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Post by Foggy on Dec 18, 2020 15:16:32 GMT -6
Do u have rocks to pick Tom? That would awesome to have at our place!! I have rocks to pick. That is why I am trying to get some thing that would work for both rocks and brush. Not sure that a huge floor is needed for rocks.....and unless they are little stones they wont fall thru the wide spaced tines. I have lifted some pretty big boulders and smaller "fire-ring" sized rocks.....both with ease. Somewhere around 3 feet in diameter.....I run out of enough lift to pick 'em up. Then it's time to slide them.
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Post by Foggy on Dec 18, 2020 16:39:24 GMT -6
I'm hanging out around home in MN today....and thought of grapples. Did a search on YouTube......and while I dont 100% agree with this guy....he has a good presentation on grapples and a unit that is made in your back yard. May be of interest.
Also....be sure to upgrade your brush guard.. On my first tryacto I ran a big branch through the grille.....and it's easy to do. I will post a pic of the expanded metal I put on my Kubota brush guard.....seems to work good. Fewer hoses and a single lid are the way to go....IMO. Protect those hoses and connections! A good unit will come that way....kinda.
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Post by Foggy on Dec 18, 2020 16:57:28 GMT -6
Take some time to remove your Kubota grille guard and have some expanded metal welded onto it......if you buy a grapple. Sooner or later you will push into a pile of sticks and poke your grille. Ask me how I know this. Grin. Heres mine. The "high forks" are home made....and its how I move my box blinds now. Easy / peasy. And another with my 48" grapple. Mine has a big "floor". They didn't really make too many root grapples until recent years. I converted my old grapple over to this tractor with a QD plate.
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Post by Foggy on Dec 18, 2020 17:32:18 GMT -6
I used to spend allot of time on Tractorbynet.com. I still go there occasionally when I want to learn about an implement. They have a HUGE thread on grapples and I have lost interest in reading several thousand posts on a topic. But here is one relatively short dissertation on grapples. I know I am getting a bit wordy on this topic.....but lots of people buy the wrong stuff based on lack of knowledge and experience in this area. Anyway....here is one of their "sponsor" threads on closing a grapple. I would not buy theirs as I think it's a bit expensive.....but it is good discussion: www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/393132-wicked-grapple-guide.html
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jflonll
Full Member
Posts: 185
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Post by jflonll on Dec 18, 2020 20:25:44 GMT -6
Be careful with your Lines easy to pinch(spoken with great experience and now I can pick up some oil dry).
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Post by terrifictom on Dec 20, 2020 12:30:09 GMT -6
Foggy which one of these do you like better?
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Post by Foggy on Dec 20, 2020 13:22:12 GMT -6
Foggy which one of these do you like better? Hmmmm. Good choices. I have one kinda like the top one.....and it does a good job. I wish they had some kinda bar between those lower teeth to prevent it from digging too deep on the bottom pic. Dunno.....but even as it is....I think I would try that bottom one. What do they tell you about these? Prices? I do wonder about ripping one of those long teeth off the lower pic.....as they are not tied to each other for a long way back. Does not look like the lids are grazable?? Must be low cost? (better be)
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Post by terrifictom on Dec 20, 2020 14:17:21 GMT -6
Foggy which one of these do you like better? Hmmmm. Good choices. I have one kinda like the top one.....and it does a good job. I wish they had some kinda bar between those lower teeth to prevent it from digging too deep on the bottom pic. Dunno.....but even as it is....I think I would try that bottom one. What do they tell you about these? Prices? I do wonder about ripping one of those long teeth off the lower pic.....as they are not tied to each other for a long way back. Does not look like the lids are grazable?? Must be low cost? (better be) Yea I noticed that there are no grease fittings on these. The rock grapple that I showed you earlier had grease fittings. These might go for a super low price. We will see.
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Post by kl9 on Dec 20, 2020 14:28:09 GMT -6
Foggy which one of these do you like better? Hmmmm. Good choices. I have one kinda like the top one.....and it does a good job. I wish they had some kinda bar between those lower teeth to prevent it from digging too deep on the bottom pic. Dunno.....but even as it is....I think I would try that bottom one. What do they tell you about these? Prices? I do wonder about ripping one of those long teeth off the lower pic.....as they are not tied to each other for a long way back. Does not look like the lids are grazable?? Must be low cost? (better be) I thought the same. Lower one is beefier with the exception of there being no cross member on the lower teeth. I think you could bend one of those teeth easy if not being mindful.
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Post by Foggy on Dec 20, 2020 15:10:56 GMT -6
If they could add about a 2" diameter tube between each tooth.....about 6" to 8" from the tips.......I would think it would significantly improve the strength and prevent over penetration into the dirt. Would not add allot of weight. I'd like greasable pivots......but maybe it's not that big of a deal?? Dunno on that. I suppose those bolts / pins are replaceable as they wear.
Either one of those is a far better choice than the first ones you showed me....FOR YOUR TRACTOR. Far lighter and more compact. Decent for compact tractor / loader.
Price is a big factor for me on this stuff. If you can buy either of those for a low price......I may go for 'em and I think you could be happy. They all have benefits and shortcomings depending on the job you are trying to accomplish.
Kinda liking the looks of those rock teeth (lower pic) for grubbing in the soil.
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Post by Foggy on Dec 20, 2020 15:23:17 GMT -6
Personally I think this is too large of a grapple for your tractor. I'd size it down. Not sure what you want to do.....but that is allot of grapple right there. Hard to see around and hard to manuver through timber, etc. maybe someone lighter weight....yet built strong and no wider than 60"......IMO.
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Post by kl9 on Dec 20, 2020 16:32:22 GMT -6
A word of caution. I would strongly advise against using a tractor FEL for heavy grubbing. It is not meant for that kind of activity. If the arms on FEL become sprung or bent, likely never correct them
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Post by Foggy on Dec 20, 2020 17:17:39 GMT -6
A word of caution. I would strongly advise against using a tractor FEL for heavy grubbing. It is not meant for that kind of activity. If the arms on FEL become sprung or bent, likely never correct them One reason to keep shorter teeth.....and a bar to prevent penetrating the ground too deeply. A Heavy-duty loader goes a long way too. You can make for allot of leverage with a grapple extending too far from the loader. But I think if you use some common sense.....and push "straight" with the loader.....you can do a reasonable amount of grubbing with a grapple. Not much different than using a dirt bucket, etc. Tho....sometimes in the heat of the battle things can become crazy. Another big reason for a lightweight, narrow grapple with short teeth.
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Post by terrifictom on Dec 20, 2020 17:50:23 GMT -6
A word of caution. I would strongly advise against using a tractor FEL for heavy grubbing. It is not meant for that kind of activity. If the arms on FEL become sprung or bent, likely never correct them My usage would be more light weight stuff and cleaning up an occasional tipped over tree. My plots are well established.
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Post by terrifictom on Dec 21, 2020 20:20:07 GMT -6
Hey Foggy I got this at auction for 471 plus 10 % buyers fee. Think I did pretty good.
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