Section 2: Operating Procedures
RG1060 & RG1072 Root Grapples 380-423M
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11. Raise or lower load only when stopped, never while
traveling.
12. Slow down when traveling over rough or hilly terrain.
13. Do not transport loads on public roadways.
14. Transport on public roadways without a load and
transport in such a way that faster moving vehicles
may pass you safely.
15. Plan your route to avoid heavy traffic.
Releasing A Load
1.
Be sure to read and understand all safety alerts
under
2.
Stop in front of desired location.
3.
Slowly raise load to required height.
4.
Move forward slowly checking to make sure grapple
and load clears all obstacles.
5.
Stop forward movement when load is positioned over
its release location.
6.
Releasing load requires a combination of tilting front
of grapple down, raising upper jaws, and raising
loader arms. The order in which the load is released
will vary depending on type of material being
released. The most important objective is to have the
load under control throughout the release.
7.
Once load has settled onto the pile, slowly back up
making sure grapple clears all objects and there are
not any pedestrians or other traffic behind or on
either side.
8.
Leave enough clearance when turning and/or
lowering the grapple so that it does not make contact
with obstacles such as vehicles, buildings, trees, or
fences.
9.
Lower grapple to transporting height (low to the
ground) before moving again.
Breaking Sod & Pulling Roots
1.
Be sure to read and understand all safety alerts
under
2.
Open upper jaws halfway and rotate grapple upright
while lowering unit until rear tips of lower frame
extend into the ground. Do not go very deep into the
ground.
3.
Back-up to break up sod and pull roots from the sod.
Do not operate attachment with lower
teeth extending very deep into the ground. Doing so
can damage equipment.
Back Raking
1.
Be sure to read and understand all safety alerts
under
2.
Open upper jaws fully and rotate front of grapple
down while lowering unit until the teeth tips on the
upper jaws touch the ground.
3.
Back-up to rake loose sticks and debris into a pile.
4.
For instructions on how to pick-up the raked pile, see
General Operating Instructions
By now you should have familiarized yourself with the
Operator’s Manual for your Root Grapple. If you haven’t,
please do so now. Proceed by getting onto the seat of
your tractor and starting it up. It isn’t going to take you
long to learn how to use your new Land Pride Root
Grapple, but we do recommend that you take a little time
to practice securely attaching and detaching your grapple
to and from your mounting plate. It is also important to
practice lifting, lowering, maneuvering, and placing a load
until you gain the confidence and skill needed to have a
good feel in what you are doing. We cannot overstress
the importance of following the safety information and
operating procedures that are laid out in this Operator’s
Manual.
As you quickly become more skilled and adept in using
your grapple, you will soon learn that it is always more
important to focus on the “don’ts” than it is to focus on the
“dos”. For example, don’t exceed the lift capacity of your
grapple or tractor. Don’t lift your load too high creating an
unstable load and unsafe situation. Don’t tilt your load too
far backwards, setting up a situation that could cause
your load to roll or spill backwards onto you, the tractor, or
the operator’s platform. Don’t drive too fast for your
ground and load conditions. Don’t work on or around
slippery or sloped areas that could cause you to lose
control of the tractor. Don’t allow pedestrians, pets, or
livestock to approach the operating area. Don’t leave your
tractor with grapple jaws opened and grapple raised
above ground level.
If you just follow these few safety reminders, you will find
that you will quickly become very adept, handy, and
skillful at using your Land Pride Root Grapple.
See
“Specifications & Capacities”
on page 19 and
“Features & Benefits”
on page 20 of your Operator’s
Manual for additional information.
IMPORTANT:
Check full range of motion before