Silage bale spike

Green farmer

Was thinking about getting a bale spike for back of tractor for feeding animals silage as I don't have a front loader. The bales are stored standing upright, so looking for something that I can pick up bale and drop on a pallet and ring feeder where ever animals are. What ones do lads find the easiest and safest to use ?. I've seen ones with two vertical spikes and other ones with one spike and two smaller stabiliser spikes. Do people still use these types or are their better methods of handling silage ? Thanks

Miname

Green farmer wrote: »

Was thinking about getting a bale spike for back of tractor for feeding animals silage as I don't have a front loader. The bales are stored standing upright, so looking for something that I can pick up bale and drop on a pallet and ring feeder where ever animals are. What ones do lads find the easiest and safest to use ?. I've seen ones with two vertical spikes and other ones with one spike and two smaller stabiliser spikes. Do people still use these types or are their better methods of handling silage ? Thanks

If it's for around the yard any spike will do. If it's going to be out on the road much get one that folds up. If you've only a small tractor get a single spike with the short stabiliser pins cause you'd be surprised the resistance that second spike will create out in a wet field.

Green farmer

Just around farm. No road work. Tractor is old but over 100 hp

Miname

Any spike will do then,

Willfarman

A front loader is an invaluable tool around the place. Smallish money if you can find brackets to suit.

Green farmer

Anyone know if you can use the 2 spike ones as pallet forks ? Or attach more spikes to make them dung forks ?

Timmaay

Green farmer wrote: »

Anyone know if you can use the 2 spike ones as pallet forks ? Or attach more spikes to make them dung forks ?

In general bale spikes definitely are not designed to handle full weight pallets, definitely not worth the risk unless it's actually rated for it. In terms of the dung fork, I did the oppose, we had an old dung fork here, when we are handling a lot of bales we remove all but 2 prongs.

Actually on a side note, I picked up a hydraulic bale handler this year for staking bales, I have it on at the second without the rollers to feed bales on the feed passage, it's working out very very handy to lift up the bale without the netting, and scatter it along the feed face, widen out the spikes to let more silage drop as you reverse along.

Green farmer

Bought the bale spike. A universal type with two parallel 38" tines. Just getting used to it but when lifting the silage bales, they seem to fall away from the tractor and drag along ground ? The bales are the big Mchale ones 5tf round. Any ideas ?

tanko

Green farmer wrote: »

Bought the bale spike. A universal type with two parallel 38" tines. Just getting used to it but when lifting the silage bales, they seem to fall away from the tractor and drag along ground ? The bales are the big Mchale ones 5tf round. Any ideas ?

Are you using an hydraulic top link?

Green farmer

tanko wrote: »

Are you using an hydraulic top link?

No just an ordinary one. Does the hydraulic one make much difference ? I was thinking would the tines be abit short for the big bale, but any ideas would help me rule out what's doing wrong

farmerjj

Green farmer wrote: »

No just an ordinary one. Does the hydraulic one make much difference ? I was thinking would the tines be abit short for the big bale, but any ideas would help me rule out what's doing wrong

Could the top link be to long, sounds like the bale isn't been tipped up enough, doubt the tines are the problem

tanko

Green farmer wrote: »

No just an ordinary one. Does the hydraulic one make much difference ? I was thinking would the tines be abit short for the big bale, but any ideas would help me rule out what's doing wrong

Yeah, i think it makes a big difference.

jimini0

I use hydraulic top link with my spike. The trick is to angle the spike downwards to the bale don't worry if its lower than centre cos the second spike will stabilise it. Have the arms as low as possible that gives you more ground clearance when lifted

Green farmer

The dealer told me to have the arms set up as high as possible when levers are down so the spike goes into bales as high as possible before I even start lifting. The bale spike I have looks like a tubular bale handler except with two long tines instead of tubular tubes. It's a fleming one.

tanko

Put the spike into the bale about 15 inches from the bottom of the bale and get yourself a good hydraulic top link.

Green farmer

Here's the patient lads

jimmy G M

tanko wrote: »

Put the spike into the bale about 15 inches from the bottom of the bale and get yourself a good hydraulic top link.

+1, I dont understand why dealer might have told you to put the spikes into the bales as high as possible, makes no sense to me.

I have looked at your picture, and I think you might have the toplink attached to the wrong toplink hole on the the tractor. That looks like a MF?, 3 holes for toplink to attach to tractor. I'd say the toplink is attached to the top one looking at then pic. Change toplink down to the bottom one.

Adjust the toplink so the spike is going into the bale horizontally when the lift is down. Using the bottom hole on the tractor means that the spike will be angled further upwards when the lift is raised to the max. You should not need a hydraulic toplink.

Green farmer

jimmy G M wrote: »

I'd say the toplink is attached to the top one looking at then pic. Change toplink down to the bottom one.

Adjust the toplink so the spike is going into the bale horizontally when the lift is down. Using the bottom hole on the tractor means that the spike will be angled further upwards when the lift is raised to the max. You should not need a hydraulic toplink.

I was so focused on adjusting the bottom arms, I hadn't even thought of that, It's in the top hole alright . I'll change it tomorrow and see how it goes, thanks !!!

Green farmer

Better success today. I moved the top link down to the bottom ring and it made a huge difference. In addition to that, a technical guy from Flemings the manufacturer, emailed me back with tips on how to tweek it, which was helpful. It's not 100% right yet, but it's 90% there and no longer touching the ground. Many thanks for all yer tips and help guys, it's much appreciated !!!