# Small square grapple loading dry van trailers



## dwarner (Aug 28, 2012)

Read some older posts about loading dry vans with grapples and had this crazy idea: I like the 10 bale tie pack accumulator/grapple setup for loading flat trailers. If a guy had this setup, could you load van trailers? I was thinking if you had 102" wide vans, back a van up to the back of a flatbed, build a stack on the flatbed, seems like 7 high on the strings would fit, then use a skid steer parked on the front of the flatbed to push the whole stack into the van. This would be a 70 bale bundle if my math is any good, my hay is usually 50-55lb bales. Would this be possible or would the bales not slide? I am guessing alfalfa or even grass would have to "sweat" before being loaded unless it will be unloaded right away. I don't have much storage space, I could back some flatbeds in for a week or so but some machinery would be outside. I am also thinking about putting up some oats and straw, could I load the straw right into the vans in the field? I hate handling bales multiple times especially by hand, this would allow us to raise a decent size field of oats. I can buy 2 vans for the price of 1 decent flatbed or 4 for one decent drop deck. What are the cons of this plan? thanks guys!


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## carcajou (Jan 28, 2011)

I have been thinking along the same lines also. I plan on setting up several hay sales locations for both round and small square bales. In order to keep the labor down to a min at these locations i really like the dry van approach. One for horse hay, one for 2nd cut alfalfa etc. When one is empty, replace it with a full one and bring back the empty. On an oiled floor i can push stacks to the front on a 48' van with a tractor but not with the skid steer. I'm thinking about building a side squeezing grapple with tines on the bottom and driving right in to load. I may have to put a push off on the grapple, not sure yet.

I agree loading before the bales sweat and cool down may be scary. Straw should be ok though esp if it is quite dry when baled.

I think the sides of the trailers should make a great advertising billboard. For regular customers i can trust all they need is the combination on the locks. They can load themselves, call with the tally and i will send out an invoice.

What am i missing?


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## Guest (Mar 2, 2014)

There is a video on one if these threads where guys push in a whole block at once. I perfer doing it one layer at a time. One machine and its faster. 18 bale grapple on a loader. In my experience hay does not keep inside a van trailer for more than a week no matter how dry it is. It will draw moisture from the walls and mold everytime. Be careful when storing hay in vans. Straw would be fine for long periods of time.


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## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

I do it like that when loading bundles. Best not to store in the van for any length of time down here.....


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## SVFHAY (Dec 5, 2008)

The skidsteer on a flat pushing in will work great on cured hay. There is a picture of this setup in progressive forage grower a few issues back in an article on Mica mine farm.

Love vans. Been hauling hay interstate for 27 years with every configuration of truck/trailer and I haven't left my home county with anything but a van for the last 10. Rounds, 3x, smalls but mostly bundles. Dropped trailers changed my life. BE cautious with fresh hay. Case in point: last summer I took 2 loads of mixed hay about 2 weeks old to two different retail feed stores. Both loaded light with 2' air space at top full 53' length. First store sold out in a week, wanted more of the same. Second store called 2 weeks in, still over half full and starting to spoil. Brought it back, unloaded and stacked bundles with air space on shed floor a week and then stacked up. Loaded it out this winter and it was perfect early made hay. Left a few more days in that van last summer and woulda been junk. It was treated with prop when baled and probably averaged 19% by testers, whatever that means.


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## dwarner (Aug 28, 2012)

carcajou are you driving a tractor inside the trailer or pushing the whole load from the ground? I am thinking one stack at a time all the way to the front with a S.S. I just upgraded to a 317 JD 2100# lift with the weights. You guys think that would push 70 55lb bales or would they act up on me?

Do you guys feel that grass needs to "sweat" too? Considering planting some Teff this year otherwise we have mostly brome. Come to think of it I have had brome rounds get a sour spot on top when I put plastic on it right way to keep cats off it.


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## carcajou (Jan 28, 2011)

dwarner said:


> carcajou are you driving a tractor inside the trailer or pushing the whole load from the ground? I am thinking one stack at a time all the way to the front with a S.S. I just upgraded to a 317 JD 2100# lift with the weights. You guys think that would push 70 55lb bales or would they act up on me?
> 
> Do you guys feel that grass needs to "sweat" too? Considering planting some Teff this year otherwise we have mostly brome. Come to think of it I have had brome rounds get a sour spot on top when I put plastic on it right way to keep cats off it.


 Pushing 8 ft cubes back to front with a tractor, not going inside. It not that a skid steer can't push lots it's the problem of having the boom up half way when pushing. If you were to load off a dock or ramp you might be ok. Then again if the trailer frame is built for it you could drive in and out too.

Brome does sweat too. This year we even had straight timothy rebound 2 points on us, never seen it do that before but we did fight some high humidity at times.


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## dwarner (Aug 28, 2012)

That's why I was thinking of using a flatbed as a loading dock, park the S.S. near the front of flatbed, build stack on back of flatbed, have van backed up to back of flatbed and push it to the front. Would a van floor support a skidsteer? I have heard of forklifts falling though, but they are usually heavier with smaller tires, my 317 is just under 7000lbs.


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## carcajou (Jan 28, 2011)

That really depends on the trailer. If in doubt lay a couple rows of 2x12's down and drive in on them. They could be bolted to the floor and left there.


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## dwarner (Aug 28, 2012)

SVFHAY I found that article you mentioned, that is exactly how I pictured it in my head, maybe I'm not crazy! I'll try to post the pic.


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## rajela (Feb 15, 2014)

I believe I would have turned the flat bed around and worked over the axles. Just saying,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,


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## SVFHAY (Dec 5, 2008)

You won't have any issues with the floor. You might have a issue with the roof, particularly the roof bows if a bale gets pushed up. A trailer with a lined ceiling will eliminate this.

Carcaju- what do you mean by "oiled floor"?


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## carcajou (Jan 28, 2011)

A little boiled linseed oil does a great job conditioning trailer decks and has the added benefit of making the hay slide easier.


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

rajela said:


> I believe I would have turned the flat bed around and worked over the axles. Just saying,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,


Reason it is left that way is so that the flat bed can be raised or lowered to get perfectly flush with the trailer when loading.....you can see the hand crank hanging at the steel wheels on the front.

Regards, Mike


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## Guest (Mar 3, 2014)

dwarner said:


> SVFHAY I found that article you mentioned, that is exactly how I pictured it in my head, maybe I'm not crazy! I'll try to post the pic.


When u push the whole block with a skid steer do u need to put a tie tier in like the picture has?


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## dwarner (Aug 28, 2012)

Vol said:


> Reason it is left that way is so that the flat bed can be raised or lowered to get perfectly flush with the trailer when loading.....you can see the hand crank hanging at the steel wheels on the front.
> 
> Regards, Mike


Never thought of that! Learn something new everyday. Do you think they put a stack or counterweight over the trailer axles? Would make me feel better I guess.

bbos-do you mean one layer crossways? would that make a big difference?


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## slowzuki (Mar 8, 2011)

I've seen it without the tie layer but there are always guides on the side of the rack to hold it before its pushed inside the trailer.

Anyone have experience with shipping in refer trailers? The cooling unit could be used to dehumidify the space if it has to sit any length of time. I'm trying to find options to ship to one of my customers that is cheaper than multiple small (200-300 bales) loads.


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## Josh in WNY (Sep 7, 2010)

For the loads I send to Florida, I have always used dry vans. I don't see how a refer would be much different as far as loading/unloading, but I haven't been in a refer trailer to see any differences inside. We hand load the trailers and can do it with a (good) crew of 5 or 6 people in under 2 hours. FYI, we get 612 bales to a load normally, but that can change depending on how long your bales are.

If it's a short trip, I wouldn't even bother with the cooling unit. The trailers I send to Florida are loaded on a Saturday (usually) and unloaded the following Monday or Tuesday without any issues. Longer than that, I don't know. Also, this is fully cured hay, not freshly baled. I would suspect that running the cooling unit would add to the shipping price (if you were hiring the shipping out) and the other factor is hired shipping companies generally like to have a quick turn-around on their loads. Having a trailer just setting somewhere costs them money. If it is your own equipment, that might not be as big of an issue.


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## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

One thing most cooled units have is ribbed aluminum floors, because they haul food stuff........much better for sliding hay, thats probably the best aspect of the reefer trailers.


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## slowzuki (Mar 8, 2011)

That also drives up the price of old units - scrap value is pretty high.


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