# PTO Bale Wagon for 2 String



## adcraig02 (Jan 30, 2017)

Gentlemen,

I apologize if this topic has been covered in the past. I have searched all the archives but not found the information I am looking for. If its out there please point me in the correct direction.

I have a very small operation in NV. I have 2 fields that are flood irrigated. One is 7 acres and the other is 22 acres. We have lots of water and lots of sun so we get about 235 tons of alfalfa per year. We usually green chop the first and last cutting and bale the 2nd, 3rd and 4th. That's a lot of hay to stack by hand. I have a pto driven 2 string Hayliner 425 baler that I use with my 50hp tractor. It makes really nice 80 to 90 lb bales. Obviously I have the ability to adjust the length.

I am looking to find a pto bale wagon that picks up 2 string bales. My one requirement is that the bale wagon has the pushers for unloading. I plan to store the hay in stacks outside (one bale unloading is not required). I have been looking at the NH1033 but I am having lots of trouble figuring out which one of their wagons pick up 2 string bales. I was wondering if anyone could recommend/comment on which type of bale wagon might be good for my operation. I would like to keep it PTO driven as I don't need another engine to maintain. I also would like to find something in the $5,000 to $10,000 range.

Thank you for your time. I appreciate all the information that you all provide on this forum...it helps immensely.

Andrew


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## slowzuki (Mar 8, 2011)

I don't think there are any 3 string pull type wagons? They were all self-propelled I think. The pull types all 2 string 14x18 and 16x18 bales.

For specs/ages etc

http://www.sodbustersales.com/wagon-specs/


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## carcajou (Jan 28, 2011)

Welcome to Haytalk Andrew! It kinda depends on the bale length you would like, ground conditions, ( flat, hilly) and tractor size you have available. Need more info. 14"x18" right?


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## adcraig02 (Jan 30, 2017)

Interesting....I did not know that all the PTO bale wagons are 2 string. To be honest I don't understand what makes the wagons capable of 2 string vice 3 string.

I have a 50hp tractor. My 425 Hayliner makes 14" x 18" bales. The ground is absolutely dead flat (we flood irrigate). I don't particularly care what length the bales are. I sell them to the horse owners (who love slightly smaller, easier to handle bales) and then anything that's left over goes to a dairy that just throws the whole thing in a feed mixer wagon. Again the length is not something I am dead set on.

Thanks again for the help!


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## slowzuki (Mar 8, 2011)

The 2 wide vs 3 wide models tell you what length bale you can pick.

The pickup shape and possibly the first table set the size of bale you can pickup. I'm certain one could easily convert a pull type to handle 3 tie but I doubt many have been.


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## Josh in WNY (Sep 7, 2010)

Hi Andrew, welcome to haytalk.

I cover a few more acres than you (but not by much) and run a NH 1033 bale wagon. If you find one in good running shape you should be able to cover the ground your talking about without any problems. 50 HP should be plenty of power to run the wagon, but you may want to take a look at how much weight you have, especially on the front end. My 1033 will make the front tires of my Ford 5000 a little light once in a while. If you are looking to make a 34 to 38 inch bale (which is what I think your horse people like) than I would recommend any of the later 3-wide pull type units (models 1033, 1034, 1037 or 1038). The 1034 and 1038 have single bale unload capability, but you don't have to use it. Another thing to consider is if your tractor has a cab or not. There are cab control kits for these, but at this point I don't know if you can get them from a dealer to add on (NH discontinued the pull type wagons a few years ago). Even if you don't have a cab, the control kit makes it a little easier to run the wagon.

Another good website for information on stacker wagons is http://www.roederimp.com/.


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## Lostin55 (Sep 21, 2013)

50 hp would be light for me to use. I used a 85hp and it was just ok. Braking is the issue with that much weight. 
1033 and 1037 like about a 36 to 39 inch bale.


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## Idaho Hay (Oct 14, 2016)

I have a 1033 and really like it. I used to pull it with a 50hp tractor and had to add quite a bit of weight to the front of it to keep the wheels on the ground . However, it pulled it around just fine, and I never had an issue with braking on flat ground, but you might want to take a close look at your draw bar. Those 3 wide bale wagons have a tremendous amount of tongue weight to them and can bend or brake the light duty draw bars that are on a lot of the smaller tractors. I know that I had to add some reinforcement to mine.

I must add, that I now pull it with a 100hp tractor, and I like it a lot better because it makes the bale wagon feel like its hardly back there.


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## Lostin55 (Sep 21, 2013)

The "how to" part of this will come later, but let me start it. Don't turn left, don't turn left, don't turn left.


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## Idaho Hay (Oct 14, 2016)

Don't turn left?... I'm not sure I follow.


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## Lostin55 (Sep 21, 2013)

With a cab tractor and an inexperienced operator, it is entirely to easy to put the bale chute into a window or a tire. It is much easier to tell a new operator to not turn left. That can come later.


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## Josh in WNY (Sep 7, 2010)

Lostin55 said:


> 50 hp would be light for me to use. I used a 85hp and it was just ok. Braking is the issue with that much weight.
> 1033 and 1037 like about a 36 to 39 inch bale.


I guess I should have been a little more descriptive in my first post, because you are absolutely correct. It's not about the power to run the wagon's hydraulics, it's about having enough control over the wagon so it doesn't push the tractor around. On flat ground there is a little more forgiveness, but there may be times when you still need to stop quick. I should add that my Ford 5000 has 3 bolt in weights in each rear tire. The tires, which are 18.4-30s, are also loaded. That's plenty of weight in the back end, but there's no weights in the front.

Another nice thing about tractors with more HP is that they are usually higher giving you a better view of what's going on with the tables. Our Ford 5000 is a utility model and I sometimes have a hard time seeing just how many rows are on the 2nd table. Never have that problem when I run it on the 4020 rowcrop.


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