1600 bushel grain cart

[flea beetle]

Have an 850 bushel cart right now on a 260 hp front wheel assist. Contemplating adding a 1600 bushel cart, or possibly selling the 850 and getting two 1600 bushel carts. The problem for us seems to be keeping grain away from the combines. Usually short truck drivers. And the problem will be exacerbated by the new rules for class 1 drivers to attain their license.

If I were to go the two 1600 bushel cart route, would a 260 hp front wheel assist move a full cart just to fill truck at the gate? Thinking of parking one at the gate for overflow, and the truck driver can just pull in the gate and if the cart at the gate is full, he can just dump that one on himself and go. The other main cart would be on a 4wd and servicing the combines.

The other route is keep the 850 bushel cart and 260 hp front wheel assist, and use that as the unit to service the combines. Get one 1600 bushel cart and use it on a 4wd and park at the gate for overflow.

Am short of guys with class 1 license. Have two tridem trailers and a super b already. Don't want to buy another truck and trailer and have to license and insure it. Some days only have myself or one hired guy running the trucks, and the other is swathing. The rest of the crew don't have their license. So they run the combines and the cart. In High yielding barley and oats, and even sometimes wheat, one trucker gets backed up by supper time and then the combines start sitting here and there for a truck to get back. Not to mention the trucker is bagged by the end of the day from running his tail off. Thus looking at going the grain cart route.

Was thinking of adding a third combine and forgetting about running the cart, but I think the cart route is cheaper and more efficient. Also less maintenance.

Also trying not to have to hire another guy. The odds of finding someone with a class 1 for the fall only is slim to none. And hiring someone with a class 1 full time will pay for a cart in about 2 full years wages.
What say you!

[TOM4CWB]

Have an 850 bushel cart right now on a 260 hp front wheel assist. Contemplating adding a 1600 bushel cart, or possibly selling the 850 and getting two 1600 bushel carts. The problem for us seems to be keeping grain away from the combines. Usually short truck drivers. And the problem will be exacerbated by the new rules for class 1 drivers to attain their license.

If I were to go the two 1600 bushel cart route, would a 260 hp front wheel assist move a full cart just to fill truck at the gate? Thinking of parking one at the gate for overflow, and the truck driver can just pull in the gate and if the cart at the gate is full, he can just dump that one on himself and go. The other main cart would be on a 4wd and servicing the combines.

The other route is keep the 850 bushel cart and 260 hp front wheel assist, and use that as the unit to service the combines. Get one 1600 bushel cart and use it on a 4wd and park at the gate for overflow.

Am short of guys with class 1 license. Have two tridem trailers and a super b already. Don't want to buy another truck and trailer and have to license and insure it. Some days only have myself or one hired guy running the trucks, and the other is swathing. The rest of the crew don't have their license. So they run the combines and the cart. In High yielding barley and oats, and even sometimes wheat, one trucker gets backed up by supper time and then the combines start sitting here and there for a truck to get back. Not to mention the trucker is bagged by the end of the day from running his tail off. Thus looking at going the grain cart route.

Was thinking of adding a third combine and forgetting about running the cart, but I think the cart route is cheaper and more efficient. Also less maintenance.

Also trying not to have to hire another guy. The odds of finding someone with a class 1 for the fall only is slim to none. And hiring someone with a class 1 full time will pay for a cart in about 2 full years wages.
What say you!

Fields less than 10 miles from bins... easy to direct hit with the bins with the grain cart... then use a s-bee as overflow.

Cheers

[flea beetle]

You are saying to drive the grain carts the 10 miles to the bins?

[blackpowder]

So if I understand you correctly.
You're saying large enough temporary storage at the gate is what you're after?

Of course a bagger would solve everything but they're a pia.

[flea beetle]

So if I understand you correctly.
You're saying large enough temporary storage at the gate is what you're after?

Of course a bagger would solve everything but they're a pia.

Yes you are correct. Temporary storage at the gate. The other option would be the 6500 bushel field bin by Vale industries, but $$$. And can't move as easily.

I have a bagger, but when you scatter bags all over the country side, you spend your whole winter plowing out and hauling grain bags. Not to mention the critters have their way with the bag and make holes all over the place.

[blackpowder]

Years ago a neighbor built his own out of a hopper cone put on wheels and a big auger mounted on it.
At least the big arse cart, if you have a tractor for it, can serve double duty if main chase cart piles up. Even if you only half fill while chasing.

[flea beetle]

Kind of my thought as well. Still have a way to keep the combines going strong even if 1 goes down.

Another positive I see is I can put one cart in the field, and have the other at home. The trucker can come home, dump his truck on the cart with the swing auger, and then bag grain at home. Way less animal damage when bagged at home. Dog keeps the animals away from the bags.

Don't have a truck dumping auger/conveyor on the bagger, and they want $30,000 to add it to our current bagger. Put that cost toward the extra cart instead.

[flea beetle]

You think the Front wheel assist would handle the 1600 bushel cart well enough just to fill a truck at the gate? Current hitch weight on our 850 cart is rated at 5200 lbs when full. The 1600 would be rated at 5500 lbs when full. So not concerned about overloading drawbar. More concerned it will actually move it when full.

[furrowtickler]

You think the Front wheel assist would handle the 1600 bushel cart well enough just to fill a truck at the gate? Current hitch weight on our 850 cart is rated at 5200 lbs when full. The 1600 would be rated at 5500 lbs when full. So not concerned about overloading drawbar. More concerned it will actually move it when full.

Unless you have zero hills , that front wheel assist will be struggle
Also it’s a weight issue , that 1600 bus cart will push ghat front wheel assist around ?

[flea beetle]

Unless you have zero hills , that front wheel assist will be struggle
Also it’s a weight issue , that 1600 bus cart will push ghat front wheel assist around ?

Planning on leaving the front wheel assist with a 1600 bushel cart at the gate. Not planning on chasing the combines around with that one. Plan on having a second 1600 bushel cart on a 4wd to chase the combines. Will eventually trade the front wheel assist off on another 4wd with a pto. Have no use for it after I turn under the hay next year.

Or I could keep the front wheel assist and my 850 cart, and just have one 1600 bushel cart in the field on a 4wd. But 4wd's will be more useful to me once we switch back to all grain.

[furrowtickler]

I would stay less ambitious, just a word of caution on spending too much . Don’t get caught like thousands of us out here with no crop . Big prices today mean SFA next year

[flea beetle]

I would stay less ambitious, just a word of caution on spending too much . Don’t get caught like thousands of us out here with no crop . Big prices today mean SFA next year

Lol. When I was talking to dad about it yesterday, I said I can do this, that, or nothing! He was more on board with nothing or at the very most adding 1 cart as well. Just hard to watch combines sit waiting on a truck. And seems once you get backed up like that, you can never catch up for the rest of the day.

We are typically one of the last guys to finish in the area. Partially because we tend to start seeding about a week later than everyone else, and partially because we wait that extra hour or 2 in the morning to make sure the grain is good and dry before we start going. Morning dews are bad here.

My concern is we are in the process of turning under 1000 acres of hay and putting it back to grain land. Did about 200 acres this fall, and will do the other 800 this upcoming summer/fall. Then will be selling the haying equipment. So would be more rolling the money from the haying equipment into these carts. Not opposed to keeping the front wheel assist and the 850 cart, as it will just have to take one dump from each combine and head for the trucks instead of waiting for a second dump from each. My big concern is doing something to help the trucker get more time before he gets completely backed up for the day. Maybe this is the wrong move. That is why I ask.

[tubs]

sell or rent some land out to a young guy why bust your but and take all that risk.Not being rushed all the time is way better for your health

[flea beetle]

sell or rent some land out to a young guy why bust your but and take all that risk.Not being rushed all the time is way better for your health

I am a young guy. 35 years old.

[TOM4CWB]

I am a young guy. 35 years old.

3 combines 3 carts no trucks to load and unload... figure it out... if you have a fast auger [that unloads carts] the cart is quicker to unload than trucks...[twice as fast] there are people doing this all the time ...especially if your roads are not too busy... no class 1 needed... you might grow high yielders next to bins... then you really make up time! Bagger in combo really works nice... skip the trucks whenever possible!

necessity is the mother of invention!

Cheers