grapple truck

eastsidetimber

New member
Hi guys -

I'm looking at purchasing a grapple truck soon. Will be used mostly for residential work (pruning/removals) as well as some smaller logging/land clearing jobs. I'd like to get a tandem axle rearmount with debris box (40/50 yards?).

First, is a truck this size suited to residential work? I have loaders to get the debris roadside if need be, as opposed to getting the truck on a driveway....

Second, I'm in the Seattle, WA area and around here I can off load debris for roughly $320 for 40-50 yards. Thats fine as I feel the cost will be significantly offset by not running chippers, saving time at the job, and not wearing out the crew. What i would LIKE to do is to get the brush back to the yard and send it through a 1590xp, 2400xl type machine into a 50 yard hooklift box. For starters, is that even a viable plan if the brush is loaded relatively neatly into the grapple truck in the first place? Or is it going to be a situation where its going to HAVE to be put through a tub grinder? (We do a lot of doug firs, hemlocks, western red cedar, cottonwoods, and big leaf maple)

As far as this next question goes, I'm completely new to the subject. What I would LOVE to see happen is to realize a little value from the chips, and not as mulch. Theres several plants within 40 minutes of me that will pay for chips. Does anyone know what their specifications for chips are and possibly a ballpark number of $/ton? Will they even accept chips run through a 1590/2400 (including all needles, leaves etc) or a tub grinder that might produce a more uniform chip? I should say at this point as well that I would want to chip/grind regardless as a wood recycler just down the street accepts chips for free....

Thanks in advance for all the answers...really looking forward to what you all have to say!!

Derek
 
I'm in the same boat, although I have avenues where I can get rid of material for free. I haven't used a chipper for production in going on 9 years... I have been using an excavator to load a gooseneck dump trailer since 2013, loaded the gooseneck dump with various loaders since 2010.... a smaller trailer from 2007-2010.

A tub or horizontal grinder would be far easier than feeding a chipper... if the chipper has a conveyor infeed that would make it easier. If I didn't have other avenues, I would stockpile the material and have a grinder come through the yard from time to time. Hopefully that grinder's expense could be offset by the wood chips for mulch or biomass (possibly even break even). Why not talk to the wood recycler down the street and see if you can get a deal on unprocessed material, assuming they have a grinder?


For my setup, the grapple truck is going to haul an air brake trailer with hydraulic landing gear loaded with a small loader and my 70' Nifty Lift. When I get to the job I can drop the trailer and back the truck into the optimal spot if required. Air brakes will hold the trailer's position on hills when dropped and the hydraulic landing gear will make dropping the trailer much less exerting.


Compact Equipment Store (CES, my other company) is likely going to start building trucks on a small scale. I am buying a used storm truck with a Rotobec loader tomorrow. As soon as I can, I will remove the Rotobec and mount the Palfinger Epsilon loader (NOT A CRANE) in its place. The Epsilon out reaches and out lifts most North American loaders at an attractive price point... and CES is/will be a dealer for them.
 
I am just wrapping up a project in Lake County Ca. I have a 2014 T800 with 75 yard debris body that I would be willing to sell. Truck has a Prentice 2124 that was installed new as well... Truck has less than 10,000 miles. If you want further details let me know...

I sold a truck a couple years ago to a guy in Seattle. It looks similar to the ones in the picture...
 
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Yeah Carl - cant wait to see your set up, especially the Epsilon. You're a dealer for them now?

Treecare - thats sure a pretty truck but I get the feeling its probably a bit outta my price range. Someday!
 
Looks like you need 2 new drivers one for a Volvo and 1 kenworth
Haha... Good eye. The Kenworth was hit by a rogue semi at a truck stop in Flagstaff Airizona while parked. The Volvo has a small area of paint knocked off by an over zealous steam cleaner... Both are fixed now! That stuff drives me crazy!
 
Any one looking for a new-newer grapple truck needs to talk to treecareinc, his trucks are very well put together and well maintained. Ohh and if you can't tell in the pictures there sexy!!!
 
Yeah Carl - cant wait to see your set up, especially the Epsilon. You're a dealer for them now?


We have a deal in the making. I was planning on building a truck, then decided I didn't want to wait with the work piling up. I head out in the morning to go pick it up.
 
Any one looking for a new-newer grapple truck needs to talk to treecareinc, his trucks are very well put together and well maintained. Ohh and if you can't tell in the pictures there sexy!!!
I will second that, we are very happy with our truck from tci.

Bout' time for some pictures Carl!
 
I am just wrapping up a project in Lake County Ca. I have a 2014 T800 with 75 yard debris body that I would be willing to sell. Truck has a Prentice 2124 that was installed new as well... Truck has less than 10,000 miles. If you want further details let me know...

I sold a truck a couple years ago to a guy in Seattle. It looks similar to the ones in the picture...

How much $ are you asking for the truck?
 
How much $ are you asking for the truck?
Matt,

I was just thinking I could leave it on the West Coast if someone out there is interested. New they cost around 250k. Hadn't put much thought into what I would sell it for. I was thinking it might work out if I could save the transport cost to move it back to Ohio.
 
Compact Equipment Store (CES, my other company) is likely going to start building trucks on a small scale. I am buying a used storm truck with a Rotobec loader tomorrow. As soon as I can, I will remove the Rotobec and mount the Palfinger Epsilon loader (NOT A CRANE) in its place. The Epsilon out reaches and out lifts most North American loaders at an attractive price point... and CES is/will be a dealer for them.[/QUOTE]

I myself have been entertaining try idea of putting together a truck in couple of seasons. Why do u prefer the epsilon over a crane plumed for a grapple? Is it just a speed thing?
 
Speed, internal hose routing for protection, and robustness of the boom are the main things.

There's no way I'd build a debris truck with a knuckleboom crane for tree work for myself.
 
Maybe. And conversations out in the open about equipment and techniques, when there is no reason to be private, will at the least be entertaining - to some. At best it will help the person next in line ready to buy understand why and what will work best for them. Also it will begin others thinking about what is possible that they might have not otherwise considered.

Carl your biggest advantage in business over the next person selling an item is your knowledge of equipments practical usage in tree work and your first hand experience in how to apply that. The more people exposed to that the easier it is for your next customer or three to know you are the person they want to deal with.

Just my opinion. And there will always be a time that it is appropriate to take a conversation private.

I wish I could see using a truck like this in my market.
 

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