Grapple for L3901 or substitute?

[ArtinAz]

I want to move some cable down trees from my property.
I'm looking for pricing on grapples and they seem pretty expensive ($2k-$3k). Has anyone found anything else that works similiarily for moving piles of trees? I saw a pallet fork that seems like it may do the job for fraction of the cost but not sure if it'll be worth it. Once I move the tree piles, I'll have no use for a grapple & feel like I wasted my money.

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

 

[edritchey]

Get a grapple in the under 400lb range and you'll be good to go

https://www.everythingattachments.c...e-by-Everything-Attachments-p/eta-wrg-cmp.htm

 

[GrizBota]

Seems like you must have found some lessor expensive grapples. You can add another $1000 for a third function if you don’t already have one. But there are some grapple options that don’t require hydraulics, but I think they are limited in utility, comparatively.

If you don’t want to buy a grapple, buying pallet forks for about $1000 is an option. You’ll probably end up using either implement more that you think once you’re done with the trees.

You can always sell either one when done and consider the loss a rental fee.

There’s other part way options like an add a grapple for your bucket, but a pallet fork is probably less expensive if that’s your primary concern.

 

[NCL4701]

I have a grapple. I have forks. A grapple is better than forks for: moving brush; grabbing logs from odd positions to manipulate them to a position perpendicular to the tractor to pick them up; picking up boulders, trash, and other odd objects; clearing out giant thickets of those thorn vines that resemble spiky weedeater line; root raking.Obviously, you can grab stuff and secure it to the loader very quickly without getting off.

Forks are good at moving logs so long as you can get to them from an appropriate angle. They’ll move brush but with more physical labor to load them, not as secure as a grapple unless you tie or strap it somehow, and you can’t haul quite as much per load because you can’t compress the load of brush. You can’t root rake at all with forks.

Forks are better at moving stuff without damaging it. You can’t pick up a loaded pallet with a grapple.

I have moved a brand new refrigerator with forks. Worked great. No damage. I’ve also pulled an old oven out of a ditch where it was half buried and covered in honeysuckle with the grapple. Took zero effort and just a few seconds to pull it out and set it in the back of my truck but it was mangled pretty severely.

Grapple is my favorite implement, but if had to pick one or the other it would have to be forks. For what you’re doing, you can get by with forks even though they’re not “ideal”, you don’t need to add a third function, they’re much cheaper, and you’ll have tons of uses for them after this one project (even if you don’t think you will).

Get the forks. Skip the grapple unless you have an ongoing use for it.

 

[Vlach7]

Grapple=$4000, Debris/Brush forks from Titan =$400, not sure what they cost now. I needed a 3rd function.

 

[Donystoy]

Price out a grapple from a Kioti dealer. Mine has two cylinders and reinforced tines. I have moved heavy borders without any twisting or damage. Considerably cheaper than others I looked at that were not close to the quality.

 

[ajschnitzelbank]

I agree with a few replies above. Grapples are sweet, I like mine. But they’re mighty expensive. Pallet forks will likely do everything you need.

 

[Motion]

I agree pallet forks would do the job. Check with your local rental equipment supplier, they sometimes have used forks at a reasonable price. I bought an almost like new, 5500# "Arrow" set for $700.00.

 

[Runs With Scissors]

I like my grapple, but if I was "stranded on a desert island" and I had to choose only one FEL attachment to have, I would choose my forks.

 

[mikester]

I want to move some cabled tres from my property.
I'm looking for pricing on grapples and they seem pretty expensive ($2k-$3k). Has anyone found anything else that works similiarily for moving piles of trees?

I'm struggling with what "cabled tres" is

Your tractor is a little small for moving "piles of trees"

I'm guessing this is what you are looking for to skid logs

 

[ArtinAz]

Get a grapple in the under 400lb range and you'll be good to go

https://www.everythingattachments.c...e-by-Everything-Attachments-p/eta-wrg-cmp.htm

That's fine but that's for a compact tractor.

Get a grapple in the under 400lb range and you'll be good to go

https://www.everythingattachments.c...e-by-Everything-Attachments-p/eta-wrg-cmp.htm

Still, these are $2k-$3k. Looking for less expensive option if there is one.

 

[ArtinAz]

I'm struggling with what "cabled tres" is

Your tractor is a little small for moving "piles of trees"

I'm guessing this is what you are looking for to skid logs

Cabeled trees, typo & corrected. They're trees that were torn out the ground with cables & left in piles. Ranchers did this to Juniper trees for their cattle thinking more pasture grass would grow but it only created erosion.

Don't want to skid logs. Junipers arent like pine that are 20 ft long logs. They're branchy trees that are up to about 10'-20' tall.

 

[NCL4701]

Well, that additional info does make a difference.

Yes, that sounds like ideal for a long bottom grapple. If you go that route I’d budget about $5K to add a third function and purchase a decent grapple. Yes, you can probably cut some off that if you get a good deal on a grapple, plumb the third function yourself, run the third function off a rear SCV if you already have one, etc. but a $5K budget is realistically what I would suggest for planning purposes. Of course you could recoup part of that by selling the grapple when you’re done with it.

Or you could rent a mini ex with a thumb. Don’t know what that would cost but suggest looking into it and considering as an option.

Personally, I’d still try it with forks first. Even if it doesn’t work, you don’t have a bunch of money tied up, there are a plethora of other uses for them so they’re the kind of thing you’ll almost certainly wonder how you got along without them after you’ve had them a while, and if you find you never use them you can sell them for about what you paid for them as they don’t lose value so long as they’re in good condition.

 

[GrizBota]

Juniper trees. Forks may well work better that a grapple, depending on how bushy they are.

What’s the point of moving the trees? Are you going to put them all together and burn them? If so, a dozer would be pretty efficient at that.