Grapple Trailer

[brendonv]

Thinking of purchasing a grapple trailer, like those from Baileys in spring for my tree care company.

Does anyone have one?  Pro's,/con's/experiences welcome.

[bill m]

Will this be used on road or off road and what will you pull it with?

[brendonv]

On road.

Ford f350 4x4 6sp powerstroke.

[woodmills1]

I have a blue ox road trailer and a metavic off road trailer.  Both are fine machines.  the blue ox has the standard loader, rated a 4400 lbs I think.  I continue to be amazed by what It picks up.  I will add that you need a pretty good area to drop the logs to sort and trim, I worked in the mud for the first few years and have my share of horror stories.

[spencerhenry]

i have a loader like the ones from baileys. my is a jms 170. 17 foot reach, 42" grapple, looks like a toy, and alot of people have laughed at me when i pull up. but then i load whatever it is they need moved, and their thought change. it picks up alot more than it looks like it should. i bought mine mounted on a 14' dump trailer ready to go for $9600 off ebay. makes me alot of money for what it is, and makes life around the mill a whole lot easier. occasionally it would be nice to have a longer reach, but to lift more the outriggers would have to be alot wider. i pick up one outrigger pretty often.

[brendonv]

Do you have any pictures?

[brendonv]

Any also hear of Northeast Implement?  They seem to build OTR trailers to your specs.  It would also be nice as they are only about 4 hrs away.

[stonebroke]

you might want to think about a gooseneck . You can haul more over the road. The trailer will have much better behavior.

Stonebroke

[DR Buck]

I have one from Bailey's and it's great.   OneWithWood also has one.

This is what I have.  I think OWW's is similar.









I made mine much more useful by adding a winch to it.

https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,31338.msg452708.html#msg452708

[brendonv]

you might want to think about a gooseneck . You can haul more over the road. The trailer will have much better behavior.

Stonebroke

No gooseneck.  Won't work with a chip box on the truck, and not interested in getting another truck. 

Thanks for the pics Dr B.

Have you had any trouble with the unit?  How's the quality..paint/fit/finish?

[ahlkey]

I have a Metavic trailer and grapple and it will allow me to work in very tight spaces and I can trailer over small distances.  I have the articulated model which I recommend is a huge advantage and added a portable hydraulic power unit in the back of my truck so that I can use it without the tractor hydraulics.  It a great piece of equipment and would never be without one.

[neslrite]

brendonv,
Carl Neutzel also manufacturers grapple trailers, he can build a trailer to spec or he has a few stock models.

They are a very nice unit using Nokia loaders.

Kevin

[brendonv]

Thanks guys.

I've got info coming from Baileys and Northeast Implement.  Carl N. was no answer/e-mail return yet.

I like the look of the Baileys loader, but I was a told the wait for replacement parts is over a week, as they are coming from Canada.  Northeast is 4.25 hrs away, and they said they will disassemble a loader at the yard to get the parts to me.  I'm hoping they can put together something for around the Baileys price w/shipping.  I'll save on the shipping going to Northeast as I'll pick it up.  Would be nice to really see it before I hand over the check.

I'll keep this updated as time progresses. 

[woodmills1]

did you check with blue ox and payeur for metavic?  send me a pm and I will give you a cell number for pierre of blue ox.

[brendonv]

Blue ox where like over 30k last I asked.    :-\

[woodmills1]

I paid 29 for mine but it is rugged and has well paid for itself, doubling my business.

[brendonv]

Ya, the OX seems rugged as hell.  A little pricey for me, although worth it I'm sure.

I found a bunch of pictures of the Carl N. trailers, and a video on youtube.  They look more rugged than the Baileys trailers, he is out of town but they are also sending me info.

In all honesty, I don't haul a ton of wood.  I currently run a Thomas mini skidsteer with grapple, and load into a 6x12 10kGVW dump trailer.  I dump all the wood at my buddies house.  The problem with the DT is you can't just unload partially.  I'd like to keep some of the desirable wood for myself, for future milling, and I'd like to choose the perfect size firewood for my own use.  He's grateful with what he gets in the end, as they haven't had to buy wood this year or last as I supplied it all free.

I'm young and figure that the grapple trailer would be the last large purchase for the business, and be paid for by the time I have real bills.   :D

[DR Buck]

I don't think you can go wrong with the Bailey's trailer.  It's probably the most economic choice out there.   Just put a deck on it before you use it.   I have some expeirence hauling without having the deck on it.  ;D

[woodmills1]

It looks like the baileys 7 ton would cost around 22k for the pieces, trailer loader and power.  I don't know if that would also include mounting the loader and the power pack.  I found 2 used trailers on the web this morning, unfortunately both are goosneck.  A wheeler jr for 16k and a blue ox for 22.  If you are not looking to use the trailer till spring maybe try to find one used.

[brendonv]

I look every other day for used.

Found a Silva Hill w/Nokka in Oregon for 15k, way to far though.

I check just for loader too.


Where are you looking?  You can PM me if you'd like.

[brendonv]

What's a wheeler jr?

Got a link?

[bill m]

Wheeler Jr is a road legal trailer made by Metavic.

[brendonv]

Ahh, I'd be interested to see that one if you have a link woodmills.  I know a few welders.   :D

[woodmills1]

the wheeler and wheeler Jr are made in canada by metavic and sold by les distributions payeur, my little red loader trailer is a metavic.

check out   payeur.com

BTW  pierre who owns Blue Ox used to work for payeur

[woodmills1]

here is a link to the ad posted on the 11th of this month



http://atlanta.craigslist.org/wat/grd/1505599684.html