# hay grapple



## cuttman (Apr 21, 2010)

I'm thinking about purchasing a 10 bale grapple, like to hear from all on what type you have and the pros and cons about them. What brands are the best. TIA, Gregg


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## Mike120 (May 4, 2009)

I use a Hoelscher. It's the only one I've ever used and I've been happy with it. It's heavy but very well built. A friend has a Steffen and I like it's ability to rotate, but it's expensive..


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## LaneFarms (Apr 10, 2010)

I also use a Hoelscher and it sure beats doing it by hand. The only problem I have with mine is it sometimes dumps with 8 bales instead of 10.


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## cuttman (Apr 21, 2010)

Aren't you guys talking about an accumulator, if so I'm looking at a grapple to load and unload square bales.


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## hay hauler (Feb 6, 2010)

The bale handler/steffen grapple’s are great!!! Strong, built to last, teeth are replicable, but I have never needed to. 90 degree rotate is important, and hi lift is nice as well depending on your machines capabilities. I think you get what your pay for with these….


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## Rodney R (Jun 11, 2008)

I think that there are a LOT of folks out there that make grapples. Ours came from a guy in NY state. Has Hoelscher hooks. Ours fastens solidly to the loader - not a 'highlift' and does not rotate. I'd like to see some bearings on the hook shafts (I think the Steffen has that).

Rodney


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## Mike120 (May 4, 2009)

cuttman said:


> Aren't you guys talking about an accumulator, if so I'm looking at a grapple to load and unload square bales.


I was talking about the grapple, but I've got the accumulator as well. One other comment in favor of the Steffen, with it's configuration you can probably go one tier higher on and off the trailer and in the barn. When I get to the fourth tier on the trailer, I'm pretty much blind. The Steffen doesn't have the side brace, so you can just drop down to pick up. If you have a loose bundle on the ground that may be a problem but if you are using the grapple to unload or work with a stack from a stacker wagon I believe it would be much better than the Hoelscher-type grapple. I get my hay in without having to go on the road, so if it's a little unstable it's not a big deal. If I had to go on the road I'd have to do a much better job of stacking in the field and with the rotator on the Steffen to do a tie-tier I think you'd have a much more stable load. Personally I don't think the Steffen accumulator is any better than a Hoelscher, but I think the Steffen grapple gives you the most flexibility.


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## NDVA HAYMAN (Nov 24, 2009)

I use the Kuhn's 15 bale grapple. I think if I had to buy over, I would choose the Steffen that rotates so I can tie in my bales. There is absolutely nothing wrong with the Kuhn, and they are great to work with. I just like the rotating feature. Mike


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## Haymike56 (May 3, 2010)

LaneFarms said:


> I also use a Hoelscher and it sure beats doing it by hand. The only problem I have with mine is it sometimes dumps with 8 bales instead of 10.


I have been running a Hoelscher for the last 5 years and I somtimes will dump 8 instead of 10. This is usually cacused buy too loose of bales sliding past the barbs on the top bars. I have solved this by doubling up the barbs on the rear bale. This slows them down enough so that the last set of bales has to push them over to the dump trigger.


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## country boy (May 27, 2010)

cuttman I use the rafter m grapple with the sideshift ( worth the extra money ) . I have to haul all my hay on the highway and it will pack every thing nice and tight on the trailer or in the barn. And with a little practice you can load a 16 ft lowboy or a flatbed and never touch a bale by hand


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## Zoom (Dec 13, 2009)

You might try an outfit out of Hesston Kansas, Dry Creek Farms, they make a grapple with five rows of teeth, with the way it is built you can pick up a ten pack of bales from either direction allowing you to tie your stacks


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## Mike120 (May 4, 2009)

Zoom said:


> You might try an outfit out of Hesston Kansas, Dry Creek Farms, they make a grapple with five rows of teeth, with the way it is built you can pick up a ten pack of bales from either direction allowing you to tie your stacks


That's a nice looking grapple, but it's heavy and weighs about 100# more than my Hoelscher. It doesn't look that much different other than the side bar looks fixed instead of adjustable. I could probably pick up sideways with mine, I've just never tried it. I'll try it next season though.


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## Haymike56 (May 3, 2010)

Mike,
I bought an extra 5 teeth for the front row of my Hoelsher grapples and this allows me to pick up the stacks from either direction and tie the stacks on the rack and in the barn. You just can't travel over rough ground very far with the bale in the grapple sideways.


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## NDVA HAYMAN (Nov 24, 2009)

Their website said that the crowder bar was removable and adjustable although it doesn't look like it in the photos. I like the NH bale wagon models with the opposing grabber teeth. I think that's a good idea. Now, if we could get that in one that has a sideshift and also rotates, that would be the cat's meow!


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## Zoom (Dec 13, 2009)

The BaleClaw has 5 rows of teeth instead of 4 like the hoelscher and farmhand grapples. They are spaced closer together to get the claws into each row of bales when picking up bales in the opposite way, using one with just 4 rows won't work I believe because it won't grab the 5th row right. The side row is adjustable , the grapple I purchased was used and it was set up with extra teeth, with the extra teeth I can pick up 12 bales instead of 10, also the grapple is larger that my farmhand, it is a little wider and definitely longer.


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## MIGHTY BLESSED (Nov 20, 2010)

NDVA HAYMAN said:


> I use the Kuhn's 15 bale grapple. I think if I had to buy over, I would choose the Steffen that rotates so I can tie in my bales. There is absolutely nothing wrong with the Kuhn, and they are great to work with. I just like the rotating feature. Mike


Is your Kuhn's 15 bale grapple the tie model? If not... 
Do you think the Kuhn's 15 bale Tie-grabber would work to stabalize a load as well as the Steffen rotater to tie in? Wondering because i like the idea of being able to tighten up a loose grab with the side brace. had made up my mind on getting a Kuhn's but now not sure.


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## fletcher.419 (Jan 2, 2010)

I am also thinking about a Steffen 6512 (15 bale cut side and 12 flat) w/ ext. and rotator to work with my stackwagon 1033. Anybody got any better idea's?


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## weatherman (Dec 5, 2008)

LaneFarms said:


> I also use a Hoelscher and it sure beats doing it by hand. The only problem I have with mine is it sometimes dumps with 8 bales instead of 10.


I was having same problem as LaneFarms when I found I could disengage the hydraulics before the accumulator tilted too far. The accumulator "table" would return to original position; subsequently, loading two more bales before dumping 10 bales.


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