Best grapple

[Gearhead660]

Looking to get a grapple for the tractor. What is the best for all around use? Moving brush, firewood, rocks, etc.
I see ones that are like a set of jaws, ones that have a bottom like a rock bucket, ones you bolt on your bucket.
What you got, what are pros and cons of each?

 

[Vg3200p]

At work we have both. I reccomend the jaw style for wood and brush. If you'll be doing alot of smaller rocks or gravel I'd reccomed a 4 in 1 bucket. But the jaw style is awesome for woodwork

 

[Vg3200p]

Dunno if same brand or not but these are what we have. The 4 in 1 might be a better all around. Cause you can still dig and scoop to. But the Jaws are unbeatable for grabbing

 

[SpaceBus]

Dunno if same brand or not but these are what we have. The 4 in 1 might be a better all around. Cause you can still dig and scoop to. But the Jaws are unbeatable for grabbing

View attachment 307610 View attachment 307611

That bucket on the right is slick! I have a root rake grapple like the one of the left, but my bottom rippers have a different shape. I have the 60" grapple, but it's a bit heavy for even a large frame compact tractor and as a result limits your overall lift capacity. It also cost half as much when I bought it almost four years ago. One of my most used tools for sure and I have used it to dig out a lot of boulders and roots.

 

[spuldup]

I have the Titan Implements (now Iron Craft) 60" Economy 1 cyl root grapple. I would not recommend it because it can fall off the QA when bending downward. When it works, it works great, but it has limited capability. Maybe they have improved it. I know I will come spring.

I would look for something with 2 cylinders where each controls an independent set of dogs. That way, uneven loads are grabbed more completley.

 

[spuldup]

... but it's a bit heavy for even a large frame compact tractor and as a result limits your overall lift capacity. ..

This is a point worth considering. The weight is high and the teeth are much farther from lift pins than a bucket. It will still be great for brush and bucked logs but don't expect to rip big bulbs out of the ground in one lift.

 

[Gearhead660]

i am thinking one of these may work best for all around work.

anyone have a bolt on grapple?

 

[spuldup]

@Gearhead660 I've not used a bucket add-on type but can't see it being nearly as useful. The bucket sides will really prevent grabbing very much. See how full grapples have low sides or are even curved downward? That is for capacity and to have the contents not fight to fall out the front. That is a battle when moving brush (next is it getting sucked under the front tires). It wants to push forward, and a short bucket with tall sides would accelerate that for sure.

The top one looks decent but there is no protection for the upper cylinder hoses.

 

[Vg3200p]

Moving/redoing our shop. Used grapple today to load some nasty mouse poop insulation

 

[EbS-P]

The tree company I use has a tractor with the full bucket that opens at the back Can’t recall if it has tines too. I think it’s more useful for more jobs like moving gravel dirt and sand.

 

[SpaceBus]

This is a point worth considering. The weight is high and the teeth are much farther from lift pins than a bucket. It will still be great for brush and bucked logs but don't expect to rip big bulbs out of the ground in one lift.

I think for a tractor the shorter the bottom teeth the better for a grapple. I usually have to get a lot of the rock exposed before I can grab a 3' boulder. I've never tried stumps, just roots, but I think a tractor is the wrong tool for digging up stumps. I also like the short teeth for grabbing logs, but I've never used a grapple with a long bottom.

 

[ericm979]

I have one of these for my Branson 3725:

Compact Tractor Dual Lid Wicked Root Grapple from Everything Attachments

Compact Tractor Loader Wicked Root Grapple from Everything Attachments with Universal Quick Attach or John Deere Quick Attach Lightweight Strong Free Shipping

www.everythingattachments.com

It's a good compromise for brush, logs and larger rocks. The tines are about 6" apart on mine so smaller rocks are going to fall through. There are dedicated log grapples, and grapples that are better for digging. But this one suits my needs which is about 50/50 brush and logs. It's so useful that I keep it on the tractor unless I need forks to move something or a bucket for loose material. I got a 55" but 50" would have been just as good and a little easier to manuver.

With the grapple I can carry logs to my wood processing area. That's less work than cutting logs into rounds in the field and loading them by hand into a UTV or trailer.

EA makes a good grapple- its light but strong. The lids on mine still meet on the tines exactly where they did when it was new, and I have used it to carry some heavy logs. Some cheaper grapples are much heavier, which takes away from the load capacity. I have picked up logs that the loader can't curl or lift very high.

Ballast in the tires and an implement or weight box out back are a good idea if you're moving heavy logs.

The dual lids are not synchronized. When you open or close them usually one moves first then the other. I rev up the tractor so the lids open/close faster. I run mine off a remote with the lever mounted on the fender near the joystick. Eventually I will make a 3rd function but I'm not in a hurry.

 

[Gearhead660]

Think this may work well. Solid bottom so could be used as a bucket, sides are cut out so could still pick up logs. Would add a tooth bar...
Any thoughts?

 

[spuldup]

Think this may work well. Solid bottom so could be used as a bucket, sides are cut out so could still pick up logs. Would add a tooth bar...
Any thoughts?

Interesting hybrid. It will be about 50-75% good at both tasks. Loose material handling will be reduced with the sides cut out, but it will be a better grapple. Also looks heavy.

 

[ericm979]

4-in-1 buckets are not all that great as grapples. The sides that hold loose material in get in the way of logs and brush. They're best when you're trailering to a remote location, need both a grapple and a bucket, and can't take both. I'm working on my property and can pick the front implement that's needed for the job before I head out from the barn. I can't speak for anyone else but its rare for me to need a bucket and a grapple for the same job. I might need pallet forks to move some firewood totes around before delivering some logs but I can do that as two jobs, one to arrange the totes and then put the grapple on and get the logs.

Some cheap grapples don't use real greasable pivots for the lids, just bolts. That's probably not going to last long.

I have heard of people bending the Tomahawk grapples.

 

[Vg3200p]

For best all around I reccomend a true 4 in1 we have one for the dingo and the backhoe. I think it would be better than that tomahawk 66. You have any buddies with attachments you could try before you buy?

 

[spuldup]

4-in-1 buckets are not all that great as grapples. The sides that hold loose material in get in the way of logs and brush. They're best when you're trailering to a remote location, need both a grapple and a bucket, and can't take both. I'm working on my property and can pick the front implement that's needed for the job before I head out from the barn. I can't speak for anyone else but its rare for me to need a bucket and a grapple for the same job. I might need pallet forks to move some firewood totes around before delivering some logs but I can do that as two jobs, one to arrange the totes and then put the grapple on and get the logs.

Some cheap grapples don't use real greasable pivots for the lids, just bolts. That's probably not going to last long.

I have heard of people bending the Tomahawk grapples.

Agreed. The real solution is to have 3 tractors set up w/ different attachments, a skidsteer, and an excavator. Anything less will always be a compromise.

 

[Gearhead660]

For best all around I reccomend a true 4 in1 we have one for the dingo and the backhoe. I think it would be better than that tomahawk 66. You have any buddies with attachments you could try before you buy?

Nope. I be the only one with a bigger tractor.

 

[Gearhead660]

Agreed. The real solution is to have 3 tractors set up w/ different attachments, a skidsteer, and an excavator. Anything less will always be a compromise.

That's what I am working towards!

 

[duramaxman05]

Think this may work well. Solid bottom so could be used as a bucket, sides are cut out so could still pick up logs. Would add a tooth bar...
Any thoughts?

They are heavier than a root grapple. Depends on the size tractor and lift capacity. We have this style grapples on our skidsteers at work. We have a couple old ones we thought using for our tractor. Theyare heavier and would significantly lower our lift capacity of the loader.

 

[duramaxman05]

You can also look at frostbite grapples. My father in law has one he moves logs with on his skidsteer. Titan makes on very similar and are a little lighter. That's the one I been eyeballing for out tractor

 

[Woodsplitter67]

Looking to get a grapple for the tractor. What is the best for all around use? Moving brush, firewood, rocks, etc.
I see ones that are like a set of jaws, ones that have a bottom like a rock bucket, ones you bolt on your bucket.
What you got, what are pros and cons of each?

this is what were using.. hve had it for a number of years now and I have a friend that has one.. its great because when working in the woods or a dirty area, majority of the debris fall through the bucket

 

[salecker]

Jenkins makes nice attachments in the USA
I bought their tree puller for my S220 Bobcat.
It's a fun attachment to deal with Poplars up here.THey grow like weeds one root system will produce many trees.Pull them out with the roots slows the return.

 

[KDubU]

There are a lot of different types and manufacturers out there. I am planning on a Homestead Pinnacle for my purposes which are logs & firewood, moving large stones, making trails.

(broken link removed to https://homesteadimplements.com/root-grapple-pinnacle-series/?setCurrencyId=1&sku=HI-P-RG-66-O-BALL&gclid=CjwKCAiA5Y6eBhAbEiwA_2ZWIalOnkcs74AJmhN0m5kCpSy0tJeWIeERCAgFE7TypNRWMtzJlBbd5xoCGzUQAvD_BwE)

 

[SpaceBus]

There are a lot of different types and manufacturers out there. I am planning on a Homestead Pinnacle for my purposes which are logs & firewood, moving large stones, making trails.

(broken link removed to https://homesteadimplements.com/root-grapple-pinnacle-series/?setCurrencyId=1&sku=HI-P-RG-66-O-BALL&gclid=CjwKCAiA5Y6eBhAbEiwA_2ZWIalOnkcs74AJmhN0m5kCpSy0tJeWIeERCAgFE7TypNRWMtzJlBbd5xoCGzUQAvD_BwE)

I like the low weight on that model, it is significantly lighter than my Titan 60" root rake.