silage harvester

Masseymad

hi just wondering ho much hp would be required to drive a double chop sillage harvester

9935452

Masseymad wrote: »

hi just wondering ho much hp would be required to drive a double chop sillage harvester

I've seen them run on 80hp but been told that they are power hungry if you are trying to increase throughput

yellow50HX

What size harvester?
What's are the fields like?
What size trailers have you?

Ideally 100hp will do, will give plenty of scope for driving the harvester and pull the trailer. You do it with lower hp and go slower but more of a strain on the tractor.

td5man

Used to run one with 125hp up front ,

Masseymad

so an oul massey ferguson 168 wunt be fit for it?...i used to use a single chop taarup on her

6480

Masseymad wrote: »

so an oul massey ferguson 168 wunt be fit for it?...i used to use a single chop taarup on her

all i know is the 168 was geared well on the pto as it would drive an agitator better than a 290 as the 168 has 540 pto speed at 1500 rpms and the 290 has to be open to the skut , i guess it would be under pressure at the same time with a double chop

yellow50HX

Masseymad wrote: »

so an oul massey ferguson 168 wunt be fit for it?...i used to use a single chop taarup on her

It would do it but very slow. How much silage are you talking? Do you already have the harvester? Might make sense to go a buy a 25-30 yo old 6 pot like a ford 8210 and it would give you all the cutting you want, and would pull the slurry spreader in winter.

Masseymad

about 15 acres a year for myself as no1 around my place makes pit sillage...but id say if i got it id be doing it for a few neighbours thats a good point YELLOW50HX

6480

i think about 15 acres a day i use to clear with a double chop one time

cjpm

6480 wrote: »

i think about 15 acres a day i use to clear with a double chop one time

15 acres would be about right unless you are in small fields.

Would need at least 90hp to be honest, anything less and you'll really struggle in heavy crops and when travelling uphill with an almost full trailer.

td5man

Would a silage wagon be a better option?

Masseymad

what about if i was filling it into a trailer on another tractor?

td5man

Masseymad wrote: »

what about if i was filling it into a trailer on another tractor?

You need an extension on the spout and the trailer needs to driven very close to the harvester.

royalmeath

Unless your going at it for some bizarre pleasure then your completely off your rocker.

td5man

royalmeath wrote: »

Unless your going at it for some bizarre pleasure then your completely off your rocker.

+1

royalmeath

You would need 2 trailers - 5000 will buy you 2 decent secondhand timber sided 14ft trailers
A decent secondhand harvester will cost 5000 (you will buy plenty of junk for less)
In return you will have 3 more machines with a heap of potential problems. But as you sit on board
your 168 and it dying going up a hill you can look on at the fine modern self propelled at work on your neighbours
farm picking up 15 acres in under 3 hours.
Sure once your happy is all that matters

6480

i bought a oldish flywheel type trailed presion chop harvester for 1800 a few years ago . its capable of lifting 30 acres in a 8 hour day , i lift about 80 acres for myself and it saves writing a big fat cheque to another man that i consider being dead money

keep going

Which way you try and dothe sums you wont end saving money but you might earn it.from time to time I let thoughts ramble about having all my own gear but I usually can get them back under control and ill say one thing its nice to cut when you want too and its enjoyable when it's going well but the dowtime, the stress of wondering will that bearing , weld ,radiator or the day hold means its money hard earned and inevitably your starting down a road where you are always investing and upgrading and spending e few bob

6480

if you know how to and kept any machine regardless of age serviced , oiled and greased it will run and operate for u

Sharpshooter82

6480 wrote: »

if you know how to and kept any machine regardless of age serviced , oiled and greased it will run and operate for u

I agree fully with ya 6480 but as you know I'm sure that something will always break when you need it most

simx

6480 wrote: »

i bought a oldish flywheel type trailed presion chop harvester for 1800 a few years ago . its capable of lifting 30 acres in a 8 hour day , i lift about 80 acres for myself and it saves writing a big fat cheque to another man that i consider being dead money

also bought an old flywheel machine for 1600 with any bits i bought for it its costing me a shake above 2k, bought couple of pipes(perished) oil return fittings, spare pick up tines, ram for hitch couple of spare chains, getting it home, lad that had it before me hadnt used it in 8 years as he was out of farming, in the first year picking up it paid for itself and saved a bit, although could of easily went the other way i know, but i liked doing it myself, i know you have to account for your time, depreciation etc. but i wouldnt stop doing it i think, gave me great satisfaction doing my own bit, if years come that has to come in very quick due to weather or whatever ill ring the contractor and ill try do it the following year

tabby aspreme

If your pulling a trailer with the double chop on hilly ground you'll need a heavy tractor as the ground your driving on will be very slippy as it has just been cut

Masseymad

would the double chop be harder to drive than the old single chop? i never used to have trouble with it on the same tractor?