What is the operating angle for a hay elevator

[lippy667]

We just found a good deal on an old John Deere 200 hay elevator but can't find a manual on-line without buying one. I just need to know what the max angle it should be set up at. Just loaded about 100 bails the other night but had problems with some falling backwards (3' square bails). From where we had it setup, it was about 9 feet up to the loft, and it is a 16 foot long unit so about 35 degrees. The bails where tied pretty loose, and the frame is a bit beat up that I am going to try and straighten it out, but wanted to know if I will have to raise it up more to get the angle down. Have another 300 bails to go in the next couple weeks and don't want to be fighting them the whole time.

Thanks,
Matt

 

[coldsteelva]

Can you elevate the elevator on ramps to reduce the angle? Perhaps catch some free-range pallets from the field

 

[RedNeckRacin]

they operate as steep as they operate. Placement on the elevator is critical, try and get the tooth into the front 1/3 of the bale.

 

[pmsmechanic]

We used to have this problem regularly. These are the ideas that help. I assume you are unloading off of a hay rack or similar. We would set the bottom end up on a barrel so that the angle was less. Also slow the elevator down as much as practical. If you can place the bales one behind the other then they tend to ride up better.

 

[Clint S]

we put ours on wire reels

 

[zzvyb6]

Where are you near Howell? I may have an extra section of skeleton elevator that solve your problem. I'm in Brighton. If it connects, all you would need to add is some extra chain.

 

[stuckmotor]

The elevator I used had a pair of hooks at the bottom. I put two tall posts in the ground in front of the barn, bored holes through the posts across from one another and put a 1/2 inch pipe through the holes and secured it. I secured one end of the elevator to the pipe and inserted the other into the opening in the hay loft. The opening in our loft was about the same height as yours. Actually, I believe I had two sets of holes, one at about 4 1/2 feet and the other at around 6 1/2. I don't remember which height worked best. It's been around 30 years since I used it. Before we got the elevator, the pulp wood workers on the hay crew used to throw the bales up from the trailer. I never tangled with a pulp wood worker,