How do I maintain my GMT grapple saw?

Read more about how to properly maintain a GMT grapple saw.

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Table of content

How do I carry out daily maintenance?
How do I top up the chainsaw oil?
How do I replace the chain and saw blade?

How do I carry out daily maintenance?

The grapple saw must be lubricated in the morning before work commences, or at the end of the day when work is complete. Please note! There are 13 grease nipples.

6 greasing nipples on the 3 cylinders
2 greasing nipples on the reaction arm
3 greasing nipples on the grapple claws
1 greasing nipple on the saw motor. Note! Do not grease with cold weather and not too often. This is to do with the seals of the saw bearings.
1 greasing nipple on the grapple frame / tilt frame connection

During the lubrication process, check for defective hydraulic hoses, loose bolts, play in the axles, etc.

This lubrication advice only applies if the grapple saw is subjected to regular use and conditions. In case of heavy use or extreme conditions (high temperatures, dust, etc.), more frequent lubrication will be required. Remove eventual snow, ice and dirt before commencing work.

For a complete maintenance schedule on your GTM grapple saw see table below:

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How to refill chain oil

Seen from the front, the chain oil reservoir is located on the right side of the tilt frame. This oil should be replenished when work commences or ends. This small reservoir has a volume of approximately 2 litres.

How do I replace the chain and saw blade?

Before the chain and/or saw blade can be replaced, the indicated ball valve be must closed completely. Then, by activating the saw function again, the saw blade will stay in its extended position and won’t return into the saw casing. Now, the machine can be turned off in order to replace the chain and/or saw blade.

Replacing the chain
Loosen the two M20 nuts using the supplied 30 mm combination spanner. Do not fully remove the nuts from the bolts, but loosen them just enough so that the chain tensioner can be lifted slightly and no longer holds the saw blade. Now, the saw blade can be shifted back to create space to replace the chain.

Once the new or sharpened chain is in place, it must be tensioned. This can be done by using the supplied flexible hex wrench to tighten the bolt in the chain tensioner. Once tensioned, the two M20 nuts must be tightened so that the chain tensioner clamping plate once again holds the saw blade. A correctly tensioned chain has virtually no play when you try to lift it by hand. The chain links must not come off the blade.

When finished, the ball valve must be fully reopened. The blade will automatically retract into the saw casing.

Replacing the saw bar
Replacing the saw bar works according to the same principle. Loosen the nuts and remove the chain. In this case, the nuts must be loosened somewhat more to create enough play between the chain tensioner and the saw blade so that the tensioner pin can be removed from the notch in the saw blade. The saw blade can now be pulled out.

When inserting the new saw blade, make sure that the tensioner pin is placed back in the aforementioned notch. Once a new or sharpened chain is in place, it must be tensioned. Finally, tighten the locknuts.

When finished, the ball valve must be fully reopened. The blade will automatically retract into the saw casing.

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