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Member
Posts: 11
Location: Placerville CA | Hi Everybody, I have designed a hay bale lift to load bales on top of my trailer. It works real slick with a small winch. I am thinking about producing and marketing it. It's very simple as you set the bail on two rails (like a forklift), push a button, the bale goes straight up and unloads at the top. You can then bring it down and load a few more. One person is all that is required to load it. If you can set a bale in the trailer you can do it. The loader also doubles as a ladder. Once you have loaded a few bales you just climb the ladder and tie it down. I will probably offer it with a rack to hold the bales. It is also just as easy to unload. I am a manufacturer of automation products and have just started to get into the horse world. I have a few ideas that might make it a lot easier on us. Hit me with your opinions. I can take it. What do you guys think? |
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Member
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Location: Placerville CA | I forgot to mention I already have a patent pending. |
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Expert
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Location: North Carolina | PICTURES !!! We want pictures ... |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 565
Location: Michigan | Square bales or round bales? |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 634
Location: Tipton, IN | Originally written by MIfarmbabe on 2005-09-15 8:26 PM Square bales or round bales? Umm, unless you can pick up a round bale and set it in a trailer I would think he means square bales for you HORSE TRAILER. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 335
Location: Decatur, Texas | I have a setup that works really well already. I use the front end loader on my tractor with removeable forks. Lift the bales up to the top of the trailer and pull off the forks to the trailer. Works nicely also. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 378
Location: Nebraska | I still use the heave-ho method. |
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Veteran
Posts: 199
Location: White Pine, TN | Branson Motor Works, who makes the Streamliners did this 20 years ago. We've since copied it on several smaller GNs. More like an electric winch and a net around whatever needs to go up to the roof rack. You have to beef the fire out of the rear corner post in order to counteract the pull of the winch. Very useful. Added about $1000 to the cost as I recall. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 565
Location: Michigan | Originally written by efaubert1 on 2005-09-15 9:08 PM Originally written by MIfarmbabe on 2005-09-15 8:26 PM Square bales or round bales? Umm, unless you can pick up a round bale and set it in a trailer I would think he means square bales for you HORSE TRAILER. Ummm, sorry for my dumbness. I guess I am still on hay season mode and "thought" he meant for loading "trailers", not horse trailers............. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 634
Location: Tipton, IN | Originally written by MIfarmbabe on 2005-09-16 8:30 AM Originally written by efaubert1 on 2005-09-15 9:08 PM Originally written by MIfarmbabe on 2005-09-15 8:26 PM Square bales or round bales? Umm, unless you can pick up a round bale and set it in a trailer I would think he means square bales for you HORSE TRAILER. Ummm, sorry for my dumbness. I guess I am still on hay season mode and "thought" he meant for loading "trailers", not horse trailers............. Dumbness, where? We all miss a line in a post occasionally, me especially. It was just funny when I was responding to visualize a "farmbabe" trying to force a 900 pound round bale through the escape door! |
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Member
Posts: 11
Location: Placerville CA | The unit has an electric winch that is attached to the rack on top of the trailer. You set the square bales on the bars and push the button. Up it goes and drops on the roof. Then you bring down the trolley and do it again. Since the winch is attached to the framework it doesn't put much stress on the trailer. Just the weight of the bale which is only 130#s or so. I will post pics in a few weeks once my patent guy says o.k. Then I will be offering these to trailer companies. |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 560
Location: Mena, AR | I like this idea. You should offer an option that attaches
to existing hayrack & ladder. I have a hayrack/Ladder, but no
tractor to put hay up there. So I use my first stall for hay,
which has a stud wall.
I've also consider just putting a hand winch on the hay rack
and using a net to get hay up there.
Of course, price would be a big consideration.
-Betty |
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Member
Posts: 11
Location: Placerville CA | It is a modular unit that will adapt to any existing rack. I will have to possibly make some alterations depending upon the rack you have. We should be selling them in six weeks. Still crunching numbers for pricing. |
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Member
Posts: 10
Location: Wa. | Actually a great idea but not a new concept, we developed & patented the Bale Buddie System 6 years ago. Available in either a hand operated or electric version. The removable frame track mounts to the side of any trailer, has a 150lb. capacity & works very easy. Can be removed & transferred to another trailer any time. I would be interested to see your design & how this style would adapt to the hay rack. |
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Member
Posts: 11
Location: Placerville CA | I would be interested in seeing this design. I don't want to infringe on your patent. Can you tell me how to get info on it? Dub |
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Member
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Location: Placerville CA | I checked out your product on the web. Nice design. Mine is a bit more complex since it has a small electric winch, battery and it actually is a ladder and it dumps the bales on the roof once it hits the top. That way you don't have to be on top and bottom at the same time. More expensive also. |
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Expert
Posts: 2689
| They (the bales) shoudn't be starting at ground level.
The last time we discussed this I asked why the hay was "downstairs" in the barn and if the horses went "upstairs" to bed.
Just back the trailer up to the hay loft and shove 'em out - if Ya can't hit a barn door you SHOULD at LEAST be able to hit a trailer roof.
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Regular
Posts: 53
Location: Belle, MO | Sounds interesting.....
Many of our customers have this problem. (Getting a cute cowboy to lift them up there is still my fav way tho)
We store our hay in a building that our mules don't have access to, so it is on ground level.
Tractors do seem to be the most popular way to lift them, but not everyone has one. |
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.jpg) Expert
Posts: 2828
Location: Southern New Mexico | It would be nice if we all had hay lofts. But not everyone is that fortunate. |
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 Expert
Posts: 2453
Location: Northern Utah | One of the major complaints my trailer dealer had, was that there are so few "Add-ons" for trailers. You buy a new truck and you add a Spray in Bed liner, a tonneau cover, a GN hitch, wheels, tires, chips and exhaust. I'm getting carried away here, but you get the point, people add things to customize their truck. The industry has the statistics and it's something like $1000 per truck gets added after it leaves the lot. My trailer dealer sells me a trailer and doesn't hear from me for 5-6 years until I'm ready for newer trailer. He would love to have something to sell me as an add on so I would come back in 6months or a year and add things as I could afford them. I have a hay rack on my trailer. It has a water tank attached to it. I use it to carry water, attach the hose and turn it on. I've yet to store a bale of hay up there. I'll make room for the 3-4 bales of hay in the truck bed before I heft a bale up 9' feet to the top of that trailer. I imagine it would be a difficult to sell a $1000 lift to someone with a $6000 trailer. But wouldn't be a big deal to someone with a $30,000+ living quarters. |
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 Member
Posts: 17
Location: Fort Pierce | Hay lofts are pretty rare in my part of Forida, of course the bales weigh only about 70lbs and cost $14!!!!! Anyone know where I can get a prefab aluminium hayrack that I can install myself ( No welding)? |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 560
Location: Mena, AR | It would be nice if the bale lifter could run off a generator
if the trailer has one, instead of having to add a motor &
another battery.
Also, being the girlie kind of person I am, I'd want it to
look like it belonged on my trailer. I looked at the Bale
Buddie, and it looks like a great idea, but I couldn't take
my eye's off the winch at the bottom.
-Betty |
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Member
Posts: 11
Location: Placerville CA | Once I am in production I can offer a 120 volt unit to run off of the generator. All of the winch battery and mechanisms are on top. you can barely see it. It looks like an aluminum access ladder up the side of the trailer. We can even powder coat it white to camouflage it the trailers color. Hiding all of the components is a priority. I am also someone who likes my stuff to look sharp. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 366
Location: Albany, Oregon | A trailer Hay Loader from Hangtown! I used to live in Auburn! Sounds like a handy Item! Watch your product liability insurance. |
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Member
Posts: 11
Location: Placerville CA | Product liablity is covered. I already manufacture equipment that I send all over the world. Plus I have an attorney who is like a Pit Bull with Aids. I have never been sued or even threatened to be sued in 15 years. My machines don't fail or hurt people. |
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Member
Posts: 6
Location: Fiddletown, CA | I would be interested in seeing your unit. I am in Placerville about once a week, living in Amador County.Any way we can meet? I would like to add a hay rack to my 2 horse Sooner.Thanks |
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Member
Posts: 11
Location: Placerville CA | My lawyer is still working on finalizing patents. Once they are done I will be able to show it off. About another month. Then I would love for you to come check it out. Thanks Dub |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 1160
Location: Denver Colorado | I'm standing by, ready to test a unit. I'm for anything that stops manual labor. Will it fit on a golf cart so you can show it at Congress? |
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Member
Posts: 11
Location: Placerville CA | I could mount it on my golf cart. That is a great idea. Then I can show how little stress there is on the trailer. And it would be less space at trade shows. |
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New User
Posts: 2
Location: Weatherford, Tx. 76087 | Please send me pictures & prices Lesa McNeill@ Durham Trailer Ranch,104 Dennis Rd.,Weatherford,Tx. 76087 1-800-647-3047 |
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Member
Posts: 6
Location: Fiddletown, CA | Greetings. Have you made any progress with the bale loader? Is it ready to be demonstrated? I live near you and am Placerville often and would like to see it. |
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Veteran
Posts: 131
Location: Cheyenne, WY | Sounds real similar to the "Bale Buddy" already on the market or did you design that too. The bale buddy has to arms that holds a Square Bale and you hand crank it to the hay rack. It attaches to your trailer for loading and then detaches when you are done. Has anyone else heard of this? I have one in my shop. I would post pictures if I could figure out how. |
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Regular
Posts: 51
Location: Mt. Horeb, WI | It is the 1st of the year, have you worked out the patent yet? If so do you have pictures and price? |
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Member
Posts: 11
Location: Placerville CA | The hay lift has been put on hold temporarily as we are finalizing our automatic hay flake feeder. these will be on the market in February. Then we will go back to the hay lift.I believe mid summer the lift will be ready for market. We did some re-design and made the lift bomb proof and are also working on a clamshell rack to keep it dry. |
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New User
Posts: 2
| would love more info...I am in serious need of something like this.. that's affordable... my trailer already has the ladder and rack on the it...but having something as described sounds great... |
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New User
Posts: 2
| I am in WA state.. and no one up here has anything like this... and we all haul a long way to get anywhere and this would be great to have..and show off to others in this area |
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 Veteran
Posts: 175
Location: Florida | http://www.ladderliftsystems.com |
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Expert
Posts: 3853
Location: Vermont | Originally written by saddlethepony on 2015-01-23 8:36 PM
would love more info...I am in serious need of something like this.. that's affordable... my trailer already has the ladder and rack on the it...but having something as described sounds great... You do realize ForDub's postings were 9 years ago...these products tend to be highly niche in nature and the companies tend NOT to last... |
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Hay Bale lift for trailers
