Which grapple to choose for my L2501 HST? Landpride, EA or MTL?

[ScottHam]

After much research including reading dozens of threads here and other forums, I'm about ready to pull the trigger on my first tractor -- a Kubota L2501 HST. Since one of the primary uses will being clearing cedar brush (here in the Texas hill country we refer to juniper as "cedar"), I am strongly considering adding a grapple. I will use it for moving and stacking piles of logs/branches/limbs/brush, as well as digging out smaller saplings and bushes. I imagine a grapple would also be helpful in pulling out old stumps and other miscellaneous tasks. The ground at my place is rocky, hilly and uneven, and the brush is thick. Based on my research, it seems that Landpride, EA and MTL all make great products that will get the job done. My question is regarding the style -- the claw type like the Landpride SGC06 with short bottom tines, or the root type like the EA Wicked Root or the MTL RG7 with longer bottom tines. It seems like the longer bottom tines would be more versatile and allow carrying of a wider variety of materials without crushing it, but the shorter bottom tines may be better for digging up bushes. I appreciate any thoughts you all have. Thank you.

 

[Elliott in GA]

I am sure that they are all good choices, and any would serve you well. Be aware that grapples are often misused, and this can result in damage to the grapple and the tractor's FEL including the hydraulic system. Your ability to rip up/dig up juniper in rocky soil could be much less than you expect; your tractor is not a track loader. However for transporting/dumping loads of brush from piles, a grapple is a wonderful thing.

FWIW, I found that popping out small Privet with the tooth bar bucket to be more effective than a grapple, but bigger Privet required a chainsaw.

 

[ScottHam]

I am sure that they are all good choices, and any would serve you well. Be aware that grapples are often misused, and this can result in damage to the grapple and the tractor's FEL including the hydraulic system. Your ability to rip up/dig up juniper in rocky soil could be much less than you expect; your tractor is not a track loader. However for transporting/dumping loads of brush from piles, a grapple is a wonderful thing.

FWIW, I found that popping out small Privet with the tooth bar bucket to be more effective than a grapple, but bigger Privet required a chainsaw.

Thank you for that advice and the video -- I had not seen that one. Very helpful.

 

[Nicfin36]

I have been happy with the EA 55 wicked root grapple on my L2501. I refrained from commenting earlier, because that is the only grapple I have used besides the Land Pride grapple on my friend's L3560. The EA grapples have gone up substantially since I bought mine, but what hasn't.

 

[rc51stierhoff]

Good day. I have a LP claw type (clamshell). Ive used it with BX and a B and an MX. its is fine for what it is. I got it for my bx(no longer have) and use mainly with my B. It’s great for piles of brush and saplings that you can compress. When it comes to logs, it is limited by three things. 1. What tractor can lift. 2. Size of the log it has a limit, although it’s usually limited by the tractor before it gets too big of a diameter. 3. For logs that have a knuckle or a fork or a taper to the log it can have trouble grabbing as one end can slip out as the log doesn’t compress, if that makes sense. I personally think a clamshell is better for brush or piles of stuff that compresses…maybe individual rocks too. I have used a buddies skeleton style and I think for multiple log, off shapes/tapered stuff the skeleton style with two separate hydraulic cylinders / clamps can handle the off shapes much better. My LP works as designed but aside from and EA that I tried once from a fried (it worked as designed too) I am not sure I have a preference to suggest. Maybe availablility and weight if it matters or not. But I don’t have a preference on a brand. I think the style for what you primarily plan to use would be more important…I would assume any of the brands you listed plus maybe a homestead or virnig would all be decent brands to consider and would work as designed….I think that is the basic expectation.

 

[nbking]

I have the landpride, it's on 95% of the time.

 

[D2Cat]

Scott, welcome to the forum. When it comes to machinery and implements you're probably not going to find anyone who is going to tell you to purchase something other than what they bought! No one want's to admit to that predicament.

I bought an MTL three years ago to use on a 40HP tractor. It's a double lip, 60" wide. I primarily use it for moving various materials, brush, RR ties, rocks, loading and unloading firewood, etc. I am totally satisfied with it and what it does and never wished I'd bought a different brand or style.

I picked RR ties out of a pile a couple of weeks ago and lined them up for a neighbor. It was 95 deg, no breeze and HOT. He was going to man handle all of them by himself and I offered to help. Told him I'd move them all but I wasn't going to touch them! (He didn't know I had a grapple for my tractor). He leveled some of the road rock and aligned them. When we were finished he commented on how easy and quick it went. They are back saving tools.

 

[RCKM]

I have the LP SGC0660. I like it because it’s light at just over 200lbs and therefore doesn’t take too much away from the loader lift capacity. Works great on gathering up brush. We cut 7 - 10 cords a year from 8ft logs that average around 18”-20” in diameter with no trouble. I hold the log up with the grapple as another guy or two cuts from the ends. It’s been a back and time saver for sure. I do wish that maybe the bottom teeth extended out more so I could scoop up the cut blocks and move them more easily, but I just ”doze” them around to where I want anyway. I also use it to turn the compost pile and till up the garden. It was convenient to just roll it into the cheap financing too.

 

[TheOldHokie]

After much research including reading dozens of threads here and other forums, I'm about ready to pull the trigger on my first tractor -- a Kubota L2501 HST. Since one of the primary uses will being clearing cedar brush (here in the Texas hill country we refer to juniper as "cedar"), I am strongly considering adding a grapple. I will use it for moving and stacking piles of logs/branches/limbs/brush, as well as digging out smaller saplings and bushes. I imagine a grapple would also be helpful in pulling out old stumps and other miscellaneous tasks. The ground at my place is rocky, hilly and uneven, and the brush is thick. Based on my research, it seems that Landpride, EA and MTL all make great products that will get the job done. My question is regarding the style -- the claw type like the Landpride SGC06 with short bottom tines, or the root type like the EA Wicked Root or the MTL RG7 with longer bottom tines. It seems like the longer bottom tines would be more versatile and allow carrying of a wider variety of materials without crushing it, but the shorter bottom tines may be better for digging up bushes. I appreciate any thoughts you all have. Thank you.

I have an L3901 with MTL RG7 and I would advise against it. While it is well built it is more grapple than the tractor can really handle. The long bottom tines were one reason I chose it but they put the load forward and increase the overhanging load. The CV60 is probably a better match to your tractor and still on the heavy side but without the long bottom tines.

That said MTL was a delight to deal with - quality product at a very affordable price and FREE delivery in a matter of days not months.

Dan

 

[fishpick]

Check out Homestead. Solid grapples, very reasonable prices and “short” lead times!

 

[fried1765]

After much research including reading dozens of threads here and other forums, I'm about ready to pull the trigger on my first tractor -- a Kubota L2501 HST. Since one of the primary uses will being clearing cedar brush (here in the Texas hill country we refer to juniper as "cedar"), I am strongly considering adding a grapple. I will use it for moving and stacking piles of logs/branches/limbs/brush, as well as digging out smaller saplings and bushes. I imagine a grapple would also be helpful in pulling out old stumps and other miscellaneous tasks. The ground at my place is rocky, hilly and uneven, and the brush is thick. Based on my research, it seems that Landpride, EA and MTL all make great products that will get the job done. My question is regarding the style -- the claw type like the Landpride SGC06 with short bottom tines, or the root type like the EA Wicked Root or the MTL RG7 with longer bottom tines. It seems like the longer bottom tines would be more versatile and allow carrying of a wider variety of materials without crushing it, but the shorter bottom tines may be better for digging up bushes. I appreciate any thoughts you all have. Thank you.

Check out the Mid State Attachments grapples (Denton, NC)
Great folks to deal with, family company, good product and good price.
Direct purchase from manufacturer - them!
Msattachments.com

 

[Jasper2018]

I went with the "Wicked 55" from EA.
I had a 5 month wait because of Covid and shortages of steel stock. I can tell you it was definitely worth the wait.

 

[mikester]

I don't think you would go wrong with the land pride. I just quoted one and it's a 10-12 month wait list for a new one, can't find any in the size I want in stock.

EA units look nice in photos, I haven't seen any close up.

Be weary of no name cheapo units, avoid the "heavy duty" ones made from thick mild steel and without any kind of greasable fittings. You have limited capacity and a heavy unit means you lose capacity pushing air.

If you are doing ground engagement with a small machine you will want short tines for sure. If you plan on moving a lot of loose brush and firewood the long bottom ones are more desirable.

 

[ken erickson]

I purchased the Landpride SGC0660 for my L2501 HST . At the time the price was $1100 plus $88 in sales taxes. My main uses are much the same as yours. The style tines and claw have worked out fine for me , although I have the luxury of sandy soils when pulling small trees. I have the grapple on 90% of the time with a total of just over 100 hours on the tractor. I was worried that I might bend the tines digging up dead and dying Scot Pines but so far the grapple is un-injured. The ONLY issue I have had with the grapple is that one of the parking stand springs was dislodged and lost. I know there are a host of great grapples with many different features but for me this Landpride has been 100% satisfactory.
Good luck on your purchase!

 

[jkrubi12]

Great advice here, I saw one post advising about including the grapple purchase in the financing (like I did) and that's available with the LP SGC0660, a nice match to your intended tractor imo. It's got greasable zerks as well (my 54 doesn't).

I think that generally the LP models are lighter than other manufacturer's grapples. They utilize special steel for strength, perhaps to offset built-in durability. With proper use I'm very confident mine will last for years. As another post stated if you abuse the grapple those effects will carry thru to the loader.

There's a great vid on YouTube of a quite competent fabricator creating some additional weld-on braces for a mangled LP grapple. I think he had a 54" on a BX.

 

[ScottHam]

Thank you all very much for the input. Very helpful. I just watched a Youtube video from Homestead Bandwagon where he does the same activities with a root rake grapple (short tines) and a rock rake grapple (long tines). It was very enlightening. Although I'm still not sure which direction I will go, I am certain that grapples are awesome!

 

[Nicfin36]

Thank you all very much for the input. Very helpful. I just watched a Youtube video from Homestead Bandwagon where he does the same activities with a root rake grapple (short tines) and a rock rake grapple (long tines). It was very enlightening. Although I'm still not sure which direction I will go, I am certain that grapples are awesome!

When in doubt, get both! Just kidding, although I almost did just that. And if I had done that 3 years ago, I would have thought myself a genius today. Now, one grapple can cost what two would have cost back then.

 

[Bmyers]

As many have pointed out there are lots of good grapples to pick from. I have the EA 55 Wicked Grapple and have been very pleased. It is on the tractor more than the bucket and I'm always finding something to move with it.

 

[mcmxi]

If you primarily use a grapple to move brush around or do light work, just about any grapple will do, but obviously some are better suited to picking up large piles of sticks and stuff than others. If you move a lot of rocks around as I do then you might want the strongest and lightest grapple you can find. So far the EA Wicked 60 has been the ticket for me moving large rocks, big tree trunks and old railroad ties. If I'd known that I was going to end up with an M6060 I would have chosen the Wicked 66 but I wasn't born with the "gift" of prognostication.

 

[bird dogger]

I have trouble seeing when using my EA Wicked 55 grapple!

It sure can grab a lot of brush!!