'side car' bale loader

   / 'side car' bale loader #1  

jimg

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Jun 5, 2003
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Wondered if anyone has seen/used this sort of bale loader: Build a Hay Bale Loader Plans Basically very simple - attaches to side of truck or wagon and is ground driven. My neighbors friend stopped by this past w/e w/ one and wondered if we'd like to use it. Sadly my wagon deck didnt have a steel cuff to hook it to. However, it seems like a neat idea, sort of a poor mans bale wagon. His looked to be not home made. The plans at the website above are free.
 
   / 'side car' bale loader #2  
Years ago we did almost the same thing w/ a gas powered hay elevator. But instead of a side mount, we mounted it in the center over the hood and cab.

Front of the elevator hovered about a foot off the ground which still required a guy to toss the bale onto it. Beat tossing them up on to the flat bed.
 
   / 'side car' bale loader
  • Thread Starter
#3  
I think the idea w/ this one is that no one is needed on the ground. At least thats my perception. In that case you only need a driver and stacker. Your setup though is interesting as you use a single piece of equip to load the trailer and barn. Cool!
 
   / 'side car' bale loader #4  
Actually we only needed 2 guys and a bungee cord. :eek:
 
   / 'side car' bale loader #5  
Neighbours farm had a "george" like that that we would use some times. Picked off the ground to the top of the rack. They used it mostly on their 5 ton truck and would dump the hay at teh barnyard. Smooth steel deck with hay chaff was the worst thing I have ever stacked on.
 
   / 'side car' bale loader #6  
Hi Guys
When I was a teenager and trying to earn a little money in the school summer holidays, these thigs were common everywhere. There were a couple of locally made units in NZ. One was a McConnell and the other was a Sam. There were two versions of each, one was ground driven like the one shown or as mentioned by Willl an engine. The engine one could be used in the barn as well. The only difference from the one shown here and the one we used to have was that they had a dog clutch to engage and disengage the chain on the axle at the bottom and a sprocket that the elevator chain ran around. The guide and the skids at the front were on a piviot so when transporting on the back of the truck the guides and the skids were inverted and the tow hitch was then looking forward. The two brands differed in colour and also the McConnell had a three point hitch to the truck and the Sam had a two point hitch. These were common until the mid-late eighties when round bales were taking over. Thanks for the thread, a bit of a stroll down memory lane for me.
 
   / 'side car' bale loader #7  
A note on the one we used, it was totally enclosed and went straight up, not an open sloped ramp.
 
   / 'side car' bale loader #8  
I have one stashed in a field that is now inoperative but salvagable. I scrounged a chain pulley off of it to work with my mow elevator. Come and get it: (Brighton. Michigan).
 
   / 'side car' bale loader #9  
We used these as a kid, works well but you still need manual labor :) Sure beats throwing bales up from the ground though. Replaced by pull behind and then self-propelled stacker wagons. I still see them sitting in the weeds every now and then.
 
   / 'side car' bale loader #10  
Hi, if you see one of these loader, I would like to see some pictures and perhaps buy one. We used to use one all of the time. 2 people can move a lot of hay in a day... so in your travel if you spot one, whip out your telephone and take a pic and send it on... :)

Thanks
 
 
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