best grapple for a mini skid?

[arbor pro]

Wondering what you guys think about this idea which would be much cheaper and pretty easy to make...

When I saw the attached photo, I was thinking I could buy the quick attach plate like is on the front of my mt50 mini skid and the quick attach plate that comes on attachments that hook up to the loader and simply weld a 2-3' fixed extension between the two. I could hook up my mini skid to the extension attachment and my grapple to the other end and have basically the same equipment that I have now with the option of having 2-3' more reach.

Obviously, the tipping load would be reduced as others have eluded to but, for brush and smaller logs, it would probably allow me to load a bigger dump trailer higher than I can now. For big logs, I would just take off the extension attachment.

Your input please..

 

[sawinredneck]

This looks interesting. 40" wide, 900lb lifting cap, 1800 tipping. 20-27hp.

Narrower than a comparable-sized skid steer and a better loading height. Spendy though, I'd bet.

Look at the Gehl loaders as well.

For the "gin pole" idea, I guess all you can do is try it and see if you like it. I know I wouldn't like it on my Thomas it's alredy so tippy.

 

[sawinredneck]

Not sure where you are at, but I know this guy really wants to move this:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&item=130279056849

 

[squad143]

I think with extensions, you may not be happy with their capacity. Just the metal alone would weigh a bit.

Have you considered putting a grapple on the trailer?
Not my pics. but,

These pics. were from this thread: http://arboristsite.com/showthread.php?t=41733&highlight=jms

That loader on ebay looks nice, might be a bit wide for what your looking for.

 

[squad143]

Before you look at JMS website, they were sold to PNS Tech (I did not make that up - really ) who just recently sold it to AM Machinery.

http://www.ammachinery.com/english/menu2.htm

Apparently they have dealers in Canada and the U.S.. The sales guy at AM said he did not have prices just yet (for just the loader portion) but would email it to me next week.

 

[treeoperations]

here in new zealand my uncle owns a avant loader, its articulated with telescopic boom, it goes fine till you extend the boom out, i find it very difficult to drive aswell, even with my exprience in a t190 and my little 323 excavator. have you thought of a small excavator to load your trailer, i have my 323 rigged with a grapple and i love it to bits, no good for fowarding long distances but goes every where i can load stuff into a 7 foot high truck with a bit to spare to.

 

[arbor pro]

I think with extensions, you may not be happy with their capacity. Just the metal alone would weigh a bit.

Have you considered putting a grapple on the trailer?
Not my pics. but,

These pics. were from this thread: http://arboristsite.com/showthread.php?t=41733&highlight=jms

That loader on ebay looks nice, might be a bit wide for what your looking for.

The loader on the dump trailer would be ideal. I wonder how well the bumper pintle hitch ones pull? I would need a bumper hitch trailer if I were to get one though I'm sure the 5th wheels will handle more weight and trail better.

I've found a couple of used 5th wheel dump/grapple trailers through the internet but they look way too big for the work I do and the trucks I have.

 

[squad143]

The loader on the dump trailer would be ideal. I wonder how well the bumper pintle hitch ones pull? I would need a bumper hitch trailer if I were to get one though I'm sure the 5th wheels will handle more weight and trail better.

I've found a couple of used 5th wheel dump/grapple trailers through the internet but they look way too big for the work I do and the trucks I have.

The 5th wheel would be smoother and pull more weight I'm sure. Problem I see, is that you loose the use of your p/u bed. I've pulled pretty heavy loads with a Dodge 2500 (diesel) with a pintle. Bangs around a little more than a ball. I imagne this loader would be expensive (well see). I been considering getting a dump trailer (6-7 Ton, Bumper pull) and also looking at putting a used Hiab (or similar) on the front of the trailer (like in the pics). his may be cheaper than buying new.

 

[arbor pro]

I really keep going around and around and around on this. I have a 12" chipper, a mini skid steer and a 8x14 dump trailer but together, it is not as efficient as I want for cleanup of debris. I could get a bigger chipper than the 12" so I don't have to make a return trip for logs but, as a 1-man show, I am leary of the maintenance that an 18" chipper would entail - both time and $. I could get a bigger dump trailer and just haul everything (brush and logs) but, I would need a bigger loader than my mini skid to reach into it. I could get a bigger loader but then I can't get through a 36" gate. I could get a dump trailer with a grapple but, I don't want a 5th wheel and finding a good used bumper hitch grapple trailer is going to be both difficult and costly and I still have to dispose of the debris somewhere.

I don't have a big problem with selling any of the aforementioned equipment and getting something bigger/better. I can afford to invest another $20k plus the value of anything I might sell. It's the decision of what will be the most efficient and least amount of maintenance for a 1-man part-time operation that I'm struggling with. I don't have much time to be working on equipment so I tend to try to get equipment that is fairly easy to maintain and fairly bullet proof. Instead of more trucks, I tend to buy equipment that can be trailered. I want as few engines and transmissions as possible!

Right now, I have a 9' chip box on the back of my 12' pickup dump truck. On the 3' that's behind the truck cab, I haul my 3' wide mini skid (I load from the side). If I need an aerial lift, I can pull my towable genie behind the chip truck and move it into place with the mini skid; however, if I do that, I don't have the chipper along for cleanup. If i need the chipper or dump trailer to pick up debris it's a trip back to the site. If I can sell the chipper, I'm leaning towards the grapple trailer idea and just haul everything. That way, I could take the chip box off of my 12' pickup dump truck and load both the pickup and truck with the grapple loader. Unless I need to forward debris to the trailer, I wouldn't even need the mini skid.

The other option is a forestry truck and 18" chipper. That would minimize trips but, I find that my towable genie lift gets into a lot tighter spots than a forestry truck would so I hate to get rid of it and don't want to maintain two lifts. Also, as I mentioned before, I'm leary about the maintenance on an 18" chipper.

If I don't already have it, what's the perfect 1-man equipment setup for cleanup of pruning jobs and small to medium removals (up to 36" dbh)? Bear in mind, there is only one man to shuttle equipment around.

 

[sawinredneck]

Just a couple of thoughts, I like how you have mini setup on the back of the cab. A larger trailer would help, but then you are without the chipper.
A larger trailer and you might be able to pull the Genie and have enough room for some brush.
As for a larger loader, as a one man show I would discourage that. Maybe a mini with a higher lift, then you could load chunks into the back of the chip truck from the rear? Then you just have to cut the pieces smaller as you get closer to the but. Or cut them smaller so they fit into the chip truck.
As for loading on the trailer, I just drive the machine on the ramps right on the trailer, dump and back right off. If you wanted the higher sides then the extra reach would work even better for that aplication.
I really think for a one man operation the mini is king for these aplications. And you are very well equiped, it's just figuring how to move what you need.