Aldeer.com Forums Alabama Deer Talk Quality Deer Management Tractor Grapple (Recommendations) ?

I have a Kubota MX5400 tractor with an LA1065 loader on it. I initially had a grapple picked out from Everything Attachments (wicked root grapple) but I found out this week that EA has temporarily closed the doors to the company and most likely is finished. I am curious what some of you guys recommendations are on what you have. I have read up some on the Homestead Implements grapple but I don’t know of anybody that has one of those that has an opinion on it. Plan on using it to push brush and move logs around on my own property and the deer lease. The reason I was initially going with the EA grapple was I had read that it was pretty durable and I was concerned with myself bending tines on it due to my inexperience using one and hopefully getting something that can survive in spite of myself. Any recommendations or advice you guys have is appreciated.

I bought a Proworks from SkidSteer Attachment Depot in Brownsboro( just outside of Huntsville) . Happy with it and their service. They have many options. Check out their website. They also can recommend dealers closer to you.

What’s the story on EA? I hate to hear that may be closing.

Very surprising about EA. I figured they were thriving.

Look at the way the grapple attaches to the bucket. Mine is a single plate on the grapple that fits between two plates on the bucket. Bolt through the holes. Weak metal, cheap bolts. The hole in the grapple plate has already busted out twice. I had my uncle cut it off and replace it with r400. That fixed the problem. I use mine pretty hard every day. Its the only problem ive had.i think its a Titan, im not sure. Also, i really wish i had a regular smooh bucket with a grapple, mine is a slotted bucket. Rakings fall out of the bottom of it. You can buy a flat bucket grapple for a little over $1000. If i had it to do over, thats what i would do. But that is because of the particular application im using mine for

If choosing a root rake type grapple, look at the spacing between the vertical bars. Mine has wider spacing than I’d like and I worry about something going through and wrecking the front of my tractor. I’ve thought about having grating like catwalk or heavy gravel screen added to mine.

Do yourself a favor and cover that grill like K suggested. It doesn’t take much to push a stick through the radiator. Here’s what I came up with using bar grate and pipe.

That looks good!

Yep, i covered my grill up right after i busted it the first time. If youre gona use a grapple, you need to cover your grill first thing

I've got the same tractor with the land pride sgc1072. I've had it 2 years and no complaints so far. U will definitely need the grill guard as well. I bought the lown performance guard.

If you’re ever in or around Greenville, Al, stop by and see the grapples Powell Tractor has in stock. CALMFG. High quality material and components. Powell has been in business for almost 50 years so they’ve figured out what brands are worth selling, and stand behind their products. They stock Kuhn, Tuffline, CALMGF and Vermeer. All solid brands. They don’t sell junk. Good people too.

I have a Kubota L4701 and I use a titan attachments grapple. You will definitely need a grille guard if you plan on doing any brush pushing. I busted my plastic grille and a radiator hose when a limb came through.

I've had great luck with one from Construction Attachments. It is 12 years old and has now been used on 3 tractors. About 3 years ago, one of the cylinders started leaking. I called them and got a call back on a Saturday afternoon. They shipped the cylinder rebuild kits the following Monday. I thought that was pretty good customer service.

Grille Guards

I’m leaning hard towards ordering one of their grille guards

That’s the same company I was referring to above.

CALMFG

CID makes a good grapple. Just get one that matches your tractor HP, not a cheap economy one for smaller tractors. Homestead implements are great. Look up Rakemaster also. I've been using one of those and it's great.

PS. CID is making grapples for multiple "manufacturers." I think Proworks is CID. CID sells and others put their names on them.

Stay away from grapples with cheap steel or foreign steel, IMO.