After the right side latch getting knocked loose a few days ago and bending the SSQA plate, still needed to straighten it a bit more even though it was close enough to hook up the grapple. Was the planning to get started on that one day late last week in the afternoon after a dermatologist appointment.
Dermatologist cut off something they didn’t like the look of and told me half way through cutting that I’d have a “gallon of milk” lifting restriction and nine stitches instead of the no lifting restriction and one stitch projected when they started. I really don’t recall what spontaneous utterance came from me, but it resulted in the doctor saying the point was to not raise my blood pressure to the point I busted my stitches or started bleeding so be reasonable and lift with my legs if necessary. That I could live with.
So no more trail cutting for a while but a bent SSQA plate was bothering me. The prospect of it potentially recurring was bothering me. Took off the grapple and tried to put on the forks just to be sure it was straight enough to be functional. No go. Left side 1/4” from engaging at all. Bucket more like 3/8” off. Not good.
Pushing one side on a tree worked to get it good enough for the grapple but further tree pushing was fruitless. Clamped a chunk of steel plate in between the stops on the left side and running against that extended stop got it restored to full functionality.
A search of Messick’s website indicated the SSQA plate could be had for a mere $1351 plus tax and shipping. That and being unable to do anything particularly strenuous inspired me to make sure this doesn’t recur.
Two tiny screw shackles, a bit of vinyl clad wire rope (got to protect the paint on the torque tube), and one swager later we have a SSQA tie down. Takes maybe 90 seconds longer to hook/unhook, mostly because it requires a wrench.
Washed and greased it after.