hopper anchors

[rook]

although we've been spared, there have been a number of wind storms this past year that have toppled bins and done other damage. What do you guys use to anchor down hopper bins? we have some 14' diameter ones that generally we just keep a little grain in but that can be a pain as well. thanks for any comments

[cchurch]

There are these rods with a small auger flighting type deal on them and you screw them into the ground, then cut some chain and bolt it.

I got some from Peavey Mart and Flaman sales. Any bin dealer should have them.

They will give you a good work out. Start with a crowbar, then get a longbar once you hit the heavy clay.

Occasionally you will hit a large stone and have to back them all the way out and try again.

Good luck.

[frustrated1]

We've put 4 of these 4 foot anchors on each of our hopper bins. UFA and I'm sure others, rent a driver for them. It's an oversized electric drill with 2 handles. It'll still give you bruises but sure beats twisting in a bunch of anchors by hand. By the way, anchoring them cuts your insurance bill on them by half.

[rook]

yes I've considered the anchors but not looking forward to driving them into packed gravel. Job for the cool of the morning, I guess.

[Hopperbin]

I would suggest getting someone to dig pilings and sell your skids. That is my advice and what I have done so you asked. your bins will not shift once on pilings.

[JDGreen]

I agree ... at the price of a base (2600 bucks for a westeels 18') why anchor them.. Sell your bases and drill some piles .. cheap and they arent goin anywhere once you bolt them down... a 10 foot 12" pile costs about 60 bucks plus the drilling..

[DogPatch]

Piles are a bad idea by themselves. Far too much weight on a small area unless you want to put those piles down about 12'. It only will take one point to sink or heave and the whole bin could go over. Whatever happened to a proper concrete pad?

[frustrated1]

The old money around here have put their hoppers on concrete. Some are ok, some the slabs have cracked and moved and one guy had an entire slab shift over time. Piles can work if deep enough. Concrete is nice to clean up on. Come sale day, skids win every time and there isn't $5000 concrete work left behind. Plus it's pretty easy to level a bin with skid sitting on a nice gravel base if it shifts a bit.

[farmhill]

I thought of doing this but did not get to it yet

drill a 4-6" pile 6' deep between hoppers fill with cement and a piece of chain and bolt around leds

[rosco]

I have a bunch of 14' bins on hoppers with skids, and what I did was weld some lengths of rebar in a grid inside the skid and pour concrete inside. The skids make a great form. Anchors the bin down and gives me a nice clean spot for the whopper hopper to sit under the gate. one piece of advice, pour the concrete with the bin full, not empty. You'd be amazed how much the bin sinks when it's full.
Rosco

[wmoebis]

I put up some new bins this year. I couldn't get those auger anchors in my rocky ground. So I drove 5ft lengths of 7/8ths sucker rod in between the skids on an angle so they rest against the outer skid.
I left about a ft. out so I can tighten as the bins settle. Once they settle I will bend the ends over the skid.
Two are still empty and haven't blowen away in all these winds we have had lately.

[jjfarmer]

We put in an abundance of anchors from Flamans with the hydraulic post hole auger and found it to work very well.

[hobbyfrmr]

I bought 2 - 19 foot hoppers this summer. Princess Auto sells auger ancors about 40 inches long with a loop on top. I bought a 15/16" deep socket, used a 41/2 inch grinding wheel and cut through the top of the socket. The width of the cutting wheel was perfect match for the eyelet on the top loop of the anchor. I used an electric impact wrench and twisted the anchors into the ground at each leg. You have to be careful when starting, use both hands, pay attention, and go slowly until the auger is into the ground. It was really easy, it took about 1 hour. Every leg is anchored, if those bins blow away, it was never meant to be. This is low cost anchors, and no need get in line waiting until someone else is done, to rent the install gizmo.

[KeephillsCowMan]

Last year on our 22' hoppers we just push 4 pieces of 2 7/8" pipe in with the hoe and weld chain to it. Usually get 5-7 ft. in hard packed clay and shale base. Cheap fast and easy. Survived two 50mph winds.