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Cat Grapple Bucket with Uneven Response

01Time

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 22, 2020
Messages
97
Location
Central Texas
As long as I have owned my machine, the grapples on my bucket have not operated evenly. The right side has always moved slower than the left. The only time they both move together is at high throttle. I had the cylinders resealed and I recently replaced the control handle. So those, I suppose, can be excluded as a cause. What else could be causing this grapple to be slower than the other?
 

melben

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 14, 2008
Messages
1,029
Location
Williamsport, Pa
Occupation
Retired 50 Yrs with Case dealership
There are others on here more qualified than I but if the cylinders are fed by a parallel circuit what you describe could be expected unless there is a valve to equalize the flow. Without a equalizing valve the cylinder that has the least resistance would move and the other when the pressure become great enough to move it. I suppose there is a possibility that restrictors could be put in the rod end of the cylinder fitting to cause a back pressure to feed both cylinders evenly. I will be interested in what others have to say, My experience with grapples is somewhat limited so will be watching responses and learning in the process.
 

Bls repair

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 21, 2017
Messages
1,612
Location
S E Pa
Occupation
Equipment operator,mechanic
Son-in-law has same thing with his .What is the problem with this operation?
 

KSSS

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 27, 2005
Messages
4,336
Location
Idaho
Occupation
excavation
It is the path of least resistance as Melben stated. I spend a lot of time with a grapple bucket, one is a Virnig and the other Quick Attach. Both generally flow together except at real low rpm. I would imagine the lower the hyd flow of the machine the more pronounced it is. I flow 24 gpm and anything above half throttle flows both grapples together. The Quick attach grapple sends the flow to a junction box that does a real good job of synching the grapples together.
 
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