Grapple University

[Shawn T. W]

Two questions.

1. Could you use a standard "rear remote" to power a grapple?

2. For the twin piston design, do you need two "sets" of hydraulic hoses?

 

[D2Cat]

Two questions.

1. Could you use a standard "rear remote" to power a grapple?

2. For the twin piston design, do you need two "sets" of hydraulic hoses?

You could use the rear remotes to power the grapple, just require hose to get there.

One set of hoses powers both cylinders if you have two!

 

[Shawn T. W]

Thank you.

One set of hoses powers both cylinders if you have two!

Two more questions

1. So do they close at the same time, or does one cylinder go until it can't close anymore, then the next one?

2. If so ... Can you "gently" pick up something? As in not apply full pressure?

 

[D2Cat]

Yes the cylinder's began closing, one comes (usually) against something, the the second goes until it's tight on something. If you grabbed a piece of culvert then they would both close a the same time (because the item is the same diameter for the full length).

With some practice you can be gentle when grabbing something. There are two buttons (switches) mounted on the loader arm and you activate the power with those switches. With practice you'll learn to release the switch before the cylinder clamps totally down. If you hold the switch to close the cylinder will keep closing until hydraulic pressure goes to the other cyl and then it moves until both are as tight as they can get with the hyd pressure provided, then the system bypasses to prevent damage.

 

[Mark_BX25D]

Thanks for the education on the two top cylinders. I now know they operate independently. Sounds like a good setup but i am guessing that they must be heavier by default.

Yes, and I'm not sure how much heavier. My guess is, not much, but I have not compared grapples side by side to be sure.

 

[PoTreeBoy]

Thank you.



Two more questions

1. So do they close at the same time, or does one cylinder go until it can't close anymore, then the next one?

2. If so ... Can you "gently" pick up something? As in not apply full pressure?

Two cylinders doesn't necessarily mean twin lids. Mine has a single lid with a cylinder at each end. It operates same as boom or dump with two cylinders acting in parallel.

 

[trikepilot]

I'm back. I have spent a ton of time doing research and patiently watching the CL and FBMP listings. I have a fairly local almost new LandPride SGC0660 available to buy. I have yet to make contact with seller.

The big selling points for me are the LP name and reputation along with a 250lb empty weight that is just about the lightest grapple I can find anywhere. I am really keen on preserving as much lifting capacity as possible since I am on a smallish B2620.

I keep getting hung up on this being a claw grapple rather than a grapple that has longer fingers on the bottom that stick out. I feel like if I am carrying a 10in by 8ft oak log around, I'd rather have the weight sitting on those lower arms with the lid simply keeping it in place rather than relying on only the hydraulic pinching pressure of the upper lid to keep the load intact.

Am I overthinking this? Is there merit to having more steel protruding out on the lower jaw versus a claw style grapple? What do you B-series owners with grapples have to say out there?

 

[Elliott in GA]

FWIW, I have used my LP SGC0554 grapple for the past 5 years to carry everything (logs, bushes, limbs, large rocks, telephone poles, shed debris and etc.). I have never had a problem holding on to anything. Do not forget, you roll the grapple back (just like a bucket) to bring the load closer to the tractor, and this also helps center the load over the bottom claw.

 

[GrumpyFarmer]

I'm back. I have spent a ton of time doing research and patiently watching the CL and FBMP listings. I have a fairly local almost new LandPride SGC0660 available to buy. I have yet to make contact with seller.

The big selling points for me are the LP name and reputation along with a 250lb empty weight that is just about the lightest grapple I can find anywhere. I am really keen on preserving as much lifting capacity as possible since I am on a smallish B2620.

I keep getting hung up on this being a claw grapple rather than a grapple that has longer fingers on the bottom that stick out. I feel like if I am carrying a 10in by 8ft oak log around, I'd rather have the weight sitting on those lower arms with the lid simply keeping it in place rather than relying on only the hydraulic pinching pressure of the upper lid to keep the load intact.

Am I overthinking this? Is there merit to having more steel protruding out on the lower jaw versus a claw style grapple? What do you B-series owners with grapples have to say out there?

Good day.

For what’s it’s worth (my opinion and $.75 gets you cheap vending machine coffee). I stand by my previous post and the linked thread post I included in one of posts. I have that exact grapple and use with my B. It’s great.

Serrated edges would be nice, but it works great with a B sized machine. I’ve hauled a lot of wood out with it and it makes the work easier, and to me that is the goal. (I do like a long bottom twin lid though…forks also work but the B can only lift so much…using forks or another grapple won’t change what it will lift). Within the capability of appropriate machine it gets some work done.

don’t forget a grill guard.

 

[JonM]

I'm back. I have spent a ton of time doing research and patiently watching the CL and FBMP listings. I have a fairly local almost new LandPride SGC0660 available to buy. I have yet to make contact with seller.

The big selling points for me are the LP name and reputation along with a 250lb empty weight that is just about the lightest grapple I can find anywhere. I am really keen on preserving as much lifting capacity as possible since I am on a smallish B2620.

I keep getting hung up on this being a claw grapple rather than a grapple that has longer fingers on the bottom that stick out. I feel like if I am carrying a 10in by 8ft oak log around, I'd rather have the weight sitting on those lower arms with the lid simply keeping it in place rather than relying on only the hydraulic pinching pressure of the upper lid to keep the load intact.

Am I overthinking this? Is there merit to having more steel protruding out on the lower jaw versus a claw style grapple? What do you B-series owners with grapples have to say out there?

purely my opinion but unless you have a lot and i mean a lot of brush to clear on an ongoing basis a grapple isnt really needed if you already have pallet forks.

when i clear brush i just toss the branchs intoa pile and use the forks. i thought about getting a grapple but i really dont see a need. the forks are great tool for carrying logs.

 

[ken erickson]

I have a fairly local almost new LandPride SGC0660 available to buy. I have yet to make contact with seller.

I have that exact grapple on my L2501 . I know a bit larger than your B.

It is on my tractor 90% of the time. Using it for brush, live and dead pine trees, some larger oak logs (15 inch) large oak rounds (20 to 22 inch) and for the most part have been happy with the performance. A learning curve like any implement.

At times I think it would be nice to have longer bottom tines especially when carrying large multi stemmed brush piles or cut trees. One area that I think a double lid might be nice.

I do not feel that the claw type when I carry logs is an issue due to when you curl the grapple all the way back the log does bear most of its weight on the lower tines.

You can see that full curl in the second picture.

The first picture is something I do not know how well a rock style grapple could preform the back dragging operation as I was smoothing new trails.

Third picture is one of the live red pines I dug out. At the base , maybe 10 to 12 inch diameter.

Bottom line, as a general purpose grapple it has served my needs well and I have no intentions of adding a rock style grapple or trading this one .

 

[retiree-urgency abandoned]

I've got an EA 55" Claw Grapple which I use with a B3350. As I don't have experience with a long bottom tine models (root, rock, skeleton), I can share that I'm pleased with with the claw design. As other posters have said, you just have to develop your grapple skills - including curling and hitting your 3rd function close button periodically so you don't lose your load.

Things I like about the claw:

1. If I'm working with a stack of logs, it's pretty easy to pick and choose what you're going to grab

2. The grapple will probably be able to hold more weight than your FEL can lift. It's easier to bite off more than you can carry - the sycamore log in the photo is a good example of pushing things almost too far. Note, the lift was to see how high I could go on flat field - no way did I travel with it at that height!

3. The raking function is great. If you're dealing with a downed tree, you limb it, cut the trunk into pieces and you'll be able to do most of the cleanup from the seat of your machine. I've used it to scrape up leaves, pine needles and even heavy lawn clippings. There's a knack to the raking and scooping/grabbing.

4. It's not going to pull stumps of any size out of the ground (unless you've cut them free). With the size of of our machines, there are limits. For brush (multiflora, forsythia), it's pretty effective although for larger bushes of clumps, I'll use the Wolverine tree spade.

5 For safety's sake, keep your load centered so you don't bend your FEL's SSQA adapter. As in all FEL work, when moving a load, keep your loader as low as possible.

6. As mentioned above, a grill guard is a must have - a piece of expanded mesh tacked to your factory guard or something fancier.

Looking at your equipment list, you already have forks - me too. Some tasks, it's nice to be able to use both - grapple to pile & clean up and forks to transport larger amounts than the grapple. I just cleaned up pines along the road frontage - piled trimmings with the grapple and if/when the snow melts and ground dries out will use forks to move the piles onto the burn pile.