Towing corn/hay elevator on road

EJ70 · Mar 25, 2013

In need of a new to me transport elevator. Got a lead on one for cheap but its about 80 miles away on back roads. Never towed one that far before. Its a 32 footer. Tires are good. I have a 16 foot flatbed. Should I try and break it down or just tow it or forget about it.

in-too-deep · Mar 25, 2013

Tighten and grease wheel bearings, bring a spare and a good jack and tow it.

NY 986 · Mar 25, 2013

I hate making a big deal out of things like this but your flatbed which I am assuming is rated for road travel speed and has plates on it might make moving the elevator less stressful in terms of unforseen problems. A little more work to disassemble and reassemble but no issue of odd wheel bearing failing and stranding you or poor vision means you caught a wire. Towing equipment has gotten to be a headache even when you can avoid major highways. I bid a 6 row planter last spring and was somewhat relieved I did not get it as I would have had to pull it over 25 miles of a 2 lane road with no shoulder to speak of for a total distance of 55 miles.

Anonymous-0 · Mar 25, 2013

Do as in-to-deep said and get r done. chris

rustyfarmall · Mar 25, 2013

(quoted from post at 07:21:33 03/25/13) In need of a new to me transport elevator. Got a lead on one for cheap but its about 80 miles away on back roads. Never towed one that far before. Its a 32 footer. Tires are good. I have a 16 foot flatbed. Should I try and break it down or just tow it or forget about it.

If it is an older unit, it may not have the automotive style wheel bearings, but instead will have straight spindles with brass bushings. Still not a bad thing, just remember to bring your grease gun and stop every 10 to miles and give the spindles a few pumps of grease.

Won't be the first time a farmer towed something of that nature for at least that many miles.

Might want to hang a red flag out on the end of the elevator.

DoubleR · Mar 25, 2013

I put a 30 footer on a 16 ft flatbed. I lowered it all the way down and backed it on the trailer. The bottom of it was at the rear of the trailer. The overhang went overtop of the pickup. Just make sure its not over 13ft 6in. high and chain her down good.

NY 986 · Mar 25, 2013

What state was this in?

Dave Sherburne NY · Mar 25, 2013

A lot of those elevators I've seen don't have automotive type bearings they're just a hole in the hub on a straight shaft. The hitch is not made for short turns with a pickup so think carefully about the route. 80 miles is about 2 hours on backroads without towing an elevator. If it was a pipe elevator I would definitely take it apart If a grain elevator I would have to think about how big a job it would be to take apart and reassemble

Fordfarmer · Mar 25, 2013

I"d say tow it, too. Taking it apart and putting it back together would be a big job.
I didn"t have to go nearly as far, but I pulled a 52" one time. Mostly back roads, but did have to go a mile or so on a state highway and through a 4-way stop where the state road and a US highway met. Called the local police department, and they were glad to know about it ahead of time and had an officer there to help me through the intersection.

D beatty · Mar 25, 2013

Eighty miles is a long haul and if one of the bears go out you will be setting along side road for some time. If the 16 foot flatbed is a trailer why not see if you can put it on trailer backwards letting 16 foot hanging over cab.You may need to take wheels off and set it down on trailer. If the wheels are set narrow enough on the elevator you could also use a car dollie and strap and chain it to the elevator tight.You than wouldn't have to worry about wheel bearings.

caseyc · Mar 25, 2013

Like others have said, spare tire, jack and a grease gun. I pulled one 50 miles a few years ago. Stopped every 10-15 miles and greased. Mine didn"t have bearings, it had brass bushings. I was able to run 20 mph with mine. I"m in SD though so it wasn"t unusual to see old equipment going down the road.

Casey in SD

EJ70 · Mar 25, 2013

Thanks for the feedback guys. My flatbed has a high deck height, probably around 3 feet. I like the idea of removing the stops and collapsing the legs. Its not a tube/ pipe elvevator. Wish it was. They are more easily broken down. putting it on the trailer would leave me with about 10-12 feed hanging out the back. I got room for 3-4 feet out the front of the trailer.

donjr · Mar 25, 2013

I'd surely use the trailer, and borrow one from a friend that is longer if I could. 80 miles is a fairly long haul, and it would be easier and faster to strap it down onto something that was made for high speeds. Elevator frames weren't made for a lot of road shock.

rustyfarmall · Mar 25, 2013

(quoted from post at 08:19:51 03/25/13) Thanks for the feedback guys. My flatbed has a high deck height, probably around 3 feet. I like the idea of removing the stops and collapsing the legs. Its not a tube/ pipe elvevator. Wish it was. They are more easily broken down. putting it on the trailer would leave me with about 10-12 feed hanging out the back. I got room for 3-4 feet out the front of the trailer.

Anything over 4 feet hanging off the back is considered over length and will get you in trouble with the law much quicker than just hooking onto it and headin' down the road. Farm machinery is exempt from most of the laws that apply to trucks and trailers.

NY 986 · Mar 25, 2013

That's where New York (and probably Pennsylvania too) is different. Not only would the rear overhang would be an issue but anything over the truck cab too if the cab has no overhead guard or rack. Towed implements are supposed to have trailer-type lights but the enforcement seems uneven at current. If a break down happens and the law enforcement person deems the the broken down implement is a hazard a wrecker will be called to the scene at the implement owner's expense. An 80 mile ride with 3/4 of the drivers and home owners along the way unsympathetic to a farmer creates a lot of potential stress instead of an enjoyable ride.

hd6gtom · Mar 25, 2013

I hauled a 30 foot culvert on a 16" flatbed. never again, all that sticking over the rear caused the trailer to whip like crazy, Grease the wheel bearings, air up the tires and pull it.

paul · Mar 25, 2013

A long wheelbase thing like an elevator actually tow very well. I would surely tow it here.

Things to watch for:

Many have a weak hitch, check that is solid and well attached to the frame of the elevator.

They can be floppy, if they are long and made weakly. Potholes and bumps might get it kinda wiggley.

Axles are often just a hub on a shaft, be sure to grease well and watch.

Tie up the pto shaft, or maybe remove a heavey electric motor, or be sure the winch and cable are well secured, it should be sitting on cradle or have a second cable keeping it up....

Otherwise, they tow easy, trail well.

Paul

Nebraska Cowman · Mar 25, 2013

I would not be afraid to tow it. That"s what it has wheels on it for.

D beatty · Mar 25, 2013

Well I guess it would whip like crazy with a 14 foot over hang on a 16 foot trailer.

showcrop · Mar 25, 2013

I have towed farm equipment long distances three times as in 150 miles. Two were within width one was over width. Most states laws allow for oversize as long as you get a permit. Laws for towed farm equipment usually give you a lot of leeway compared to other pulled things. HOWEVER, once you put it on a trailer it is money making freight, so you have to be in compliance with every DOT rule that applies to your size vehicle. If you put it on a trailer you had better be sure that you are in compliance, incase some little old lady pulls out in front of you.

Wheat Farmer · Mar 25, 2013

And watch for those Farmer that sprung a elec. fence wire across the road. My Dad did it once not thinking I landed a plane on that road. Worked out ok and I was low enough to clear it.

The Red · Mar 25, 2013

So you were a crop duster?

Mike Aylward · Mar 25, 2013

I once towed a John Deere elevator about that far one time. I kept a grease gun in the truck and stopped about every 15 miles or so and gave it a few shots and checked the tires at the same time. Also, another thing to think about is the hitches for most of the elevators I've seen are designed to be pulled with tractors. If you hook an elevator onto a short pickup hitch you WILL get into your tailgate when you make a turn. I made an extension for my pickup hitch (DMI-style) that put it well back of the tailgate. It can be done. Just don't try to set any land speed records while towing it. Mike

tim-m · Mar 25, 2013

With something that going to be traveling slow have a slow moving sign hanging on it and a friend following behind with flashers to alert any one who may be in a hurry to get somewhere. Do not travel over the noon hour as people usually get a hour to get home and eat and then return to their place of work.

Anonymous-0 · Mar 25, 2013

Purchased a 35 ft auger approx 100 miles east and decided I would rather haul it than tow. Obviously lowered it as much as possible and loaded it on a 28 ft JD 201 implement trailer (Donahue). Easy trip.

S2710 · Mar 25, 2013

I towed one for a neighbor and I hooked it up to the pickup and had the guy that he bought it from take his welder and weld the clevis solid. Greased the wheels and stoped every 10 to 15 miles and regreased. When we got home took the grinder and cut off the welds and it was good as new. Welding the hitch takes the sideway slop out and pulls a lot better.

Bob

DoubleR · Mar 25, 2013

Michigan

Cole Younger · Mar 25, 2013

I have hauled two 52" elevators home .The first one I bought 30 miles from home I made it to the middle of Canton.Illinois and a bearing blew apart destroying the hub right on the town square wasn"t a good situation fixing elevator at rt9 and rt78 in JC Penny parking lot. The second was half a mile from home at neighbors sale Ipaid alot more for it because it was close. Before I moved it I packed bearings put new tires on and re cabled the elevator then pulled it home with the M with no problem I learned alot from the first one on how not to move a elevator.

fixerupper · Mar 25, 2013

I pulled two elevators in tandem to an auction 30 miles away without a problem. They trailed so nice I could have kept going for the rest of the day. Jim

Wheat Farmer · Mar 25, 2013

Just a normal CFII pilot. But landed on many country roads. Dad built a East-West strip for me, but sometimes the wind was strong North-South. One time I had a fly in at the farm, and we had 13 planes land in the wheat field. GOOD OLD DAYS.

Towing corn/hay elevator on road

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