Caterpillar VRG-25/2

The Caterpillar VRG-25/2 is a Verachtert-built hydraulic demolition and sorting grapple, an excavator-mounted work tool rather than a self-propelled machine. It carries no engine, ECM, or transmission of its own; jaw closing and continuous rotation draw entirely off the host excavator's auxiliary hydraulic circuit, running at approximately 350 bar with around 60 L/min feeding jaw open-close and around 40 L/min feeding rotation. Operating weight is approximately 1,310 kg (2,890 lb), with a jaw/grab capacity near 0.55 cu m (19.4 cu ft), a jaw closing force of 54 kN, and a jaw opening in the 2,000 to 2,050 mm (78.7 to 80.7 in) range. It is sized for excavators in the 15 to 22 t class and mounts through a CW 30/40-class quick coupler or a pin-on bracket. The /2 designation marks a second-generation update, produced roughly 2003 to 2012, succeeding an earlier bare VRG-25 (1996-2003) that was smaller and lower-pressure. No confirmed successor to the VRG-25/2 is documented; it shares its family lineup and one parts and service manual with the VRG-20/2, VRG-30/2, and VRG-40/2.

The /2 generation carried over the same core layout across the whole VRG-20/2 through VRG-40/2 range: a hydraulically actuated jaw pair, a continuous-rotation swivel drive, and a pin-mounted frame, scaled up or down by size class rather than redesigned model to model. Compared with the earlier bare VRG-25, the /2 update raised working pressure and clamp force and integrated the rotation swivel with fewer wear-prone parts, aimed at steadier sorting duty and simpler upkeep. In the used and parts market the VRG-25/2 stays relevant because, with no engine or emissions system to age out, its value comes down almost entirely to pivot pin and bushing condition, cylinder seal integrity, and rotator health rather than hour meter wear. Replaceable wear shells and tine tips let the base frame outlast repeated demolition and sorting cycles, and because the whole grapple family shares one parts and service manual structure, sourcing service information for a used VRG-25/2 stays workable even without a confirmed factory successor model.

Below: full specifications, fluids & capacities, the factory service schedule, common service parts, verified fault codes, what owners discuss, attachment guidance, the complete assembly directory, and a serial-number reference. Complete parts lists with full OEM part numbers, exploded diagrams, quantities, and fitment data are available free in Heavy Parts AI.