Grapple Truck???

[PurdueJoe]

Of the guys that own and use a grapple truck/ log truck. Whats the pro's and con's of them. I know a crane, even a small one like a 17 ton, is more versatile but I already use a crane guy who is awesome and I don't want the hassle of a over CDL truck along with learning how to use it.

 

[oldirty]

i dont own one. but we run one daily. the pro is that you can move the wood without having to cut it up into manageable pieces. con? fees to keep it on the road.

you can sell your wood, to the firewood guys when you have it stockpiled, by the grapple load.

you dont have to cut the wood up and make a mess.

a machine loads the wood. not you.

 

[Slvrmple72]

Another option if you already have a big enough truck to pull it would be a grapple trailer.

 

[PurdueJoe]

I already have a bobcat MT50 with a grapple so we can move wood up to 400lbs or so, so getting that big wood out of the backyard isn't an issue but most of my "big" trees I remove I can get a bucket to which means I can get a log truck too also. It would be nice to top it out before lunch, dump then load 4,000 lb logs instead of cookieing everything into mini size chunks.

 

[lego1970]

I love grapple trucks. know a guy that only uses a grapple truck instead of a chipper. Frankly I liked it because there was no wrestling limbs into a chipper. One day we got two pretty good size Silver Maples in there. What others mentioned above plus. You can drag logs out of places that you can't drive to by slowly winching it up with the boom as a groundsman chokes up the slack between grabs. You can pick up root balls or plant good size trees. You can pick up trailers and small vehicles to change tires. On construction sites where escavating companies clear land and need the brush hauled off and the brush it too clumped up or filled with mud to cut apart and run thru a chipper. Other material like busted concrete, old building materials etc. You can haul salvaged cars or metal scaps. Trash jobs. All sorts of jobs not related to trees can be had with a good grapple truck. Maybe not the greatest paying jobs, but depending on your area should be able to get enough work to keep a operator busy full time even when not working with you directly with trees. The only thing I can tell you is that if your gonna get one, make sure it can lift heavy full size logs. I've come across a couple of them that can't lift a full size 16'x3' log and IMO that just defeats the purpose of owning an expensive big piece of equipment. Good luck.

 

[utilityman]

Grapple Trailer

I recently bought a grapple trailer. It is amazing what this machine will pick.
I went with the grapple trailer vs. grapple truck because it costs much less a year to own and operate a trailer than a truck. The hardest part of our work was handling the heavy body wood......not a problem anymore.

 

[irish93stang]

we have multiple grapple log trucks at my company... they make life alot easier from brush pick ups to feedings chippers... 3 drawbacks operators skill level,lawn/driveway damage and they are EXPENSIVE to own and maintain....

 

[maloufstree]

we have multiple grapple log trucks at my company... they make life alot easier from brush pick ups to feedings chippers... 3 drawbacks operators skill level,lawn/driveway damage and they are EXPENSIVE to own and maintain....

Why do you say that they are expensive to maintain?

 

[maloufstree]

I just bought one and I love it. I not one for posting pics but sorry I'm too proud of this truck not to. View attachment 109835

 

[gr8scott72]

I just bought one and I love it. I not one for posting pics but sorry I'm too proud of this truck not to. View attachment 109835

Nice!

 

[treeclimber101]

I have a mini and a bobcat 863 and since we bought the mini the big loader usually doesn't move , and it fits through gates , grapple's are good when your can get them close to the work , but when the tree's outback your BEAT there nice with a crane but they are huge expensive and often unused equipment..

 

[irish93stang]

expensive to maintain because stuff is always breaking hoses routine maintenace oil changes tires brakes etc...

 

[mckeetree]

grapple's are good when your can get them close to the work , but when the tree's outback your BEAT

When you can get them close to your work they are better than good, they are wonderful. When you can't get them close to your work not so wonderful. I have owned them before but I don't have one now. It seems like 90% of our work is in the back yard, behind the fence, through a narrow entrance or something like that. I have a job to start Tues. that a grapple would be great but you can't get one to it and once I get the wood in the loader bucket I will just dump it in the dump truck on the street. Makes no sense to drop it on the ground then pick it back up with a grapple.

 

[kkottemann]

I agree that grapple trucks are great. I started my business with one....however one con that nobody brought up yet is dump fees. If you have your own dump or have reasonable dump fees where you dump then they are great. If you have expensive dump fees and far travel to get to the dump (which is my case) then not a good tool. Chippers reduce the small material which will result in less trips to the dump. Hopefully your dumps are by the yard and not by the ton.

 

[maloufstree]

My guys can't quit making ruts with the skid steer in the lawns. Now when I'm not on site all debris is moved within 20 ft of driveway or street. We also have a 20ft dump trailer that can pull close to the grapple truck and load it as well.

 

[maloufstree]

I agree that grapple trucks are great. I started my business with one....however one con that nobody brought up yet is dump fees. If you have your own dump or have reasonable dump fees where you dump then they are great. If you have expensive dump fees and far travel to get to the dump (which is my case) then not a good tool. Chippers reduce the small material which will result in less trips to the dump. Hopefully your dumps are by the yard and not by the ton.

In 8 years fortunately I've only had to pay to dump a handful of times. I dump on my own property and have people all over the county who let us dump. I have one friend that charges me like 30 bucks to dump a grapple truck load on his land by the lake.

 

[kkottemann]

Used to cost me Between 80 and 100 bucks per dump and it was 40 mile round trip.

 

[ozarktreeman]

My guys can't quit making ruts with the skid steer in the lawns. Now when I'm not on site all debris is moved within 20 ft of driveway or street. We also have a 20ft dump trailer that can pull close to the grapple truck and load it as well.

My boat too!
we bring what we don't usually chip to the road or the driveway so I don't have to go in lawns with skidsteer. Some people just love to use that 0 turn thing.No finesse with it at all.

 

[maloufstree]

My boat too!
we bring what we don't usually chip to the road or the driveway so I don't have to go in lawns with skidsteer. Some people just love to use that 0 turn thing.No finesse with it at all.

It drives me crazy!!!!!

 

[chucknduck]

They are fast. Like having two or three extra guys on a job site. We dont chip any more, we just load it up