grapple doesn't close all the way

[sundown57]

I just bought 5, 72-inch OEM bobcat grapple buckets. all used. When i finally got them home and tried them out I notice all 5 don't close all the way. the tines stop about 3 inches above the cutting edge. Is this normal or are all 5 bent the same somehow?

 

[foton]

i would assume that they are supposed to close all the way. If they do not look bent, I wonder if they were if they were ordered that way or were mismanafactured with the wrong cylinders or the attaching hardware was welded in the wrong place. I would look at how far open they go open and see if it looks like they do not need to open that far,that would tell me that the cylinder attachment are in the wrong place and need to be cut off placed lower. Do they use 2 cylinders or just one?

 

[foton]

I assume that you are gonna sell the extra grapples so moving the attaching points would be much cheaper than buying longer cylinders to take up lack of throw. though it might look better with new cylinder on them. if you do go down the new cylinder road , check the increased throw when they fully open to make sure you have clearence that way too, but a mounting points still have to be changed. good luck

 

[sundown57]

I just happen to own a machine shop so I think I'm just going to buy some chrome shaft material and just make longer rods and put them into the existing housings, I really only need 1 inch to close them.