Looking for a recommendation for a grapple for a Kubota m7060 tractor (skid steer quick connect). Will be used to clean up dead branches and stack brush (huisache) that is uprooted by dozer. The tractor doesn't have a ton of lifting capacity so I don't want a super heavy piece of equipment. I was hoping to find something around 72" wide and be under 700 lbs.

Mtl attachments seems to be a good price point for the quality

Cadet05 said:

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Mtl attachments seems to be a good price point for the quality

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They do look nice and are priced right. Any personal experience with them?

Look at Titan for grapplers and other attachments. Good quality and price.

I have owned three different types of grapples on our ranch in the hill country. My main use was for stacking and picking up cedar that was sheared/cut and for picking up brush and limbs.
I can offer a little input .... make sure you get one with long bottom tines and with the greatest reach on the upper claws. You will also want the bottom forks/ tines to be able to skim the ground and not be raised or curved up at the end. This will allow to to get under limbs and logs that are laying flat on the ground. If not you will be digging with the tines instead of "floating" over the ground. This will also allow you to push forward and pick up multiple limbs at one time.
You want one where the upper tines have a long curved reach that closes against the bottom tines all the way. This allows you to pick up more brush and will also contain limbs and logs without them falling out.
Get one that has the hoses protected so limbs/branches don't get hung on them.
Also I suggest a double acting upper tine configuration. This is where the upper grapple is in two separate parts independently. This allows you to pick up trees/logs that are larger on one end than the other.
A one piece grapple will only close as much as it hits on one side.... hope that makes sense.
I can't tell you how much stick time I have using a grapple. Wore two of them clean out!
Take care.

Great information. Thanks.

hook60 said:

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Looking for a recommendation for a grapple for a Kubota m7060 tractor (skid steer quick connect). Will be used to clean up dead branches and stack brush (huisache) that is uprooted by dozer. The tractor doesn't have a ton of lifting capacity so I don't want a super heavy piece of equipment. I was hoping to find something around 72" wide and be under 700 lbs.

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Ritchie brothers has an auction in Fort Worth this month. You can get them below $2000 usually. They also have root rake grapples if you dont want the grapple bucket.

https://www.rbauction.com/idp/2022-tmg-sg72-72-in-skeleton-unused-skid-steer-grapple-bucket-unused?invId=13381193&id=ci&auction=fort-worth-tx-2022126

Gunny456 said:

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I have owned three different types of grapples on our ranch in the hill country. My main use was for stacking and picking up cedar that was sheared/cut and for picking up brush and limbs.
I can offer a little input .... make sure you get one with long bottom tines and with the greatest reach on the upper claws. You will also want the bottom forks/ tines to be able to skim the ground and not be raised or curved up at the end. This will allow to to get under limbs and logs that are laying flat on the ground. If not you will be digging with the tines instead of "floating" over the ground. This will also allow you to push forward and pick up multiple limbs at one time.
You want one where the upper tines have a long curved reach that closes against the bottom tines all the way. This allows you to pick up more brush and will also contain limbs and logs without them falling out.
Get one that has the hoses protected so limbs/branches don't get hung on them.
Also I suggest a double acting upper tine configuration. This is where the upper grapple is in two separate parts independently. This allows you to pick up trees/logs that are larger on one end than the other.
A one piece grapple will only close as much as it hits on one side.... hope that makes sense.
I can't tell you how much stick time I have using a grapple. Wore two of them clean out!
Take care.

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grapple root rake
?sw=800&sh=800

grapple bucket

?v=1587482137

https://www.armstrongag.com/app/download/6353569/BGR-BRUSH+RAKE+GRAPPLE.pdf

I have this one for my tractor. It has almost 1000 hours on it. It's been hands down the best tool I've ever owned for moving downed trees and brush. I prefer it over the ones with a split top grapple. I move brush, limbs, trees, pipe, rocks, telephone poles, and naything I can get a single tooth on, I'll grab it. I moved to a place with heavy woods.It had so many oaks and pecans and hackberries that I had no choice but to have a tool like this. Being able to cut a red oak tree into 10' sections and move it to brush is a blessing you can't imagine until you've had to manually move one. I also used it for making brush piles for my wildlife ag. The tool was used most of the year and rarely became disconnected. It's a beast. Armstrong Ag is out of Brenham and they sell all over the state. It's the only brand I would consider. It's generally sold by all the dealers painted in the color of their choice.

Armstrong

https://www.loaders.com/Brush-Crusher/Brush-Crusher/BC-4300-

should work great for you and you don't have to worry about running hydraulics to the front loader.

This was one of the three I owned. If you are trying to pick up say 2" or 4" limbs and they are scattered I found it very difficult to keep them in this grapple without keeping the teeth in the ground and using it to push the limbs. In the hill country it just tore up rocks using it that way. The ones that worked the best for my application had 36"-40" lower tines that I could get under the limbs laying on the ground without pulling all the rocks up with the tips.
I used it also for getting under and picking up round bales without tearing them up.

The grapple I built for my tractor is much like the bottom one pictured above but with only one thumb. It's very useful. I can pick up single rocks and pieces of log with it, or a giant pile of brush the size of my tractor. The long flat tines on the bottom let you work it under logs and sort of use it like forks a bit,

How hard is it to retrofit the hydraulics?

Currently only have a two way for a bucket on a Kubota and I think I need a 3-way for the "grapple".

This exactly

You can tee off your main to your two way and ad a single acting valve to open and close the grapple as an option. I did that on my case front end loader to use skid steer attachments.

Gunny456 said:

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You can tee off your main to your two way and ad a single acting valve to open and close the grapple as an option. I did that on my case front end loader to use skid steer attachments.

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So you would need two levers still, or is there a "stick with a trigger" to operate the grapple.

Does your Kubota have a joystick type of control for your bucket?

Just one double acting valve that will send flow to one or two double acting cylinders. The lever will have two outflow options so you can positively close/open with one control valve.

tamc93 said:

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How hard is it to retrofit the hydraulics?

Currently only have a two way for a bucket on a Kubota and I think I need a 3-way for the "grapple".

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Not hard.

I have a completely mechanical system for my front hydraulics. Pull a knob and it changes the function of my joystick to go from operating the dump hydraulics to operating the front auxillary hydraulics. If i ever get around to a grapple, will make operating super easy.

Ran me I think $700 for the kit, and took all of about 20 minutes to install.

https://www.palletforks.com/skid-steers/grapples/titan-60-inch-skid-steer-root-grapple-rake-v2-attachment/113312.html



These are what I use and the previous business I worked for used exclusively for cedar clearing in central Texas. I use the 72" wide one instead of the 60" in this link. Over the last 7-8 years we've bought at least 10 of these things. We've done plenty of welding and cylinder repair but most of these get ran 8hrs a day 5 days a week. They take a beating. The price and simplicity make them well worth it to me.

I bought mine at RB Auction in Houston in June. Paid $850 after fees for it and feel like I stole it. It's a 60" root grapple, brand new. I do wish the jaws opened wider as it can be hard to pick up a large load of branches without laying them straight first. I watched some grapples in the August auction and I don't think one went for less than $1100. Forks in June went for $600 and August they were all $1100+. Wish I had paid up in June for them.

If you have a SSQA connection you need to watch RB Auction. They have tons of implements.

coolerguy12 said:

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I bought mine at RB Auction in Houston in June. Paid $850 after fees for it and feel like I stole it. It's a 60" root grapple, brand new. I do wish the jaws opened wider as it can be hard to pick up a large load of branches without laying them straight first. I watched some grapples in the August auction and I don't think one went for less than $1100. Forks in June went for $600 and August they were all $1100+. Wish I had paid up in June for them.

If you have a SSQA connection you need to watch RB Auction. They have tons of implements.

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RB gets hundreds of the different attachments in containers shipped in from overseas, then disperses them to the various regions across the country. Most come from China and south of the border, but they hold up well. Definitely a better bang for your buck than paying 3 to 5 times the amount for a new attachment from the dealer.

Mine is All-Star brand and has made in USA sticker on it. No clue if it's actually made here or if they just slap a couple bolts on at the dock. Either way I feel like I got a ton of bang for my buck. It seems to be really well made. All the seams are fully welded, no stitch welding, and the metal is very thick.

No idea how much it weighs but my tractor is a 55HP and it handles it just fine. Eventually I'll be trying to move telephone poles around with it, that will be a good test for it.

Another vote for ArmstrongAg

Those might be, but I know the majority come from overseas. You definitely did. If you ever have issues with your tines bending, you can always weld some harder steel to reinforce it. We do with our rentals

Misleading Headline. I thought this was a Jiu Jitsu tournament, first prize is a tractor.....

After reading this thread I just realized how much a grapple would come in handy.