Tuggster 2 #1 Posted February 18, 2016 Has anyone made or added a grapple rake or grapple bucket to their front end loader? Looking for ideas on how to make one. I see when adding a purchased grapple bucket to new tractors you need to install a diverter for teh grapple control. Will the pump that came with the Kwik Way loader handle an additional cylinder? 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
953 nut 57,871 #2 Posted February 18, 2016 I have had occasion to benefit from a grapple, but haven't added one. You would have to ad another spool valve for it, just a mater of installing a "T" in each of the supply and return lines and running lines to the new cylinder. Your pump will have no problem keeping up. We have one requirement of new members, Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
squonk 42,517 #3 Posted February 18, 2016 That depends on the pump and how it's laid out. Example: My Power King has a homemade loader. I also have the original 3 pt hyd rear hitch. I plumbed every thing together with a tee. I use a .5 cu in pump. When operating the loader, it wouldn't work. Instead of say lifting the arms, it just dumped the pressure to the return loop of the rear lift. I had to install diverter valves in to control where the hyd. pressure went. If you have a power beyond port on your loader control, you can plumb the grapple into a separate control valve from that or get another control valve assembly with the extra controls built in. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
953 nut 57,871 #4 Posted February 18, 2016 34 minutes ago, squonk said: depends on the pump and how it's laid out. Good point Mike, my presumption was that the loader had a dedicated pump, reservoir and double spool valve. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DennisThornton 4,771 #5 Posted February 18, 2016 5 hours ago, Tuggster said: Has anyone made or added a grapple rake or grapple bucket to their front end loader? Looking for ideas on how to make one. I see when adding a purchased grapple bucket to new tractors you need to install a diverter for teh grapple control. Will the pump that came with the Kwik Way loader handle an additional cylinder? Lord! What a great idea! I have a sawmill and log some with my 4x4 with FEL and have wanted a grapple for the small logs and certainly the brush. What a mess the tree tops make! But even if I had a big grapple I would still want a small one too and I've never even thought about it! I and 2 of my sons recently cleaned up a 1/4 acre or less area of woods by the very visible roadside and we did the small stuff mostly by hand loading in a cart behind a WH of course! What a great timesaver a small grapple would have been! There's lot's of examples of standalone grapples with no bucket and of grapple top arms only to add on the an existing bucket. Not sure here would be the most appropriate place to dump megabytes of pictures but I'm sure we can work out something... Not sure if this helps but if your needs were rather modest, and I'm wondering for myself as well, if something like a modified Johnny Bucket would work? Brush is not dense and therefore pretty light. Maybe a Johnny Bucket with some add-on lower forks and a couple top "fangs", (even electric powered!) to just grip the bundle would be quite feasible, affordable and somewhat functional? The lower forks, if long, would somewhat get in the way of dumping but if I could gather a big bunch and move it I could afford the time to hop off and help unload if some of it failed to slide off. Might be a great way to move piles of leaves too! Johnny Bucket style or FEL add on, either way you've got me thinking! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tuggster 2 #6 Posted February 19, 2016 Yeah Dennis, I have been looking at all the different options for a grapple. I think I might keep the bucket on the FEL and add debris forks to the bucket. Then mount a set of fixed tines / forks above the bucket. Maybe off the cross member on the boom. This way when the bucket is dumped the brush drops. And yes, Squonk / 953 Nut, I have the double spool valve and dedicated pump that came with the Kwik Way Loader. If I do something and have to add another cylinder do you think I could just T off the existing lines? All the purchased grapples I saw require a diverter valve. I will get some pictures of the new tractor this weekend. This site and you folks have been great. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
roadapples 6,983 #7 Posted February 19, 2016 Interesting, keep us informed and welcome to Red Square... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
squonk 42,517 #8 Posted February 19, 2016 I'm not a hyd. expert but without the power beyond feature on your spool valve I think you are going to have to add a diverter or purchase another spool valve /loader control to operate the grapple. Or are you planning on running the grapple with the bucket dumping control? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tuggster 2 #9 Posted February 19, 2016 Depending on which way I go - keep the bucket on or remove bucket and install a complete grapple rake will influence which way I go with the hydraulics. If I can get away with just adding another spool valve to control the grapple that will probably be the way I go. We have a hydraulics engineer here where I work so I'll run my options through him. Still in the early stages of a concept so i'm open to any suggestions or ideas anyone has. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DennisThornton 4,771 #10 Posted February 19, 2016 Some tidbits I've gleaned: All the equipment's weight you add reduces your load, though maybe not a big deal if you are grabbing brush. I think the Quick Change brackets are the best approach. You can swap forks with bucket in seconds and then grapple a little longer because of the hydraulic connections. Adding just the top claws is the simplest and quickest and again, I think the electric actuator might be fine. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
