# Loading In-Line self unloading trailer?



## FarmHand78

New guy to HayTalk... My father in-law and I have cattle together and split the haying. Right now we use my 32' gooseneck flat bed and his 14k gooseneck dump trailer to move big bales. We move bales in the field with a Ford 5600 tractor and 3 point bale stabbed then load with a CASE 1845C skid-steer. Problem has been that we only can move 10 bales at a time, 8 on my trailer and 2 on his with the skid-steer. Reason is we have to take the skid-steer with us to unload my trailer. We did pick up CAT 232B skid-steer (65 hp/1900 lbs lift) over the winter so we could place one skid-steer in the field and one at the bale padock, but the old CASE is on it's last leg so that would only work as long as it holds out. We have talked about getting a 6 bale in-line bale trailer but I'm not sure the CAT skid-steer will have enough power to shove the bales for word as we load, I could get a 4 bale trailer but then would have more trips. I just wanted to see what everyone hear thought about using a mid sized skid-steer to load a in-line bale trailer? My biggest reason for this is so one guy can move bales by him self.


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## rjmoses

I have a 6 bale inline self-dump EZ Haul trailer. A lot will depend on what size bales and what kind of ground you're on.

Smaller bales, like 4x4 and 4x5 will probably be OK. Larger bales, like 5x5 and 5x6 might be a problem because of weight.

The second factor is ground. Flat ground will make things better. Hilly ground will be tougher when you're pushing up hill.

Once the rails get polished, bales move easier.

I load with a TS110 4WD and sometimes it gets a little tricky because of tractor traction.

You might borrow/rent one to test.

Ralph


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## Guest

How big of round bales do u make? When i haul rounds with one loader i keep loader in the field and just push the rounds off by hand. Then last load haul loader back and stack em all in the barn. Its a lot easier then it sounds. I have 4x5 round bales. Grass and straw are very easy to push off. Alfalfa are a little tougher but still doable. Its also easier if u stack the rounds 2 high 2 wide. Little easier to push off when there on the edge. I simply climb on my gooseneck neck to get to the top layer. Push them off first then push off bottom layer. Might have to pull ahead once so the bales get pushed all the way off the trailer. Dont want to rip the net wrap. If this works for you u dont have to buy two skid loader or a special trailer and u can haul way more.


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## Lewis Ranch

My skid steer (763 bobcat) will not load my 11 bale inline trailer. It doesn't have enough weight to push it all up, I can normally push up the first 5 or 6 though so I imagine you should be alright.


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## MT hayer

I might suggest you get an 8 bale self unloader? If your Cat has an auxiliary hydraulic, just make a two spike attachment that the teeth are about 16 inches long and a single tooth grapple. The main concern is to keep your weight down, and be able to pick and set the bales from the round side. This way you can set them on and not worry about the bales sliding and the park lock and brakes holding on the pickup!


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## FarmHand78

Thanks for the input guys! I should have stated our bales are 5' bales we like to keep them 1500 lbs or less. I never thought of using a grapple spear to load bales from the round side. I think we will borrow a 10 bale mover this week to try it out... we have alfalfa down ready to bale tomorrow.


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## mlappin

Our 864 will push 4 or 5 when there on the ground, I do this to make sure the row is good and tight when I leave em outside, also has tracks though so better traction on dirt than wheeled.


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## PaMike

Why don't you spend some money and get the 1845c gone over. Then you solve the problem and have 2 skidsteers. The more skidsteers you have the better...


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## FarmHand78

The 1845C has been gone over, and over again. It's just not a big enough machine for big round bales. It will stay on the farm as long as it runs. 
Our first cutting of alfalfa was a loss, just baled it for ditch hay and stuck it in wash outs. When we bale grass hay here in the next few weeks we are going to borrow a 8 bale trailer to try out. We have a grapple for logging, if loading from the end doesn't work we will try side loading.


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## Bonfire

FarmHand78 said:


> We have a grapple for logging, if loading from the end doesn't work we will try side loading.


Ok. I'm very curious. Where in Iowa is there a logging industry large enough to have a grapple (skidder we call them here) large enough to go around a round bale of hay and set it on the trailer? I know your location says SE Iowa. In the river basin? Are you talking about an articulated grapple skidder?

Granted, I've only traveled Iowa from Omaha to Des Moines north to MN. I never saw enough trees to sustain a logging industry. Hell, they planted them around the home place.


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## deadmoose

I am guessing he means a grapple bucket?


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## Bonfire

deadmoose said:


> I am guessing he means a grapple bucket?


That makes more sense. Grapple and logging and I immediately thought articulated skidder. I'll catch up one of these days.


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## FarmHand78

Yeah grapple bucket on the skid steer... but I do know a few loggers that have skidders here in SE Iowa, we have plenty of trees on the river bottoms. We are just mini loggers, harvest logs for fire wood.

I know our grapple isn't large enough to reach around a 5x6 bale, but I have used it to feed bales, I am a little worried about ripping up the net wrap with the grapple.


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## FarmHand78

We just used a 8 bale in-line trailer, my neighbor/ custom baler switched to a Vermeer 604 baler this year, so I was able to load 10 bales on the trailer. Two things I figured out... First our skid loaders don't have enough lead in there shorts to load more then 4-5 bales. Second you must have the park break set and trailer tires blocked to load the in-line full. For the most part I like the in-line for hauling and unloading, but would need to use something bigger to load with. We used a 75 hp New Holland with a FEL and FWA and it was reaching it's limits loading the last few bales. But if the year keeps going like I hope I'll have a telehandler by next summer so no more issues with loading!


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