Attaching Pop Up To Truck

Bryce Frazier · Jun 29, 2015

Hey guys, how do I attach a pop up baler loader to the side of my truck?

I am almost ready to cut my oats, planning on doing so Friday, and as of right now, I am going to pick them all up, and stack them on the side of the field...

I am planning on doing it all by myself, other than mom or Casey driving my truck! I have a nice old pop up, seems to be in good working order? And I have this new truck I bought (which you guys haven't seen yet!!)

It is a 1976 GMC 6000. 3 ton truck. BIG BIG BIG truck!!!

12 foot flat bed on it, 350 gasser, 4 speed, 2 speed rearend. NICE truck! Got a score of a price on it, so, brought it home.....

Anyways, because I have no way of welding, I am thinking that I can make a 4x4 frame, and bolt it to the flat bed of the truck, then hook the pop up to it. Should be good to go huh? My question is, would the 4x4's be strong enough to tug the wagon along?

Also, in order for my loader to work right, do I need to have my bales laying strings down, or on their sides? I am guessing strings down would work better, but don't know?

Thanks! Bryce

DeltaRed · Jun 29, 2015

I have an old pop-up bale loader. It hooks to the front bumper with a piece of angle iron.Long enough to span the frame rails and extend to the left side for hitching the loader to. BTW, Is Casey gonna drive the truck?

Nebraska Cowman · Jun 30, 2015

The ones I have seen around here had a short drawbar bolted to the running board.

Bryce Frazier · Jun 30, 2015

Hadn't even thought about the front bumper.... Not sure if this thing is long enough? Might be close though!!!!

Ya, I am hoping that she will. I have a few people interested in the hay, and I THINK they are all willing to come pick the bales out of the field, so, I haven't made arrangements for storing the hay. Well, 1 of the people flaked out yesterday, 1 said they can't get the bales, and the other won't call me back! :

Going to work today, and the boss is going to help me get my baler ready to go... I am doing a red neck conversion, and making it PTO drive, instead of Wisconsin.... Pretty cool! Pictures to come this afternoon hopefully!!!!

I'll get the popup up here, and get the truck out, and just see what it looks like and "improvise"... I am getting pretty good at that!

sotxbill · Jun 30, 2015

I always used a trailer for the hay elevator... but... welded a 2 7/8 pipe to front rail of trailer.. used a removeable 2 3/8 pipe that could slide inside the bigger pipe for loading and then removed the smaller pipe and stored it for next time. Drilled a couple of holes to drop a pin in to get the smaller pipe the correct distance out from the trailer. BECAREFUL of the distance as if you turn one way the loader can hit the side of the truck, if you turn the other way it is fine. My loader had enough offset distance that I could turn either way. Bales had to be laying flat for the bale elevator to pick them up.. however the collector would flip most sideways bales down. first couple of bales would be troublesome till all the rust was knocked off, then the next 100 bales were fine... loose bales will break apart and jam the hay elevator so loading sooner, while good and tight, was better than waiting a long time as they dried a bit a loosen up.

Richard G. · Jun 30, 2015

Bryce, the only one I was ever around hooked to a standard hole on the side of the truck bed. At the front of the bed. Seemed to work good. I do remember it worked me to death stacking the hay while someone else drove. That has been 45 years ago.
Richard in NW SC

Ken Macfarlane · Jun 30, 2015

Ours has a bracket that drops in a stake pocket then the little hitch thing on the loader pins into the bracket.

Chief 83 · Jun 30, 2015

Like others have said I put the pin in one of the stake pockets. I use an 18' flatbed truck and utilize 2 different stake pockets. One when loading the front half and then move it back a couple and finish the load. Also use it on my 24' gooseneck trailer. I only use the pocket that puts it in the center of the trailer. Might work in the others but just haven't tried it there. On a smooth field it will wear you out quickly so take it slow. Also go through the field counter-clockwise. Much easier to make the turns and the driver can watch in the mirror easily to see if there is an issue. Experience tells me--don't yell at the driver if they are your wife, girlfriend or mother. If one gets mad at you they all go home. They don't look back and they don't feel bad about leaving you there all by yourself. You won't get them back on the job that day for sure...

Attaching Pop Up To Truck

Bryce Frazier

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DeltaRed

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Nebraska Cowman

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Bryce Frazier

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sotxbill

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Richard G.

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Ken Macfarlane

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Chief 83

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