EA Wicked 55 Grapple Stand

[MountainMeadows]

After storing my wicked 55 on the original shipping pallet I thought there must be a better way to store it when not in use. The wheels started to turn and I came up with a simple idea for a stand. Now all I needed was a little spare time to get started. Necessity is the mother of invention. I needed to take the grapple off the tractor to use the forks and I was reluctant to drop it back on the pallet. Today was the day. I got to work and as usual I had more time in this project then I anticipated. It's not totally finished at this point but it is totally functional.

I rounded up some scrap square tubing around the shop and got to work. First I took measurements and made all the cuts. I followed that up with welding everything together. I still need to fabricate some end caps and possibly some more reinforcement tubing then finish with a nice coat of paint but that's for another day.

It's basically a two piece stand. It separates in the middle so you can spread it for installation. Once in place you tighten the "T" handles to lock it all together. Then lower the grapple to the ground, release the SSQA, and back away.

 

[Grindstone]

Very nice! Now you got my wheels turning about making one for mine.

 

[mcmxi]

After storing my wicked 55 on the original shipping pallet I thought there must be a better way to store it when not in use. The wheels started to turn and I came up with a simple idea for a stand. Now all I needed was a little spare time to get started. Necessity is the mother of invention. I needed to take the grapple off the tractor to use the forks and I was reluctant to drop it back on the pallet. Today was the day. I got to work and as usual I had more time in this project then I anticipated. It's not totally finished at this point but it is totally functional.

I rounded up some scrap square tubing around the shop and got to work. First I took measurements and made all the cuts. I followed that up with welding everything together. I still need to fabricate some end caps and possibly some more reinforcement tubing then finish with a nice coat of paint but that's for another day.

View attachment 102386

It's basically a two piece stand. It separates in the middle so you can spread it for installation. Once in place you tighten the "T" handles to lock it all together. Then lower the grapple to the ground, release the SSQA, and back away.

View attachment 102387

View attachment 102388

View attachment 102389

That's a really good solution. Well done! I just sit a block of wood in the center under the cross member but your solution is much nicer and definitely more stable when hooking back up to the grapple.

 

[MOOTS]

This is what I do.

 

[MountainMeadows]

That's a really good solution. Well done! I just sit a block of wood in the center under the cross member but your solution is much nicer and definitely more stable when hooking back up to the grapple.

View attachment 102398

Thanks! Your method works, as did mine, but I needed something more user friendly.

I had two issues: first, I had to wrestle with the grapple on the pallet to install it this spring because it wasn't situated correctly. I'm getting to old for wrestling matches.
Second, I needed a stand so I can store it in the shop at some point and this allows me to slip the my pallet forks underneath to combine the storage space.

 

[MountainMeadows]

View attachment 102400
This is what I do.

That works fine but I don't have room for a log in my shop...........lol

 

[soloz2]

I had originally been planning on the Landpride 54” grapple, but decided to spend a bit more for the 60” version. It wasn’t too much heavier, but was heavier duty and it has built in stands that flip down and work really well!

 

[The Evil Twin]

Nice work! Are you going to put wheels on the stand?

 

[D2Cat]

How difficult is it to get the grapple adjusted to allow the pins on the side to slide in? Nice set up, but the alignment seems like it would be a challenge.

I have a different style of grapple and simply set it on an old 10 ply tire. Never had any trouble connecting in 4 years.

 

[mdhughes]

That looks like a really smart way of attaching the stand to the grapple. I'm sure you have given a lot of people a great idea on creating their own. Maybe you can make them to order for people that don't have the skills to make their own.

The grapple I have has a flat bottom and stands on its own.

 

[MountainMeadows]

How difficult is it to get the grapple adjusted to allow the pins on the side to slide in? Nice set up, but the alignment seems like it would be a challenge.

I have a different style of grapple and simply set it on an old 10 ply tire. Never had any trouble connecting in 4 years.

I set it up so that all the pins line up with the grapple fully closed so there would be no issue lining them up.

 

[MountainMeadows]

Nice work! Are you going to put wheels on the stand?

Yes, I have a set of 4 casters for it. That will provide mobility and give the clearance needed to slip my pallet forks under it to combine the storage space.

 

[Smokeydog]

Adding some side wings really helped me changing implements.

 

[The Evil Twin]

Painting them white helped me. Lol. The grapple being black was hard to see the edges of the SSQA in the shop.

 

[TX Chris]

@MountainMeadows Great idea!

I'm going to use this same concept (pins from the outside) to build a two-piece stand. One stand for each side. The grapple is definitely an awkward piece to mount/dismount and not easy to move around the shop unless it's on wheels.

 

[Runs With Scissors]

After storing my wicked 55 on the original shipping pallet I thought there must be a better way to store it when not in use. The wheels started to turn and I came up with a simple idea for a stand. Now all I needed was a little spare time to get started. Necessity is the mother of invention. I needed to take the grapple off the tractor to use the forks and I was reluctant to drop it back on the pallet. Today was the day. I got to work and as usual I had more time in this project then I anticipated. It's not totally finished at this point but it is totally functional.

I rounded up some scrap square tubing around the shop and got to work. First I took measurements and made all the cuts. I followed that up with welding everything together. I still need to fabricate some end caps and possibly some more reinforcement tubing then finish with a nice coat of paint but that's for another day.

View attachment 102386

It's basically a two piece stand. It separates in the middle so you can spread it for installation. Once in place you tighten the "T" handles to lock it all together. Then lower the grapple to the ground, release the SSQA, and back away.

View attachment 102387

View attachment 102388

View attachment 102389

Nice job!

Are you going to weld a mounting plate to bolt the casters to?

 

[MountainMeadows]

Nice job!

Are you going to weld a mounting plate to bolt the casters to?

Thanks!

I'm either going to weld on a mounting plate to bolt the casters to or weld the casters directly to the square tubing.

I'm debating on whether to use 3" or 4" casters. It seems 4" might roll better on uneven surfaces.

 

[Runs With Scissors]

Thanks!

I'm either going to weld on a mounting plate to bolt the casters to or weld the casters directly to the square tubing.

I'm debating on whether to use 3" or 4" casters. It seems 4" might roll better on uneven surfaces.

My advice is to go as big as you can in diameter. After having used those 6" HF casters, I'm sold. Crazy easy to roll around the shop.

By using a mounting plate, you avoid having to possibly cut off a failed caster.

Although it could be argued that having to drill 16 mounting holes takes more time than cutting off a few small welds.

6 of one, half dozen of the other argument I suppose.