Grapple Decision

[JimsF]

Wrestling with whether to buy a root rake or root grapple (longer lower tines). Want to move wood and big rocks around the property as well as clear brush. chosen EA, due to strength & light weight for my FEL ( ~ 1100# lift capacity @pin) as I don’t want to give too much weight up to the attachment. Ordered the 55” wicked root rake grapple, but having second thoughts. Maybe the Root grapple with longer lower tines would be better for my application, as I’m not really doing much ground engagement ‘root raking’.
Also read another wise post re the tractor Not being a bulldozer... learned that one when I tried clearing a path in New Hampshire (read that as rocks everywhere) and popped a big rock out with the bucket edge and ‘fell’ in the hole left behind. Fortunately only bent the front wheel hydraulic line shield (thx kubota engineers).

 

[Bmyers]

I have moved chunks if concrete with my 55" Wicked Grapple, barrels, old implements, lots of brush, logs, and bricks. It has worked well and wondered how I ever got along without it. Plus, I have taken down a few buildings.

 

[Chinook3]

Just got mine a few weeks ago. I think it is great. It has a lot more uses than I thought. I would recommend.

Chinook3

 

[Matt Ellerbee]

Jim, I believe the EA 55” is perfect for our tractors. You will find after using it a bit, open fully and compress the brush pile, close and roll while lifting a bit. They will handle a big bite. It will pop small trees right out of the ground as well as handle the bigger stuff. Small learning curve, but not terrible. And I don’t believe you can break it, at least not with this size tractor.

You will love it.

Those are the chunks that came off the stump. That is a 24” bar on the saw.

 

[Nicfin36]

I think you'll be happy with it. I consider the "root rake" capabilities as an extra feature anyway. This is the biggest rock I have picked up with it so far.

 

[UpNorthMI]

The grapples with the longer lower tines root grapples are often quite deep, most are well over 30” deep, the root rake designs have much smaller depths and will close leaving a much smaller opening (clamshell design), this can be important if you are carrying smaller items other than large rocks or big logs. The deep root grapples are going to typically carry the load further from the pins compared with a shallow depth root rake, this is important when you consider real life lift capacity.

If I had a B or LX series, I would go with a more compact root rake style / clamshell style, for a MX it’s nice to have a bigger deeper root grapple at 700 lbs, as typically you are handling bigger loads. I spent a lot of time recently looking for an in between design for my L3901. I finally settled on a twin lid MTL Attachments compact vertical grapple, CV 60. It was a good mix of both styles with an in between sized lower tine.

I believe it’s important to try and work out what design and sizing is going to be good for your use and your tractor. Take your time selecting your grapple, hopefully see videos of the grapple you are considering in use on the size of tractor that you own.

A Grapple is a most useful accessory, happy grappling!

 

[gas man]

Capabilities?

 

[bird dogger]

55" Grapple maximum bite!


My 300 gallon fuel tank going in for a tune up and repaint.

 

[S-G-R]

I went with a HLA 60" root rake/grapple. It isn't light at 445 pounds but my primary use will be actual rooting and disposing of brush and branches.

 

[JimsF]

The grapples with the longer lower tines root grapples are often quite deep, most are well over 30” deep, the root rake designs have much smaller depths and will close leaving a much smaller opening (clamshell design), this can be important if you are carrying smaller items other than large rocks or big logs. The deep root grapples are going to typically carry the load further from the pins compared with a shallow depth root rake, this is important when you consider real life lift capacity.

If I had a B or LX series, I would go with a more compact root rake style / clamshell style, for a MX it’s nice to have a bigger deeper root grapple at 700 lbs, as typically you are handling bigger loads. I spent a lot of time recently looking for an in between design for my L3901. I finally settled on a twin lid MTL Attachments compact vertical grapple, CV 60. It was a good mix of both styles with an in between sized lower tine.

I believe it’s important to try and work out what design and sizing is going to be good for your use and your tractor. Take your time selecting your grapple, hopefully see videos of the grapple you are considering in use on the size of tractor that you own.

A Grapple is a most useful accessory, happy grappling!

Good points ... I looked at the MTL CV 60 but was scared off by the 400# weight. I’ve actually been looking at the EA Compact 50” Root Grapple as the alternative (275/255#, one larger clamshell lid and removable lower tines, pics below). A bit concerned not rugged enough with 1/4“ plate and the issues you’ve brought up. Thinking the lift issue is mitigated by both the FEL Breakout force and rolling back the load toward the pin to maximize.

 

[UpNorthMI]

Good points ... I looked at the MTL CV 60 but was scared off by the 400# weight. I’ve actually been looking at the EA Compact 50” Root Grapple as the alternative (275/255#, one larger clamshell lid and removable lower tines, pics below). A bit concerned not rugged enough with 1/4“ plate and the issues you’ve brought up. Thinking the lift issue is mitigated by both the FEL Breakout force and rolling back the load toward the pin to maximize.

MTL are very approximate with weights on their website. My CV 60 had an equipment plate attached by the manufacturer that gives serial number, model etc. and states weight at 360 lbs, I believe this to be correct.

I'm not an expert on FEL but I never consider the break out forces. I consider the lift to 1.5M figures both at the pin and at 500mm from the pin, I believe these numbers represent the closest to real life use. For the L series (L 2501 / L3301 & L3901) they have the LA 525 FEL, that has the following stats:

Lift to 1.5M at the pin 1,490 lbs
Lift to 1.5M at 500mm 1,182 lbs

A lot of the load is going to be carried between the pin and the 500MM point, so I average the 2 numbers = 1,336 lbs and make an assumption that a grapple should be no heavier the about 1/3 of the loader capability = 450 lbs.

This is just my way of looking at things. It has worked out real good for me for the grapples and other FEL attachments that I have. Not sure how that would work out for your tractor FEL. When I purchased my first grapple I was shocked at how big it was physically, I paid a lot of attention to the drawings, dimensions and sizes when I just ordered my current model.

Good luck with your seletion and decision making. EA is great stuff and they make them light weight but that comes at an expense. MTL Attachments are more run of the mill but at the end of the day we are talking about 2 hinged steel frames.