Three-Baler Splitter Hitch

Three-Baler Splitter Hitch BALERS Balers 21-5-36 Last winter, FARM SHOW featured my husband Larry's and son Kyle's shop-built split-ter hitch that allowed them to pull two Case-IH balers at a time behind a single tractor (Vol. 20, No. 6). The hitch also serves as the hydraulic reservoir for the pumps and 50 hp motors that drive the balers. The hitch worked so well last season on more than 100,000 3 by 3-ft. by 14-in. bales, the men decided the only possible way to improve it was to add a third baler. Here's a photo of the new splitter hitch they used this season to pull three Case-IH balers. It's built from 8 by 8-in. sq. tubing and is 16-ft. wide with 8-ft. long hydraulic arms to which the balers hitch. Balers are spaced 32 ft. apart from center to center when the arms are extended with the third baler positioned directly behind the tractor. This rig allows Larry and Kyle to bale three 16-ft. windrows at a time, producing 750 bales an hour. Distance between the balers can be adjusted with hydraulic arms to allow picking up closer windrows, too. For transport, the hitch raises up on the 3-pt. and the arms pull in so balers come to within 1 ft. of each other for an overall transport width of 24 ft. (Sherry Robinson, 8001 E. Farmers Ave., Amarillo, Texas 79118; ph 801 373-5891).

To read the rest of this story, download this issue below or click here to register with your account number.