add in grapple

[Ticolawnllc]

Looking to put on a grapple thumb on my bucket. I want to use a 12v actuator. I saw some with 1,500 lbs of force. Any ideas?

[White Gardens]

I'd be sketchy about it, do you have a link to what you are talking about?

Only thing I can think of is a manual operated grapple. Just fab it on the loader arms and manual adjust it, then use the bucket as the remotely operated portion of it.

Kinda like a manual thumb on an excavator. Just have to get out and retract it when not in use.

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[Ticolawnllc]

It's on eBay. They recommend a cylinder. I just don't want to spend money on a third function kit. I also don't want to mes with my hydraulics.

[Ticolawnllc]

http://bit.ly/QlqecI
Lets see if this works

[White Gardens]

What I'm saying is to use the loader arms to mount a couple of thumbs so you don't have to add a cylinder.

The thumbs would be stationary and adjustable. You would just use the bucket to apply force against the thumbs.

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[Upper5Percent]

Originally Posted by Ticolawnllc

Looking to put on a grapple thumb on my bucket. I want to use a 12v actuator. I saw some with 1,500 lbs of force. Any ideas?

Well before you do anything...contact W.R. Long
Telephone (252) 823-4570
FAX (252) 823-4577
Location 1607 Cedar Street, P.O. Box 460 - Tarboro, NC 27886
E-mail "webmaster@wrlonginc.com

Their valve kit...
http://www.wrlonginc.com/valve_kits.htm
Their grapple options...
http://www.wrlonginc.com/grapples.htm

[hosejockey2002]

I'm no expert, but I'm thinking that a 1500 lb. actuator is not nearly strong enough to run a bucket grapple. Even a little 2" hydraulic cylinder running at 1000 psi (which is low) will have more than twice the force. If you don't want to add another hydraulic circuit, the pinnable (mechanical) grapple may be your best option. I can't see an electrical actuator working very well at all, but I've certainly been wrong before.

[Ticolawnllc]

I have a compact tractor with a lifting cap of 1000 lbs on the the fel. So if I get 1500 lbs actuator it should cover me, no?

I'll check out the link thanks Upper.

[hosejockey2002]

Originally Posted by Ticolawnllc

I have a compact tractor with a lifting cap of 1000 lbs on the the fel. So if I get 1500 lbs actuator it should cover me, no?

No. The 1500 lbs rating of the actuator is the maximum force applied by the actuator itself. Connect it to something like a thumb, grapple or bucket and that force will greatly be reduced by leverage. Kind of an analogy is, you can hold a 75 lb weight with one hand close to your body with no problems, right? But hold that same 75 lb weight at arms length and it's damn near impossible unless you're a freak of nature. The same principle applies to cylinder selection. To get a 1000 lb lift capacity on your loader the cylinders that do the lifting must be able to apply many times that force at the cylinders themselves. A 1500 lb actuator connected to a grapple will probably only provide maybe 3-400 lbs. of force at the grapple tips, and that's not gonna be enough to work.

[Ticolawnllc]

could i run two acctuators on the same thumb. I'm just looking to know all the options