Rotate freely or hydraulic log grab

[Gav Green Man]

Hi, I am looking for advice on whether to buy a hydraulic or freely rotating log grab for an Avant 640, any recommendations greatly appreciated. Thanks

[spuddog0507]

I would say just buy the best you can , so that would be a hydraulic one, if you bought a freely rotating one i can safely say you will think its ok at the start but it wont be long before you realise its just a pain in the arse when you have to keep jumping on and off to rotate the manual one to the right position, then when you are coming through a tight space and you have a log bigger/wider than machine you will need to get off the machine and buy the time you get back in the seat Jim McGravity will of interfeared and the log will be back in the same position, to just push a button is much easier and far more productive and less stressful, just buy the fully rotating hydraulic grab, you wont regret it, was there not one for sale on here around or just after christmas or i could of seen it on fleebay or some where seem to remember it was around the 2k mark and looked as if it had hardly been used,

[Gav Green Man]

Thanks for that, both the free rotate and the hydraulic rotate of the avant log grab have a toothed grip near base so log can be lifted then as logs are usuealy longer front end gravity will lift the shorter back end into the toothed base wedging it in position if aligned. Granted thats the theory, also guessing its gonna be easier to get on the log with the hydraulic rotate.

This is something thats all new to me as i have only just purchased the machine.

[Gav Green Man]

1 hour ago, Gav Green Man said:

Thanks for that, both the free rotate and the hydraulic rotate of the avant log grab have a toothed grip near base so log can be lifted then as logs are usually longer front end gravity will lift the shorter back end into the toothed base wedging it in position if aligned. Granted thats the theory, also guessing its gonna be easier to get on the log with the hydraulic rotate.

This is something thats all new to me as i have only just purchased the machine.

 

[monkeybusiness]

I’ve used the hydraulic rotate version a bit on a machine we hire in and it is very good (the controls aren’t very intuitive/are crap though tbh!). I would imagine the free-rotate would be far more limited in operation. 

Edited January 15, 2021 by monkeybusiness

[woody paul]

Hydraulic one all day long when in gardens with tight access or a lot of tree weaving. Also holds its position if you need to knock  a it of brash into place. 

[Gav Green Man]

looks like spend the extra.

thanks for advice.

 

[spuddog0507]

5 minutes ago, Gav Green Man said:

looks like spend the extra.

thanks for advice.

 

just out of interest whats the difference in cost between the 2 ? 

i was pricing grabs and rotators early last year for a project that got put on hold and i found there was a fair difference between different makes but you get what you pay for in this world,

[woody paul]

I built my own after buying grab and rotator for RSL engineering. 

[Mick Dempsey]

Smart work.

 

Don’t you find those tyres a bit vulnerable under load in a woodland?

Edited January 15, 2021 by Mick Dempsey