a BX just have to take into considerations the limits of the BX. I dont have much stick time with it yet because it just arrived. It will be getting some use this coming week. Video at the bottom of this post is a good demonstration of the artillian grapple.

The next grapple contender (for BX) I think would be the Land Pride SGC0548. Im not sure of this grapple needs an adapter plate for SSQA. All the videos Ive seen of it show it being used as pin on. It listed as 160 pounds, which is really light (a good thing). It comes in 100 pounds less than the artillian system. If the SGC0548 needs an adapter plate to be used with SSQA then the margin would be closer. It also looks like the LP unit has a tighter pinch than the Artillian as well. You will need rear ballast. I will be using mine with 320 pounds on the 3 point and loaded rear tires.

Wheel spacers; Bro-Tek is one of the popular names you'll find around here. Rich lists what sizes will fit your machine based on mower deck width on his website. I use his 1.5" spacers since I have 60" MMM. They are really nice pieces (almost too nice for a tractor!). They install very easily, and instill more confidence on slopes. Guys here also buy Jeep ones on amazon for $40 and make them work.

Bro-Tek

Bro-Tek Tractor Accessories

www.bro-tek.com

Thanks looking forward to How it ends up working for you, that is one of the grapples that I have been looking into, the others are land pride and EA’s ones, the bro tek wheel spacers are also what I was looking at, but don’t know which size would be better

 

[B737]

If you have brush to clear, trees or logs to move, the Grapple is the implement I use mostly on my BX.

@bearskinner if i switch grapples this will be my next one. Does the LP unit have to be configured with an adapter to work with SSQA?

 

[B737]

Had my first 4 hours on the artillian grapple today. I like how the serrated tines can easily dig into the dirt and get below stuff to lift it. On my property, im dealing mostly with large brush piles which i think is a good fit for this, they are large volume, low weight, cumbersome. However, on another property where I was today, it was a mix of mostly downed trees, and limbs scattered about. Ranging from 4 to 14" in diameter. It did not break a sweat picking up all kinds of stuff and moving it about.

I struggled a little 4-6" diameter limb pieces. To make a big pile that's easy to pick up and fully captured by the jaw, you have to start small, and it's the small stuff that was most tricky. The pinch point is just a few inches. Most of the small stuff just ends up loose in the chamber. I think the land pride is better here, as its clam shell closes almost completely, creating a tight space to catch things large and small.

I'm still learning with this so maybe over time I will learn my way around this challenge.

Tomorrow we have another day doing about 4 acres of clean up, I will try and get some pictures too.

 

[magnum63]

I believe that Landpride has the SGC0554 series grapple for the BX's that have the skid steer type mount.Seems I read somewhere it weighs in around the 200 lbs mark.

 

[bearskinner]

@bearskinner if i switch grapples this will be my next one. Does the LP unit have to be configured with an adapter to work with SSQA?

My BX is a 2014, and the bucket and Grapple use the Kubota Front quick hitch, which is just as simple to use as the SQQA but very light. Pull two pins, remove.... drive up to new attachment pin in two pins. Less than a minute to quick change. My Grapple does have two levers, which appears to be SQQA compatible.
With a little practice, using the Grapple, I use it as a rake to collect sticks, branches, pine needles and all types of ground fuel. Obviously piles of pine cones and needles only, will fall thru a Grapple. I find that piles of sticks, branches, needles etc mixed, hold together well and can be removed with the Grapple.
When removing really loose bulky brush, especially multiple small piles, use the lower tines to scoop, then with the jaws fully open, roll the top tines over and surround the brush when closing the jaws. You can then compress the load, move to the next pile, set the compressed load on top while capturing the second loose pile. Continue the process. I will do two or three piles of loose brush, by compacting them with the Grapple as I move to the next pile. Then haul it to your mulch or burn pile. It is much more efficient than just grabbing a little at a time. Hope I worded that so you understand the process.

 

[bearskinner]

If you look outboard of the pistons for the jaws in the Grapple you can see the two hooks for attaching to SQQA.
The other picture shows a 20’ tree, that was dead standing, going to the brush burn pile.instead of chainsawing it into 3 or 4 pieces then grappling it up, you can grab it by the roots, and take it whole to the pile. Anyone who has spent hours and days cutting, stacking brush will absolutely appreciate having a Grapple. NOT having to jump on and off the tractor to cut and stack is not only an extreme time saver, it saves wear and tear on my old body too.

 

[B737]

@magnum63 @bearskinner ah ha, thank you for the information! very helpful, I have a ways to go up the learning curve, I will try it this way today

 

[bearskinner]

I don’t usually record while working on the tractor so I don’t have pictures, but you can extend the upper tines, like using you fingers on your hand, as a rake. In areas that are heavily forested, with 6” of sticks, branches, pine needles, small trees, all laying on the Forrest floor, I rake the ground fuel into piles with the tines, rotate the tines up, get the lower tines in front and under like a large dust pan, then rotate over and compress. I have areas that have never been cleaned up, and it’s 8” deep with needles and branches. A fire here would be devastating.

 

[B737]

Ok that makes sense. I didnt try that yesterday because I was afraid I would load the tilt cylinder improperly (like back-dragging with the bucket over extended). I will (gently) give this a try

 

[B737]

I'm sorry to have seemingly high jacked ravens thread, but posting my experience as a complete noob w this attachment. Yesterday went a lot smoother than day 1. Instead of trying to pick up loose limbs and tree trunks from the bottom up, I did it how @bearskinner described from above. Open the jaws, go in from the side-top, rolling over it with the 'bucket dump', lowering the boom, while inching forward. Then, while closing the jaws, rolling grapple back and up simultaneously. It worked a lot better and was more productive.

I have read many bad things can happen while the bucket dump cylinder is fully extended (like back dragging improperly) that I was a little afraid to try it from that approach.

also, I have never tried a diverter, but I think with a grapple, 3rd function is the way to go, there is a lot going on at once.

I'm amazed how much bulk that thing can pick up and move around. We made short work of cleaning out a few acres, now ready to be brush hogged.

 

[bearskinner]

I’m glad you were able to understand what I meant, trying to describe how I clean up ground fuel. I do not dig with the extended tines, just rake, fairly lightly, and rarely disrupt the grass or soil underneath. We have heavy pine Forrest’s here, many inches of pine needles and cones, plus half of it is branches of varying sizes, from sticks and twigs to 15 foot lengths.when I roll up the piles, the needles and cones stay compacted to the branches and mostly get picked up in the Grapple. This method clears the ground enough that I can come back thru with a 4x4 mulching mower and anything left gets processed and mulched. The Forrest floor is now exploding with clover, ferns, natural grasses and flowers. It’s pleasant to walk around without any hidden tripping hazards .

 

[PapaJ]

Just installed the Artillian Grapple on my BX2350.

I have tried searching the site and the internet, but I can't find weight specs on the Artillian. I like the idea of being able to use the frame for other attachments, but not much capacity on a BX, so it's important. Price is pretty good too, do you have any info on the weight?

 

[B737]

I have tried searching the site and the internet, but I can't find weight specs on the Artillian. I like the idea of being able to use the frame for other attachments, but not much capacity on a BX, so it's important. Price is pretty good too, do you have any info on the weight?

yes, the artillian rake-grapple-rake configuration comes in around 270 pounds. Not light. As mentioned above the land pride SGC0548 doesn’t work with SSQA but the larger SGC0554 does and it comes in around 180 pounds. Plus you gain a tighter closing clam shell style.

the artillian frame is nice. But putting different attachments on the frame sort of defeats having SSQA. For example, if you have the forks on the frame, and want to use the grapple, you’ll be man-handling those off and man handling the grapple modules on. Versus, just popping off SSQA forks, then popping on the SSQA grapple and off you go. I am glad I have a separate fork set from the artillian system. I was drawn to the artillian set up mostly cause I could add an inexpensive light duty stump bucket for occasional use, that’s compact and easy to store (and it is awesome btw). Overall I felt like it was a good value. The thing is built like a tank. I did not run into a capacity issue yesterday. My limits seem to be related to operator error and learning

 

[PapaJ]

yes, the artillian rake-grapple-rake configuration comes in around 240 pounds. Not light.

The EA 55, which is what they sell for the SSQA, is 239 pounds. Being able to switch easy with the SSQA is not that much of a selling point for me. I only have 1.5 acres, most of it horse pasture, and 99% of the time I'll have the material bucket on. I don't have forks, and honestly don't have much need for them right now. I don't own a pallet. I bet my TSC sprayer and $89 amazon trailer mover get the most use of anything once I get all the dirt/gravel spread where I need it. A grapple is nice, and I definitely want a stump bucket, but the price of the Artillian stuff is what kind of piqued my interest. Thanks for the info. I'll wait until I have a 3rd function before I decide one way or another.

 

[ravensview]

I'm sorry to have seemingly high jacked ravens thread, but posting my experience as a complete noob w this attachment. Yesterday went a lot smoother than day 1. Instead of trying to pick up loose limbs and tree trunks from the bottom up, I did it how @bearskinner described from above. Open the jaws, go in from the side-top, rolling over it with the 'bucket dump', lowering the boom, while inching forward. Then, while closing the jaws, rolling grapple back and up simultaneously. It worked a lot better and was more productive.

I have read many bad things can happen while the bucket dump cylinder is fully extended (like back dragging improperly) that I was a little afraid to try it from that approach.

also, I have never tried a diverter, but I think with a grapple, 3rd function is the way to go, there is a lot going on at once.

I'm amazed how much bulk that thing can pick up and move around. We made short work of cleaning out a few acres, now ready to be brush hogged.

No worries, i like learning new things too, some good info being shared

 

[B737]

The EA 55, which is what they sell for the SSQA, is 239 pounds. Being able to switch easy with the SSQA is not that much of a selling point for me. I only have 1.5 acres, most of it horse pasture, and 99% of the time I'll have the material bucket on. I don't have forks, and honestly don't have much need for them right now. I don't own a pallet. I bet my TSC sprayer and $89 amazon trailer mover get the most use of anything once I get all the dirt/gravel spread where I need it. A grapple is nice, and I definitely want a stump bucket, but the price of the Artillian stuff is what kind of piqued my interest. Thanks for the info. I'll wait until I have a 3rd function before I decide one way or another.

If you definitely want a stump bucket, the Artillian one is the perfect match for the BX. I have gotten so much work done with it. Digging little holes for shrub planting, popping out (very) small stumps like nothing. I dug a long groove to retain gravel from spilling into paved area. Did a drainage trench. Pushing over old decomposed large root balls. The energy is focused in a narrow, centered way on the tractor and loader frame, it gives you a lot of power with less chance of breaking something. It stores away with almost no footprint.

As far as cost, Rake-Grapple-Rake configuration PLUS the frame actually comes out more than the EA55, by like $200. The LP is prob more than both, but it's the lightest.

However, if you had to buy a stand alone SSQA Stump bucket, it would likely be too big for a BX and would cost a lot as a stand alone implement. But the artillian one is only $275 to slap on, you cant beat that!