Farm tractor grabbles

[D._Frederick]

Has anyone any thoughts or experience in using grabbles for logging that hook to the 3 point hitch of a farm tractor. Baileys are handling this type grabble and am wondering how good they work? It would seem to me that there would be problems in turning since the front end of the tractor would have weight taken off.

[Murf]

They work great, the problem is what you hook em' to doesn't always work so well.

If ya' got a biiiiiiiig tractor they work fine. A neighbour of ours has one on a little 20hp Chinese tractor. It makes good wheelies with even cord wood out back.

It likes the back of my 45hp Kubota a whole bunch more, I might try to buy it from him, but they seem spendy, I will probably just build my own.

Besdies, there's no cutting or welding involved in buying, that's the fun part.   8)

[beenthere]

D_Fred
You do need to counterbalance the front end, as well as steer with the rear wheel brakes (and be aware of keeping the front end close at least close to the ground, and not pointing straight up  ;D  ).

Grapples tend to weigh a lot, in and of themselves, which reduces the load that you can carry. There may be other options better for you, if the tractor is on the small side. Several ways have been discussed off and on in this forum, and a search might give you a lot of the information you are looking for, as well.

I use just a set of logging tongs, and make a trip for one or two logs at a time. Works good for me.

[BW_Williams]

I rigged one up to Harriet ('54 To-35) and it worked great for a pole sale we worked.  I'll take some pics next time I got it on.  Needs a little refinement, but so does about everything I build :D

Here's the grapple and rotator I bought

http://www.valbysales.com/newpage111.htm


Don't use the rotator for behind the tractor, that's for another project I got started (among others.....)

[Frank_Pender]

Don, I thought you saw the one I built.  In addition to the grapple, I inclulded sa winch of of a duce and a half as part of the unit.   On the first logging job I  set only one chocker in ten truckloads. 8)