A Brief Buyer’s Guide To Grapple Trucks

Most new business owners working in forestry or construction are faced with the question: What is that one heavy equipment they should invest in first?

With forestry becoming a reasonably lucrative market these days, the equipment that you choose depends precisely on the work you do. And one of the most acceptable options is to get a grapple truck.

So, before you look up grapple trucks for sale, this article will provide you with all you must know before buying one.

Understanding What’s A Grapple Truck

In simple terms, unlike other trucks, a grapple truck has a knuckle boom crane (which is a standard crane that folds in the middle, like the joints, to allow more flexibility). It has a mechanical claw attached to the boom’s end to grab and load objects into the truck. As such, in forestry, they are inevitable when it comes to cutting and relocating large trees.

Industries That Deploy Grapple Trucks

Grapple trucks can be deployed for easing the work of multiple industries. And, some of the crucial ones are listed below:

• Tree cutting and maintenance
• Municipal trash collection
• Scrap collection industry
• Railway operations
• Construction and demolition industries

Comparing Grapple Trucks With Chip Trucks

There has been constant talk about the difference between a grapple truck and a chip truck. Most business owners fail to choose which one is better. However, the basis of comparison between the two is about the jobs they perform.

Advantages Of Grapple Trucks When Compared To Chip Trucks

This section describes how grapple trucks have the edge over chip trucks.

1. Chip trucks can chip only a section of trees of a specific diameter. So, chip trucks fail to chip thicker trees into smaller parts which makes loading a tedious task. This is where a grapple truck comes in handy and eases out the task.
2. Chip trucks fail when the property owner doesn’t want to get the work done on-site. A grapple truck suffices for such situations that prioritise the customer’s convenience.
3. A chip truck is highly labour-intensive, whereas a grapple truck can do the same work faster with only one man at the controls.
4. A grapple truck is safe for the operator and minimises the chances of them being hurt. On the contrary, the labour mostly gets hurt while loading parts of the tree into the chipper truck.

Configurations Of Grapple Trucks

The last most important thing that you need to understand is how to configure the grapple truck. And, this section talks about significant parts of the same:

• Loader and body system: Equipped with a dump body.
• Rear loader and trailer system: The loader is mounted on the short-frame chassis that hauls a trailer behind to collect bulk waste.
• Rear steer system: An operator’s cab to control the loader and dive in reverse.
• Roll-off system: Loads into roll-off boxes that people can fill and replace.
• Rear loader and truck system: The loader drops waste material into separate truck hauls. These then move back and forth between the loading unit and landfill.

A grapple truck can prove to be life-changing for business owners working in forestry. So, if you’re looking for grapple trucks for sale, make sure you go through this article to understand the nuances of owning one. Nevertheless, it’s the smart way to ensure the success of your business and not take any risks.

Author Bio

Hannah Gilbert is a freelance writer who offers to ghostwrite, copywriting, and blogging services. She works closely with B2C and B2B businesses providing digital marketing content that gains social media attention and increases their search engine visibility.