Need help with Purchasing this Grapple Truck or Trailer

[ShawnTrees2018]

Hello Everyone,

My name is Shawn. I have recently started a new tree service company in South Florida. I am asking you guys for a little assistance on a new purchase that I am pursuing on purchasing in the near future as my company desperately needs it. It's a Grapple Trailer Or Grapple Truck.

My Currently Fleet is a new Alteca Ford F750 Bucket Truck and 4 STIHL chainsaws. 1 GMC 2500HD. I am currently debating whether to purchase a Grapple Truck or Trailer. My company desperately needs it.


I have been thinking about purchasing a huge trailer like the 2 pictures below and to tow it using my bucket truck, If that is possible, Please advise. The only problem is I Cannot find trailers with the grapple like this anywhere! I would purchase a trailer with the grapple like this in a heartbeat! 
 
Are Trailers like the Two pictures below purchasable anywhere? I have seen 1 being used by another tree company so ive seen this trailer out in the area. I'm just thinking of where and how I can purchase this trailer, or something very close to this.


Another Question: Would it be better to have a trailer like the one below or a Grapple Truck instead? The trailer would be a lower expense to my operation since no insurance is needed for it, unlike the grapple truck.  Plus the trailer is probably less money to purchase. 






Also, Where can I purchase simple trailers with the grapples like these two pictures below:



 
 


Your comments and feedback are very appreciated. Thank  you 

[chubby]

Here's a gooseneck trailer with a FARMA crane. Also available as a dump trailer and/ or bumper hitch. 

 

[starmac]

My 2 cents, and probably not worth that, but here goes anyway.
I think a truck would be handier, especially working in tight places.
If I had one for tree service I would for sure want it to dump, neither of those trailers does.
That first one with the grapple that is on it would be impossible to completely unload, I know a guy here that bought a very similar looking body and grapple, except it is on a single axle truck that dumps, he can not even think about unloading it with the grapple. He got in a bind and broke through some ice last year and needed to unload so we could pull him out, there was just no way to get more than the a little of the load off the top, with the grapple.

I am sure the trailer would be cheaper to insure, but unless all your work is going to be easy access, a truck may be a better option, at any rate I would want either one to dump.

[Gearbox]

For one thing you can put a much bigger grapple on a truck . Trailers are a pain to maintain and will not last near as long as a truck . I have seen the size of some of the live oak . you are going to need a large grapple to lift a saleable log .

[ShawnTrees2018]

For one thing you can put a much bigger grapple on a truck . Trailers are a pain to maintain and will not last near as long as a truck . I have seen the size of some of the live oak . you are going to need a large grapple to lift a saleable log .

Gearbox, How is a trailer a pain to maintain? the truck has many parts to where a problem can happen. The trailer is basically the wheels, Hydraulics and the crane. 

[Gearbox]

Springs Bushings , low mounted lights ,Tires [way smaller ] . Truck has way more osilation in the tandum .  

[kenfrommaine]

One advantage to having a truck and loader is if you are on a big job and have limited space you can load the truck and send it to your off loading site and keep the bucket truck still working. And you will pick up lots more work just for the loader truck hauling demo, scrap etc if you get slow on the tree side. Just my thoughts on it. Oh and being in Florida for storm cleanup after hurricane season you should be real busy hauling debris.

[mike_belben]

That first trailer is just a basic backhoe tag that someone welded a box onto.  

A truck is a lot more insurance, tax, registration and maintenance than a trailer.  The trailer will never blow an engine or trans and leave your operation hamstrung while its down.  


Buy a 10 wheeler dumptruck with blown engine or front end collission, and have a fab shop cut the chassis into a pintle hitch tongue, then mount crane and power the hoist off your crane hydraulics.  Now you have a dumping grapple trailer.