using a '40 JD hay loader

riverbend

Well-known Member
I'm getting ready to use an old JD hay loader. It is the kind with 6 wooden bars and a solid galvanized deck. I have a few questions:
Does the mechanism only drive from one side ?
Does the 'switch' of the left wheel engage the crankshaft, etc. ?
Was there a link between the loader and the wagon ? I have a short triangular assembly attached to the front wheels that has a latch that looks like it would grab a 1/2" ring, Unless the ring was right at the back of the wagon, the hitch would never reach.

Anything I should know about using this piece of equipment ?

Thanks

Greg
 
Chances are you can still get an operators manual from Mother Deere. That's where I'd start.

I've never been around them that much to study, but as far as I know, the loader hitches right to the back of the wagon so that the hay would land about even with the edger of the bed. You'll need someone on the wagon to fork it forward and to build the load.
 
Sounds like you have it about figured out. The old wood wagons had a clevis and a ring at the rear of the center reach, to which the triangle assembly as you put it would attach. The apron on the top front stuck over the back rack post and you pitched the hay around with a fork as the wagon was drawn down the wind row to spread it out. My job as a child was to drive the team or pack it down so dad could put more hay on the wagon. Two things to look out for, first as you pack the hay along the sides of the wagon it's easy to fall off..LOL and second though this implement was used to speed up the haying process, it was at the speed of a horse walking, so slow and easy if you plan on using your tractor to pull it. That's my half century memory of the operation.
Jo
 
In my area those were known as "man killers"
I think that was due to the relentless supply of hay and also a team driver that went too fast!

I bale 5 acres for the local Village farm and they run it as a late 1800's farm. They have one and after raking we used it a few times, although I believe this one was an Oliver brand.

As a kid there was an art to loading flatracks way off the sides and a few guys that were good at it traveled farm to farm loading.
 
Any idea as to what the model number might be ?
There does not seen to be a tag of any sort any
where on the machine. The parts kids at the local JD
dealer are pretty much lost with out a part number
for old equipment ( this is probably not in their
system...).

Greg
 
I had an IHC one, and now have a NI one. Indeed they seem like man killers. Seems like 2 windrows were coming up at the same time rather than just one. Try to have at least 2 with forks on the rack, and make sure each knows where the others legs and feet are lol. You can put up a lot of hay with one. They go as fast as the loaders on the rack can handle the hay.
I would pitch it to the front by myself and do that as long as possible until the shelf was trying to shove it down my shirt, then I would stand on what I had pitched, and fill in the back. When satisfied the back was full, id start loading the front again. The back rack will or should be lower than the front rack to allow for the shelf and brace rod.
If this is your first time, putting side racks on couldn't hurt. Maybe lengths of cattle panels along the sides.

What are you going to do with the hay after you have it on the rack??

I made a rack 12 X 24. The running gear from an old JD thresher that a sawmill had used to haul logs. It has detachable front and rear racks. I put the 2 uprights in sockets at the floor then bolt the cross pieces onto them.
 
A lot of farmers used heavy rope to connect the loader to the back of the wagon with a knot like you use to tie cattle or horses to a post. When the load was full the person on the load could drop the loader simply by tugging on the rope.If you were loading with horses no one had to climb off the wagon.
 

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