Bale forks

[ALLFARMER]

So buying a loader for the new tractor and the
salesman is trying to talk me into a single prong
bale fork. He shows me how the single is so my
heavier than than the double. The double fork
spikes look like the bolt in type Allied makes/sells.
He shows me a broken Allied fork.

The double fork is good for picking bales up
directly off the ground when there frozen down.
Bales don't spin at all with a double. ????

So what kind of fork are u using and your opinion
on single verses double.

[tweaker101]

I had a single homemade piece of shart... It came
with the tractor... We used it for years until my son
bent it loading bales last fall... Thank good, must
have been the only time I never got upset about
him breaking something.. Lol, we bought a 3 spike
for out of the USA for $500.00 direct bolt on to our
loader arms... What a difference, If I had to do it
again I may have went for a 4 prong fork... Lets
you have more options when spiking bales... You
don't have to be exact . Just my 2 cents

[grassfarmer]

Might not be applicable in your situation Allfarmer
but here is about the most useful piece of machinery
we ever owned.

http://www.mchale.net/index.php/en_US/CCShop/2/
17/16/1/105

The link probably won't work so google "McHale 691
round bale handler"

Designed for handling wrapped silage bales the
rollers come off to give you twin spikes to handle two
round bales or big square bales and with the ram you
can squeeze just about anything. You can also lift
tote bags with them or use them as pallet forks.
They are made in Ireland but I saw one in Rimbey
once so I guess someone must be importing them.
I see some good used ones listed @$1000 in Europe.

[WestwardHO]

No to single, because the bale could spin.

[wilagro]

My single spear has two smaller and shorter spears at the bottom below the main one to prevent spinning.

It has served me well although I had to re-enforce it once when it broke when I had to stop the rapid drop of a bale because a cow was in danger of being hurt or killed.

[ALLFARMER]

Grassfarmer

I'd like to see those guys drive that fast on my
fields.

[burnt]

Double spear, at minimum. With ours I can place two bales side by side and carry two at once if they are dry hay or straw.

Wet or wrapped haylage/oatlage, not so much, one's enough!

[Horse]

I have used both 1 and 2 fork and they bouth are best in certan circumstances. I like 1 for being able to spin a bale when the snow is heavy on the top of bails and some poorer quality such as mouldy 1 speer is easier to load and unload. But 2 are better for hauling and loading getting under bales .