Self-Propelled "Up Front" Bale Hauler

Self-Propelled "Up Front" Bale Hauler BALE HANDLING Bale Handling (31B) 34-3-19 Gene Twiford wanted a bale-hauling machine that wouldn't cost much yet had a lot of capacity. So the Laurel, Neb., custom hay grower converted an old New Idea Uni Harvester into a self-propelled round bale loader. The Uni Harvester is equipped with a side-mounted, hydraulic-operated, 40-ft. long Kraemer trailer equipped with a U-shaped bale-loading arm that lifts the bale onto the trailer. It lets Twiford load, haul and unload 8 round bales about twice as fast as he could with a tractor and flatbed. "I paid $4,000 for the Uni Harvester and $6,500 for the Kraemer self-loading bale trailer. My total was about $11,000," says Twiford. "It's much more convenient to use than pull-type bale haulers because it's so maneuverable and gives me a great view in front. Before I built this unit, I used trucks and loader tractors to haul round bales. This machine is a lot faster." Twiford used steel tubing to beef up the combine frame and made mounting brackets next to the drive axle. He extended the axle on the right side of the combine to make more room for the trailer. And he removed the combine's gearbox and mounted a hydraulic pump on the engine crankshaft. He bought a new Kraemer trailer minus the wheels and mounted three caster wheels (off an old fertilizer spreader) on front. He had the company mount the loading arms on the other side. He also used heavy angle iron to beef up the trailer frame. The trailer's hydraulic-operated, U-shaped arm swings upward to place the bale on the trailer. To make room for the next bale, a pair of chains moves the bale toward the rear of the trailer. A hydraulic cylinder raises the trailer to unload all the bales at once off the back. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Gene Twiford, 86779 572nd Ave., Laurel, Neb. 68745 (ph 402 256-3191).

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