23 replies to this topic

[Dan2294]

Hey all, currently running NH bale wagons but looking at transitioning to a Baron in a year or two, and just wondering how everyone loads flat and van trailers. Loading dock seems like it would help but I don't have one. Which way is everyone loading flats and how? what handling attachments are used and on what type of loader? Currently have a skid steer and wheel loader. Thanks 

[somedevildawg]

Hey all, currently running NH bale wagons but looking at transitioning to a Baron in a year or two, and just wondering how everyone loads flat and van trailers. Loading dock seems like it would help but I don't have one. Which way is everyone loading flats and how? what handling attachments are used and on what type of loader? Currently have a skid steer and wheel loader. Thanks

First welcome to Haytalk,
I use a bandit, same basic dimensions....
It really depends on the trailer my customer or myself has to load. If maximizing the load on a 102” wide flat, I usually load flat, (opposite the way the come out of machine) that makes the load 108” wide and may not work in some jurisdictions. But I can load them two at a time (2 straps) from each side and max out the load, with baron bundles you may get three....just depends on length of bales and deck height of trailer.
If a customer comes and they have a 98” wide 25’ trailer with two 7k# axles I will load upright and lay one on its side on top of the two I loaded upright usually just throw a strap over them, they ain’t moving much.
If loading vans (102” with doors), I lay flat and lay two together with 5 loose bales on top of the two bundles and push, lay ropes behind the bundles to pull them out on the other end. That maximizes the load for me, most baron users get three bundles laying and put them in, again it’s the difference in the length of bales. If the trailer has aluminum floor the effort is less for pushing them in.....When laying down bundles, the height of the bundle is the length of the individual bales.
Hth

[Dan2294]

First welcome to Haytalk,
I use a bandit, same basic dimensions....
It really depends on the trailer my customer or myself has to load. If maximizing the load on a 102” wide flat, I usually load flat, (opposite the way the come out of machine) that makes the load 108” wide and may not work in some jurisdictions. But I can load them two at a time (2 straps) from each side and max out the load, with baron bundles you may get three....just depends on length of bales and deck height of trailer.
If a customer comes and they have a 98” wide 25’ trailer with two 7k# axles I will load upright and lay one on its side on top of the two I loaded upright usually just throw a strap over them, they ain’t moving much.
If loading vans (102” with doors), I lay flat and lay two together with 5 loose bales on top of the two bundles and push, lay ropes behind the bundles to pull them out on the other end. That maximizes the load for me, most baron users get three bundles laying and put them in, again it’s the difference in the length of bales. If the trailer has aluminum floor the effort is less for pushing them in.....When laying down bundles, the height of the bundle is the length of the individual bales.
Hth

Thanks for your reply, that does help. When you're loading flats, you mean you lay them across the trailer? What do you handle with? It looks like the best way to load them is bundles cross ways, but don't know if that would work with spears. I do rounds as well so the less switching of attachments the better 

[somedevildawg]

Thanks for your reply, that does help. When you're loading flats, you mean you lay them across the trailer? What do you handle with? It looks like the best way to load them is bundles cross ways, but don't know if that would work with spears. I do rounds as well so the less switching of attachments the better

No I’m just talking about laying them on their “flat side” which is with the bands/strings running around the bundle and never touching the surface of the trailer. On 98” I lay them the way they come out of bandit which is strings/bands down (on surface) on the trailer. I then lay one right in the middle (on top) laying “flat”. Hope that explains it better....
Laying cross ways so that the entire bundles goes across the trailer is a good way of loading, however it really takes another implement to handle efficiently. We just use a 4 spear homemade implement so that we handle rounds or bundles, we handle two rounds or one bundle, around the barns we may “lay” one bundle on top of another and handle two at a time.

[somedevildawg]

Here is your rough dimensions....100” (8’) x 54” x length of bales (42”) in my case, (34”) for baron

[r82230]

Here's an interesting way that some guys in Ohio load straw.  They created/built their own specialize equipment.  And they don't use a loading dock either. As far as working with hay.............IDK.

https://www.youtube....el=0&autoplay=1
 

Larry

[PaulN]

Just another good example of farmer engineers. 

[JOR Farm]

I use a bale bandit my preferred way to haul is cross ways of the trailer.
I get 420 bales on a 40' cotton trailer and 462 on my 48' semi trailer I have never put a single strap on those trailers cotton trailer has 3 sides still attached and flat bed has heavy bunk heads on each end. If I use my gooseneck I put bottom row across the trailer and top gets single row laid on side then put same direction as trailer. I have 2 30' van trailers and no matter how I load can only get 252 bales. I am trying to figure out how to make 18 bale bundles with the same small baler. But I can't seem to get any help from the new company that owns GFC.

[Dan2294]

I use a bale bandit my preferred way to haul is cross ways of the trailer.
I get 420 bales on a 40' cotton trailer and 462 on my 48' semi trailer I have never put a single strap on those trailers cotton trailer has 3 sides still attached and flat bed has heavy bunk heads on each end. If I use my gooseneck I put bottom row across the trailer and top gets single row laid on side then put same direction as trailer. I have 2 30' van trailers and no matter how I load can only get 252 bales. I am trying to figure out how to make 18 bale bundles with the same small baler. But I can't seem to get any help from the new company that owns GFC.

how do you load them cross ways? Do you use a squeeze of some sort? I would think the bundles would sag if you tried to use a spear from the end

[JOR Farm]

I have 2 squeezes 1 made by bale Barron and 1 made by titan equipment it has skid steer hitch and I usually take it with me so that I get unloaded faster.

[somedevildawg]

I use a bale bandit my preferred way to haul is cross ways of the trailer.
I get 420 bales on a 40' cotton trailer and 462 on my 48' semi trailer I have never put a single strap on those trailers cotton trailer has 3 sides still attached and flat bed has heavy bunk heads on each end. If I use my gooseneck I put bottom row across the trailer and top gets single row laid on side then put same direction as trailer. I have 2 30' van trailers and no matter how I load can only get 252 bales. I am trying to figure out how to make 18 bale bundles with the same small baler. But I can't seem to get any help from the new company that owns GFC.

I haven’t dealt with the new owners...ordered a few parts but that’s the extent of it. What are you trying to do with the 18 bale bundle set up? Not 16x18 bales but 14x18 and 18 to a bundle?

[JOR Farm]

Correct I want to stay with my 14x18 baler but modify the bandit to tie at 18. Not always just about 100 bundles of straw them I can slide into my van trailers crossways double stacked. By dropping from 21 to 18 still can only get about 250 in a 30' trailer but will be worlds easier to unload with a telescoping forklift

[SVFHAY]

Correct I want to stay with my 14x18 baler but modify the bandit to tie at 18. Not always just about 100 bundles of straw them I can slide into my van trailers crossways double stacked. By dropping from 21 to 18 still can only get about 250 in a 30' trailer but will be worlds easier to unload with a telescoping forklift

you can do an 18 bale bundle with 14x18 bales but you will have to build some kind of spacer or bulkhead that fits on the back doors to make up for the lost bale. If you don't the bundle will be too loose to handle. Then if you have a 100 just move the jumper to 18 bale position on both top and bottom circuit boards. If you have a 200 it should be a din switch option on top and bottom boards. I never did this but had the procedure explained to me many moons ago. If it were me I would build first spacer out of wood framing and try about 10" to see if it makes a nice package.

[JOR Farm]

I have a model 100 and that's exactly how I was planning on doing the doors for tight bundles. What I can't figure out is what else changes like when does rear floor drop if it's still 12 then short bundles won't slide out then when it finally gets to the end of floor at 15 the floor will be up and doors will be shutting. At least that's my thinking may just feed a few through on a rainy day to see what happens. I have left 2 messages for gfc and sent them an email been a few days no help yet.

[SVFHAY]

Pretty sure floor still drops on 12 and same things happen on 14 and 15. You have a good point, I never considered the issue that could arise with a shorter bundle not ejecting properly depending on field slopes, moisture content etc. Since this option was designed for 16x18 bales your in uncharted waters.

I did speak to a guy who did this specifically to fill 96" vans. I don't know what scale he worked on though.

You could always shorten the back floor or build another one entirely so you could switch them depending on what program you run.

In the end I'm not crazy about it the whole plan. Smaller bundles are going to hurt efficiency.

[JOR Farm]

I agree with you on efficiency but if I can get bundles in 96" Van's sideways and double stacked they will buy all there straw from me. Might turn into 4 or 5000 squares a year

[somedevildawg]

I agree with you on efficiency but if I can get bundles in 96" Van's sideways and double stacked they will buy all there straw from me. Might turn into 4 or 5000 squares a year

I’ve loaded into 98” rollup door pup trailers before and they are a challenge....I think I stood one up and laid two down stacked, both “long ways into the trailer”. But it was a pita....all we had was a rough terrain forklift to work with, it took a while....haven’t done it in years, hope I don’t have to.

[JOR Farm]

Long ways is how I load the trailers that get unloaded by hand. But these guys are wanting to open door and get a bundle at the time with a teleahandler. Actually they suggested the 18 bundle were even fine with the same price as the 21. Guess they think unloading by hand cost them to much time.

[SVFHAY]

Long ways is how I load the trailers that get unloaded by hand. But these guys are wanting to open door and get a bundle at the time with a teleahandler. Actually they suggested the 18 bundle were even fine with the same price as the 21. Guess they think unloading by hand cost them to much time.

customer is always right. That being the case I would give the 18 thing a shot.

[bbos2]

load baron bundles pretty much all on there there side. Works well with straw or really tight hay. Fine alfalfa can be an issue if they sit on there side too long. It wants to compress the bale in the bundle making bales looser. Short term it is no problem on alfalfa.

Out of field I load from side of trailer onto flatbed.

Out of barn I load into vans from the rear.

Have loaded vans all from ground with large telehandler. Last couple years been loading vans with large skid steer and load dock. I load half trailer from the ground, then bump a dock and push it to the front. Then load back half from the ground again. That way i am not constantly climbing a load dock.

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