mini grapple rotator

[jim454]

this is for all you guys that use mini skidder grapples , is a rotator a waste of money or do you wish you had one?

 

[tophopper]

Waste of money, and waste of lift capacity (more weight), plus another lever to run. I dont think its needed at all for forwarding anyway. It may be helpful for loading a truck

Are you considering one Jim?

 

[DMills]

We have the Branch Manager Grapple for ours and love it. I haven't seen a need for a rotator on a mini. It would just add more weight to the grapple, and less you could pick up. Not to mention more $.

 

[brendonv]

Rotator is a waste. Once you have enough time on it, the grapple pretty much just goes where you want it to.

 

[jim454]

[ QUOTE ]
Waste of money, and waste of lift capacity (more weight), plus another lever to run. I dont think its needed at all for forwarding anyway. It may be helpful for loading a truck

Are you considering one Jim?

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes, I am, I have a bmg on a gehl, I use it to stuff brush in a big dump trailer. I'm thinking a rotator will help to pack the load better.

Hey Tops , don't you have the bmg prototype?

 

[tophopper]

I had the prototype, but she was falling apart. I upgraded to a new(ish) bmg. The prototype was a beast and ugly a sin, but it worked great considering it's condition.

Well you know the answer to your own question, you have a lot of experience with the bmg. For forwarding it pretty much self corrects around turns depending on your boom angle. But for loading it would probably help get a tighter, neater load. Your gehl has alot more lift than any stand on mini, the added weight of a rotator probably wouldnt make a difference weight wise.
But then when you use it for forwarding you would have too operate the rotator around corners, unless it can spin freely? That wouldnt be any fun!

 

[jim454]

How about the rotator version, does it self correct when going around corners or do you have to steer it?

 

[tophopper]

My guess would be you would have to steer it using the hydraulics, but thats a guess, I dunno.

 

[jim454]

Could you find out john,this is real important.

 

[tophopper]

Hahahaha- sure Jim. You got Dave's number?

 

[jim454]

I do ,just bustin your chops john!

 

[tnttree]

I got both your numbers

 

[Panama]

Hi guys, I had Dave from "A Top Notch" put a rotator on my BMG for my MultiOne SL30D. It an articulating ride-on and has a larger lift capacity than most stand-on mini's though. Not sure if I would have wanted or needed the rotator if I had a stand-on. I am glad I added the rotator, and I don't believe it adds much weight. I'm sure Dave could provide the actual weight added if needed.

 

[Panama]

Also, it does NOT self correct around corners, but is easy to control. There is quite a bit of self-correction when going around corners from the articulating loader though.

 

[jim454]

Panama ,
Thanks for the help.

 

[Panama]

Glad I could finally contribute something, even if it wasn't much. Usually, one of you regulars reads my mind and replies to posts with almost exactly what I'm thinking of posting, or at least close enough.

 

[Waratah]

my BMG is fine with out a rotator.