Adding prentice grapple to a grain truck
- Thread starter Diaz
- Start date
Help Support Arborist Forum:
Looks like a chevy/gmc to me. Honestly it's probably not worth dumping thousands of dollars in a 40 year old truck like that.
Why not just buy a used grapple truck? I doubt you'll be saving any money building your own
Why not just buy a used grapple truck? I doubt you'll be saving any money building your own
Thank you for your quick reply, one more question, but what about if I find a newer truck, do you think that would be better? Thank you again.
I'd be more inclined to spend the money adding a grapple to something a bit newer, but I still think youd be money ahead buying one that's already setup.
Thank you again for taking the time to answer my questions, have a great weekend.
Skeans
Addicted to ArboristSite
I've been around self loaders that truck is too small or that or for a full mount loader unless you look for a smaller loader.
Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk
Yeah, I was thinking the same. Buy a used self-loader and save all that fabrication money.
Skeans and Madhatte said it right.
You'd need a bigger hydraulic system, outriggers, and the frame would have to be beefed up to counter the added stress and twisting.
If you're just loading small chunks and rounds you might get away with a light weight truck but eventually you'd run across something big, try to lift it, and break something expensive.
The sound of frame bolts breaking is ugly.
Get more truck than you think you'll need. You won't be sorry.
You'd need a bigger hydraulic system, outriggers, and the frame would have to be beefed up to counter the added stress and twisting.
If you're just loading small chunks and rounds you might get away with a light weight truck but eventually you'd run across something big, try to lift it, and break something expensive.
The sound of frame bolts breaking is ugly.
Get more truck than you think you'll need. You won't be sorry.
Being the somewhat dubiously proud owner of a 1970 ford...
Save yer pennies and get something newer with a diesel.
Old trucks are cool yes... but they've done their work abd just wanna lay down and watch curlling competitions.
As for building a grapple, its cheaper and safer to buy ready to go.
Save yer pennies and get something newer with a diesel.
Old trucks are cool yes... but they've done their work abd just wanna lay down and watch curlling competitions.
As for building a grapple, its cheaper and safer to buy ready to go.
Thank you for your recommendation.
ChoppyChoppy
Tree Freak
The truck in the pic is an 80s c65 GM.
I had a C70 with 20ft bed. GVWR was 40,000lbs I want to say. Was a double frame, triple over the drives.
I sold it mostly because it had a 3-5 mpg 427 and hydraulic brakes. Otherwise was a good truck. Had a 5&4 which was nice.
I decided to shop after almost hitting a car that cut me off and decided to stop in the middle of the road. I would have plowed right through it if she hadn't moved. I was on the brake pedal so hard I broke the pedal bracket (bolted to the floorboard) and cracked another bracket on the hydro - vac booster. Also blew out a steel brake line and 2 out of the 12 wheel cylinders.
I replaced it with an 60k GVWR truck (was a concrete truck) with an 855 Cummins and 10 speed. Not really much quicker (still 20-25mph pulling the 10% grades) but handles better and stops much better.
The guy I sold it to was going to chop 2-3 ft off the headboard end of the dump and put a smaller grapple to transport house logs (log cabins).
Check what the GVWR is. May be 40k. Figure 16-18k in truck weight, so might have ~20k To Work with.
A decent loader is going to weigh 5-8k, so looking at 13-15k worth of logs, so maybe 4 cords?
Could take off the dump bed and put bunks. We have a Ford 8000 setup like that. Has an old Ramey or Savage loader. Holds about 6 cords if loaded well (8.5ft wide bunks).
I would shop around though. Around these parts used semis go for pretty cheap. Would just need to source a loader and pump, fab up some bunks and that's really it.
I had a C70 with 20ft bed. GVWR was 40,000lbs I want to say. Was a double frame, triple over the drives.
I sold it mostly because it had a 3-5 mpg 427 and hydraulic brakes. Otherwise was a good truck. Had a 5&4 which was nice.
I decided to shop after almost hitting a car that cut me off and decided to stop in the middle of the road. I would have plowed right through it if she hadn't moved. I was on the brake pedal so hard I broke the pedal bracket (bolted to the floorboard) and cracked another bracket on the hydro - vac booster. Also blew out a steel brake line and 2 out of the 12 wheel cylinders.
I replaced it with an 60k GVWR truck (was a concrete truck) with an 855 Cummins and 10 speed. Not really much quicker (still 20-25mph pulling the 10% grades) but handles better and stops much better.
The guy I sold it to was going to chop 2-3 ft off the headboard end of the dump and put a smaller grapple to transport house logs (log cabins).
Check what the GVWR is. May be 40k. Figure 16-18k in truck weight, so might have ~20k To Work with.
A decent loader is going to weigh 5-8k, so looking at 13-15k worth of logs, so maybe 4 cords?
Could take off the dump bed and put bunks. We have a Ford 8000 setup like that. Has an old Ramey or Savage loader. Holds about 6 cords if loaded well (8.5ft wide bunks).
I would shop around though. Around these parts used semis go for pretty cheap. Would just need to source a loader and pump, fab up some bunks and that's really it.
