Grapple, Add-A-Grapple, or 4 way Bucket

[Mitymelvin``]

Hey everyone. I just purchased (haven't taken delivery yet) a 2021 B2601 with LA435 loader. I was thinking about getting a grapple for it and installing a 3rd function. What is everyone's opinion of what to do? Should I get a Quick attach grapple or add a grapple to the bucket or just get a 4-way bucket? How about building a grapple? Anyone have experience building one?

 

[i7win7]

There are different grapples for different jobs. What are you trying to move?

A root grapple is good for breaking roots of brush and pulling it, good for moving 1-3 logs at once. Other grapple styles can haul more tree limbs per trip.

Pallet forks will move a lot of material and they make a grapple that slides over the forks for clamping loads.

If you can't haul tractor with full assortment of attachments, them the 4in1 bucket might be useful - not something I would want to use.

 

[NCL4701]

Probably depends on what you plan to do with it and how much. I’m not lobbying for one over the other. I don’t have a 4 in 1 bucket. I have a grapple and a regular plain bucket.

So, what can you do with dedicated grapple that you can’t go with a bucket with an lid added? Main thing is there are no ends on a grapple so you can pick up a bigger load of stuff longer than the bucket is wide.

What can you do with a dedicated grapple you can’t do with a 4 in 1 bucket? Basically, pick up bigger round stuff and bigger loads of brush.

What can you do with a 4 in 1 you can’t do with a grapple? A bunch of stuff related to grading and moving material. Yeah, you can sort of pinch some stuff to pick up a pipe or log, but not like a grapple. Back in the day before SSQA was on everything, seems like 4 in 1’s were popular on full size backhoes around here. Ever since higher end stuff went from pin on to SSQA or Euro, seems like 4 in 1’s have gone out of style in favor of separate bucket and grapple. Seem to still be popular in some places. Have heard they’re pretty much standard in Australia.

Maybe you can do all that with an “add a grapple” or a 4 in 1 bucket. I don’t think you can but could be wrong. Maybe you don’t need to do all that.

Edit: Agree with i7win7; if you don’t have enough use for a grapple to justify a grapple, I’d more likely add a lid to a set of pallet forks.

 

[mikester]

Get a lightweight grapple, you already have limited loader lift capacity. 4in1's are nice but relatively heavy.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

As others have said it ALL depends on your land . 1 acre or 100 ? a few trees or a forest ? clear brush, or making trails ?
Curious, I looked up the 2601 specs,compared to my BX23S. It can lift 150-200# more BUT you HAVE to subtract the weight of the QA frame AND the grapple.Also WHERE the load is makes a HUGE difference.
I bought the HLA QA 900# palletforks. While I can't 'clamp down' on a load of brush, it moves the stuff fine. It also works great at pushing brush back,waaay back into the forest or windrows. For hauling logs(3200#) out of the bush to the mill, I used my D-14 with carryall.The forks are GREAT at moving 'skids of stuff', their primary use here.
Everyone's needs and land is different, just offering the 'option' that pallet forks might be worth looking at.

 

[Bmyers]

Weight will be an issue. You can burn up a lot of your lift capacity getting the wrong attachment.

I have not used 4-in-1 bucket but have been interested in one. I think Landpride makes one that weighs around 300 pounds.

I have the EA 55" Wicked grapple. around 250lbs. It has been extremally useful.

Yet as others have pointed out, it all depends on your needs.

 

[Mitymelvin``]

You all have given me some things to think about. I think that I am going to wait and see what I struggle with and buy an implement to solve that issue. Truthfully, whatever I buy will just be something for me to play with. I just work at my house (7 acres) and a new lot in a development (1.7acres). I have worked with just a plain bucket fir a long time. The new machine will also have pallet forks so that will be better. Thank you for your replies.

 

[i7win7]

I may get something like this for my pallet forks

https://www.4startools.com/336S27-Pallet-Fork-Mount-Grapple-336S27.htm

 

[mikester]

I may get something like this for my pallet forks

https://www.4startools.com/336S27-Pallet-Fork-Mount-Grapple-336S27.htm

My forks are the most used attachment followed by the grapple. A thumb for my forks would be sweet for handling large bundles of logs.

 

[fruitcakesa]

I got one of these for my forks: http://www.greens-machine.com/.
Relatively inexpensive and lightweight.

 

[tanuki]

Had an Add-a-Grapple ( the welded on kind ) for years. Much cheaper than a grapple and worked great for firewood and cleaning up brush, New tractor has EA Wicked 60 grapple, Much stronger and capable of heavier duty tasks than before. Just depends on your needs.

 

[top gnome]

I have the lands pride grapple 60" and a b2301 - I just got both a couple of months ago and just started using the grapple last week after a very bad storm knocked down a dozen large spruce trees. I have to say I was questioning my sanity spending that much money on a implement but now that I used it I would not be without it. In just a couple of hours I was able to cut up and stack a bunch of clean logs for the sawmill. stack two large piles of tops and limbs and clear the driveway of fallen trees across it. I really can say twice the work in 1/2 the time easily. stacking the logs alone without having to skid thru the mud or chain each log to the loader saved a ton of time. Picking up all those sap laden branches by hand and hauling them or stacking them on the loader and using tie downs to hold the branches no thank you. the grapple picks them right off the ground an into the pile they go. I am still learning how to use the thing but really like it.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

love the smell of the fresh spruce.....
nice hens too !

 

[Freeheeler]

Everyone's needs and land is different, just offering the 'option' that pallet forks might be worth looking at.

I was going to offer the same advice, then later read that you will have forks already.
I was searching for both forks and a grapple last year. I got the forks first and to be honest, they do everything I need so I learned that I don't need a grapple. The forks weigh less so I can actually lift/haul more then I could with a grapple. The grapple might be a little easier to pluck a log out of a ditch, but with practice and a little finesse, I haven't found anything I couldn't lift/haul with the forks that a grapple could do. With a couple of straps thrown over, I've carried brush piles much larger than what could be grabbed by a grapple. Just food for thought.
Of course, if you want a grapple, by all means get one, and post pics

 

[top gnome]

love the smell of the fresh spruce.....
nice hens too !

Thanks they are awesome layers most days an egg a hen winter or summer.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

neighbours have the hens, I do them 'kubota jobs', get paid in eggs...everyone's happy !

 

[Vlach7]

Another consideration is Debri Forks from Titan, were less then a tenth of the cost of putting a 3rd valve and Grapple bucket onto my L47. Well worth the money. Here you can see me lifting trees for firewood.

 

[rc51stierhoff]

For me a tractor is sort of jack of all trades and maybe master of none except when you need a PTO….I feel that way about both of them, but they have very different uses. That being said I buy what I believe to be the best implement (job specific) for How I will use it and I want it to be QA for the front loader…If I am limited on how many i can have it is based on how much I would use then it would be with the forks, I think they are most versatile, and I use them more than any of my other attachments. So if I could only have one I do forks with the grapple added to them. How ever I have never used forks with a grapple…so maybe someone else chime in on whether that works or not (I have forks and I have a grapple) As the others above have said I think Frequency and size/landscape have a lot to do with correct application.

 

[milanmark]

I got my B2601 last fall and the little I got to use my grapple I fell in love with it! It's a Worksaver and has a smaller top which I am not a fan of but it still made clearing trees easy. Got a lot to do this spring and I can hit the ground running but will probably order an EA, forget the model but made for compact tractors and should help in clearing some of the brush I have... Anyways I highly recommend a grapple!

 

[BC2]

You all have given me some things to think about. I think that I am going to wait and see what I struggle with and buy an implement to solve that issue. Truthfully, whatever I buy will just be something for me to play with. I just work at my house (7 acres) and a new lot in a development (1.7acres). I have worked with just a plain bucket fir a long time. The new machine will also have pallet forks so that will be better. Thank you for your replies.

I have a similar problem and have not bought anything yet because of all the pro and con weigh-ins. Most posts, except for those from New Zealand, say a 4 in 1 is not good because it is too heavy and a jack of all trades, master of none. Yet they turn around and say buy a grapple that weighs within about 150lb of the 4 in 1. I don't really get it because if you're operating within 100-200lb of your loader capacity all the time, you may have other problems to deal with. They do say the 4 in 1 comes into its own and is quite useful on a skid steer/track loader, but not on a tractor (because of the power and machine stiffness differences between the two). However, based on the reviews, I decided to fold and I will not buy a 4 in 1. Since I am looking at relatively small acreage use (just a bit bigger than yours), I am leaning toward the Add A Grapple instead of a full blown EA grapple. If you are not running a logging company and only need to move relatively small stuff (e.g. no 500lb tree trunks), the advantage of the Add A Grapple that I see is when you get to the bottom of the pile and small stuff starts dropping through the tines of the full blown grapples (which is even more of a problem with fork mounted grapples). The Add A Grapple lets you use the solid bottom of the bucket to get that small stuff without getting off the tractor or changing implements. So, the solution that I am considering is putting a Piranha or EA tooth bar on the bucket plus the Add A Grapple. The tooth bar will stick out a little bit in front of the stock bucket cutting edge, so it will help grab things that are longer than the width of the bucket. The tooth bar is also supposed to improve the digging capability of your stock bucket, which I think I am going to need because I doubt a 72" straight edged bucket is going to do much of anything in the way of digging without teeth. If you end up buying a full blown grapple, it appears that EA is the one to get, but you will pay double the cost of the Add A Grapple Single and will pay more for the EA even if you get the double A A G - up to you whether the cost/benefit ratio meets your cutoff. ... Just a thought for consideration. Not totally certain what I will do yet.