There are many different choices of equipment in the forestry industry that are useful, powerful, and very versatile. Some types of equipment, such as grapple trucks, are designed for loading logs along with various other forestry tasks. The original intent for this vehicle was to pick up large, heavy logs and load them onto truck bodies or trailers to be taken to mills to be turned into a variety of wood products. Soon, other industries realized that the concept of a powerful arm that could easily pick up materials was not just for use in the forest. By refining its loader mechanism to custom fit other distinct needs, it could also be useful for many other projects.

The growing demand for this type of equipment for uses other than harvesting timber has caused manufacturers to become quite creative in tailoring these trucks to fit the demands of other industries. The loader can be retrofitted to grasp lighter objects, making it useable for clean-up tasks, land clearing and other maintenance projects.

Customization Options

The grapple truck is not a straightforward type of vehicle. Its components can be retrofitted to meet the needs of each individual business, which makes them very versatile indeed. For example, those who are in tree care businesses can reduce the number of vehicles in their fleet by using this one piece of equipment and combine it with a tree care platform with a grapple, sprayer, dumb body/chip, etc. The result could be a great savings thanks to the reduced amount of equipment and workers necessary for the project.

Types

Though the use for the clamping device itself is very broad, it is important for the buyer to know that there are two major types of grapple in order to choose the one that is best for a particular business.

• Bypass - The first type of grapple is the "bypass." It has claw-type forks or tines that are actually set up to closely bypass each other. They are very useful in a clean-up operation where debris and other loose material must be picked up; it can also be used for loading logs. There is more control with this particular version.

• Clam shell – The second kind of device is a butt-type or "clam shell" grapple. It is particularly designed for clearing large rocks; it is also ideal for use during clean-up after storms.

Cost

Typical with the purchase of any custom fit equipment such as grapple trucks is expensive parts. One way to avoid incurring such expenses is to implement good maintenance practices. By regularly checking pins and bushings as well as paying close attention to the grapple rotators, any damage can be detected at a very early stage, avoiding the expense of any major repairs to the machine.

Before purchasing grapple trucks, it is important for investors to know their options. Note that some manufacturers offer replaceable or interchangeable jaws in order to accommodate various types and sizes of material. By keeping all of these facts in mind, it is indeed possible to choose the best custom-fit grapple truck suited for each particular business need!