Whats the go to grapple now that EA is out of business?

Yotekiller

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Kubota L2502, LP 60" BB, LP pallet forks, 60" KK Tiller, 55" HSI root grapple
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Well, I just now pulled the trigger on a Homestead Implements 55" root grapple. Hopefully it doesn't take months to arrive....
 
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mcmxi

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Well, I just now pulled the trigger on a Homestead Implements 55" root grapple. Hopefully it doesn't take months to arrive....
The weights of those Homestead grapples makes a lot of sense to me. No point in adding weight if it's not needed.
 
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Yotekiller

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Kubota L2502, LP 60" BB, LP pallet forks, 60" KK Tiller, 55" HSI root grapple
Sep 29, 2023
185
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Southern Indiana
The weights of those Homestead grapples makes a lot of sense to me. No point in adding weight if it's not needed.
That was my thinking as well. They appear to be well built and not too much weight. Just got the email this morning that it’s been scheduled for build and should ship the week of 5/24/24. Now Ive gotta wait and I’m not very patient lol
 
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PoTreeBoy

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Been researching grapples. Man, there's a lot of different brands out there. Seems that most folks really liked the EA stuff...But, as we know, they are no longer.
I have an l2502, and looking to get a grapple. What's the go-to now that EA is out of the picture?
I'm looking for strong and light, serrated teeth, greasable, root grapple.
For me the answer was Land Pride SGC1060. The dealer in Tenn had a 0660 mounted on an L2502, and I'm sure it would have worked fine on my L35 to haul saplings, etc. But I (or my nephew) may get more rambunctious and the 1060 is considerably stronger, so I bit the bullet. Pick it up Monday or Tuesday from my Miss dealer. But these are claw style, looks like Land Pride doesn't offer a root style.

Edit: I may have mis-posted. Land Pride has RGxx grapples.
 
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fried1765

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For me the answer was Land Pride SGC1060. The dealer in Tenn had a 0660 mounted on an L2502, and I'm sure it would have worked fine on my L35 to haul saplings, etc. But I (or my nephew) may get more rambunctious and the 1060 is considerably stronger, so I bit the bullet. Pick it up Monday or Tuesday from my Miss dealer. But these are claw style, looks like Land Pride doesn't offer a root style.
You made a wise choice!
Your L35 is somewhat stronger that most tractors of similar size.
 

workingman1425

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02 JD 4500 460 loader
Apr 11, 2024
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i know my ride isn’t orange. My concern is the grapple. Anyone know anything about Carolina Attachments? Similar heavy but light weight design to EA Wicked
 

ChiefWebb

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I have an Armstrong Ag brand grapple made here in Brenham, Texas. It is a model BGR 64-9, which is a 64" wide nine (9) tine 770 pound beast. I use it on my MX5100. I really like it.
 

mcmxi

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There's only one universal concept when it comes to grapples that is true for all applications, and that is the heavier the grapple, the less lifting power you have. Everything else is subjective and situational. I don't understand why someone would use up close to 50% of the lifting capacity of the FEL with the weight of the grapple, but that's my reality and obviously not someone else's.

Most implements are limited in their application being task specific, and grapples are no exception. A grapple used primarily to move rocks, boulders, large logs and tree stumps might not be as effective at moving large piles of loose brush. In a perfect world we'd have multiple implements but we often have to pick one and hope that it's a jack-of-all-trades vs. master of one.
 
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D2Cat

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There's only one universal concept when it comes to grapples that is true for all applications, and that is the heavier the grapple, the less lifting power you have. Everything else is subjective and situational. I don't understand why someone would use up close to 50% of the lifting capacity of the FEL with the weight of the grapple, but that's my reality and obviously not someone else's.

Most implements are limited in their application being task specific, and grapples are no exception. A grapple used primarily to move rocks, boulders, large logs and tree stumps might not be as effective at moving large piles of loose brush. In a perfect world we'd have multiple implements but we often have to pick one and hope that it's a jack-of-all-trades vs. master of one.
Not less lifter power, less lifting ability.
 

mcmxi

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Not less lifter power, less lifting ability.
Work is force x distance. Power is work divided by time i.e. how quickly you can do the work. A heavier grapple reduces the amount of work that can be done because it reduces the amount of force that can be applied to the load, which in turn reduces the power. 😂
 

ChiefWebb

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MX5100, ZD331, Z242KW-48 & RTV900, Woods Stump Grinder, Armstrong Ag Grappler
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I reference to my heavy Armstrong Ag grappler, I agree that it's weight is a factor. However, my MX5100 and its LA 844 have been able to handle everything I've asked it to. With mostly brush clearing and tree work I enjoy being able to not worry about damage to it when I max out the dual hydraulic cylinders during clamping and squeezing along with its great back dragging ability with just the upper forks.
 
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mcmxi

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I reference to my heavy Armstrong Ag grappler, I agree that it's weight is a factor. However, my MX5100 and its LA 844 have been able to handle everything I've asked it to. With mostly brush clearing and tree work I enjoy being able to not worry about damage to it when I max out the dual hydraulic cylinders during clamping and squeezing along with its great back dragging ability with just the upper forks.
That was my point, what works for one might not work with another. I typically move things around that are 2x to 5x the weight of my grapple. With your LA 844 you're limited to picking up stuff that's close to the weight of your grapple. As I said in another thread, there's no obvious correlation between the weight of a grapple and the strength of a grapple. Good design can trump throwing more steel at the problem.