pulling round baler home

I just bought a round baler its 75 miles from home thinking of pulling it any pointers

Just obvious things like good tires, repacked bearings, take off the PTO shaft, tie up hoses, wires, etc. really well. I would even go so far as to secure the gate latches so it doesn't accidentally pop open.

Make sure the tires are properly inflated and in good condition, hitch it up and go. Back when I bought mine I hauled it 150 miles home and never even thought twice about it.

Just drive slow. I pulled mine about fourty two miles to the house.

Repack the wheel bearings!!, tie everything down like others said. Secure hitch pin. Feel the hubs for heat after 5-10 miles, if cool you"re good for the trip. Check into some warning lights. I found a magnetic lite about 5 inches square- can be set to shine or blink....cost about $15. Used when towing a combine- didn"t bounce off.

Check it over as mentioned, hook it on, and go. I think I went 90 miles, it pulled well, was a nice afternoon, no worries.

Paul

I've pulled 2 choppers from similar distances. Checked tires (changed one before hitting the road) and left. Probably should have checked the wheel bearings, but I didn't.

No problems and they both arrived in 1 peice.

Donovan from Wisconsin

Back in the day my dad pulled home a new Vermeer from the factory. Bout 150 miles. When he ordered it the dealer specced out tires accordingly. I think the dealer did this regularly and had a set of tires and rims they exchanged but ours came with and had those on when we sold it. Pulled it home with a 3/4 ton ford and said it did pull kinda hard.

That being said. As others have mentioned repack the wheel bearings. Check the hubs after 10 to 15, and I would check the tires also.

jt

Watch your speed and pack a spare and tire tools.... I pulled my NH 644 home last year. Went to look, made a deal, aired up the tires and, hooked it up 127 miles....

They are heavy and pull hard so take plenty of truck.

Repack the wheel bearings before you even hook up to it.

Allan

Have to share one of my latest pulling stories. I went 100miles to pick up a couple of augers, a 10x41 and a 8x51, we have a hitch that bolts on the axle of the first auger and pull the second behind. Hooked them up just like the distributor said the way they haaul them all the time. Other than being prettylong ang wide on the corners all was good. the roads are getting pretty rough but not too bad until I hit dip in the road.They pull at 40-50 mph. Well anyway I hit the dip and thought it felt funny and look back and see my augers following me but not as close. they were scooting down the road on their own right straight behind me.I thought for a moment " I"m going to have to call my boss and tell him I just wrecked two new augers." They stayed on the road probably 400 yards then headed for the ditch full of snow. All I could see was a cloud of white thought for sure they would flip. Back up down the road to them and they were upright and intact. At least a half dozen cars went by untill a older farmer stopped, by this time I had the hitcth of the front one pulled back on the road with a chain. He helped me rehook it to the truck, pulled them up threw the snow banks all were OK. Pulled them the next 40 miles with no problems. THe hith pin was still in the hole of the first auger it just destroyed the keepr clip flat and sucked it right through the drawbar on the pick up. Wrapped chain all around it after that. Have hauled several more like that since with no problems..

Like everybody says,probably heavy on the tongue,you didn't say the make or model.
I hauled a Gehl 1475 home 45 miles last summer with the wife's Ford Explorer SportTrac. Pulled it with the stock bumper. Thought I did some damage when I hit a rough rail road crossing,but it was OK. I felt every bump in the road that's for sure.
All that said,we used to haul a LOT of stuff home 150 miles from Archbold Ohio. Square balers,corn pickers,choppers,pull type combines. Just keep the speed reasonable and act like you own the road like all the other drivers do.

I have to pull one a similar distance soon as the snow goes. Pulled a square baler 150 miles last year no trouble.

All is good advise...I would add however,take a spare or two.Size wont matter as long as the wheel will bolt up.Make sure the tires are slightly over inflated to lessen the bounce.I 've blown more tires by being too low than too much air.Too low causes heat,heat means 'boom'.if poassible,mount up a good set of automotive/truck tires on rims and install for the trip.Auto/LT tires are well suited for hiway speeds.'Flag' it well,or better still,install temporary stop/turn/tail lights.

A lot of good information here. I got a surprise when I was going to pull a moco that was overwidth, for about 140 miles. I called the state agency that was in charge to get a permit, and talked about my intended route. She told me to get on the interstate for as much of the distance as possible. That was where they wanted me.

Pulled a JD 535 for 110 miles last summer. It pulled fine, max of about 35 mph. Tongue was heavy but not too bad. Wired the doors shut for if they come open, it will look like a butterfly heading down the road. I took my heat gun to shoot the wheel hubs shortly after starting out and again every 20 miles or so.

If its new enough to have factory lights, you can get an adaptor to plug them into your pickup recipictal. Mine was around $45.00, but well worth it.

Its a john Deere 435 and I'm gonna pulling it with my Dodge 1500 with the 360 engine

I pulled one Alabama to Michigan once. I took some tires off a wagon that were old but good pickup tires and put on it. Used the baler tires as spares. Put some magnet turn signals on it, and a smv. Kept off the freeway. Check the wheel bearings every so often. Oh and I shimmed the hitch pin so there wasn't much room for it to bounce. Pulled hard over 45 mph so just went slow and enjoyed the scenery.

For 75 miles I'd just take a spare tire, a good hitch pin, a smv sign, and a chain for a tow chain.

I pulled one 150 miles, I never exceeded 50 mph, be sure and SECURE that hitch pin, use a keeper or bolt it in or whatever, use they safety chains if you have them, wired mine up with tail lights and had no problems.

I am faced with the same task this spring 150 miles. Hope all of us have the best of luck dragging them home.

If it has a spring loaded release on the locking pin for the drawbar swing, might want to consider a good pair of vise grips on the pin to keep it from popping out

We towed a 605F Vermeer several hundred miles behind our dodge 2500 diesel. It towed effortlessly it seemed, but we stopped several times to check tires and bearings in the 100 degree heat. On one stop I noticed the hitch was riding a little lower than normal. The receiver hitch frame was cracking near where it bolted to the truck frame. The safety chains attached to the receiver hitch and would have been useless if the hitch had broken free. After making some repairs I safety chained to the truck frame and used the bumper for additional support for the receiver hitch. That trip was really an eye-opener for me about what can go wrong. One more bump or pothole and that baler might have been careening into traffic. Joe