Silage Wagon Converted From Side Discharge To Rear Unloading

Silage Wagon Converted From Side Discharge To Rear Unloading WAGONS/TRAILERS Miscellaneous 23-4-44 When Clark and John Poindexter switched to a bunker silo, they discovered a big problem with their side-discharge silage wagon. The side discharge simply spread too much silage over too large an area to be practical for use in their 100-ft. long by 20-ft. wide by 7-ft. high bunk. So the men converted the late 1970's Big Blue wagon to rear discharge, increasing both capacity and unloading speed. "It holds 8 tons now, compared with 6 tons before, and dumping time was reduced to a quarter of the time," Clark says. The worn out front beaters and side discharge assemblies were removed, reducing overall weight by an estimated 1,000 lbs. and helping to increase capacity by making more room for silage. They turned the body of the wagon around 180 degrees on the running gear so the worm gear drive pulls the floor chains from the rear instead of from the front, which also boosted capacity. "Because it's a more direct pull, it increases the mechanical advantage of the pulley," Clark says. The wagon's gate was moved to the rear and fitted on each side with two spring loaded pins that catch in a link of floor chain as soon as the chains start up. That way, the door opens automatically when the pto is activated. A belt pulley was mounted on the wagon's pto shaft. It drives a driveshaft which is mounted on the side of the wagon to drive and connected to the worm gear which drives the chains. "We back the wagon to the silo, hook up the pto to the tractor, and engage," says Clark. "The rear gate opens automatically and the load is discharged in a few seconds. This modification is so ideal for bunker silos we converted an old side-discharge New Holland wooden silage wagon to rear discharge the same way. It held 5 tons originally and now holds 8 tons easy." Out-of-pocket expense was about $500 apiece, including replacing both wagons' worn out tires. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Clark and John Poindexter, Rt. 1, Box 287, Phenix, Va. 23959 (ph 804 376-5739 or 3303).

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