Anyone use a hi-dump for silage?

woodvue · Dec 8, 2020

I would like your opinion on using a hi dump behind a pull type harvester vs wagons. I am thinking of replacing my forage wagons. We currently use three wagons with quick hitches to do silage and I wonder if we could do it better with a high dump behind the harvester and one bigger forage wagon to haul it away. It is usually just my son and me doing it and I thought the hi dump would be more efficient. Appreciate any thoughts. Thanks

jon f mn · Dec 8, 2020

The one I used took almost as long to dump as it did to fill, but that was behind a 300hp jd chopper.

Bruce from Can. · Dec 8, 2020

One of my buddies uses one all the time, and likes it. The main thing is don’t get one that is wore out. If the hinge points and hydraulic cylinders are good. My friend bought a cheap one on a sale, and it was misery. Sold it off and bought a decent replacement. They dump into a old truck.

greg oliver · Dec 8, 2020

Woodbury, I posted a few years ago while helping a neighbor chop corn. One thing I can say is be on the level when dumping. Even on the level that wagon would lift a wheel or two!

Brendon-KS · Dec 8, 2020

When my FIL was still putting up silage we used a Richardton dump wagon behind the 2-row cutter and emptied into a Chevy C60 with a 16-ft box. To convert the truck from grain to silage duty we replaced the end panel with a swinging tailgate and installed side board extensions. Since we were unloading into a bunker anyway using chuck wagons wouldn't have been practical for our operation. That's all in the past now, though - we haven't put up silage for about 5 years now and the cutter and wagon haven't been out of the shed since.

showcrop · Dec 8, 2020

The way I see it is it depends on how big your chopper is and how far you travel. The cycle time I believe is close to four minutes. A lot of smaller dairies use them or used to before they sold out. A common practice if you have a larger like 20 ft truck body is to dump into the truck then top it off direct before he leaves. Then fill the dump wagon again. The larger operations with 800 HP choppers are putting it out of course too fast to use a dump wagon.

showcrop · Dec 8, 2020

The way I see it is it depends on how big your chopper is and how far you travel. The cycle time I believe is close to four minutes. A lot of smaller dairies use them or used to before they sold out. A common practice if you have a larger like 20 ft truck body is to dump into the truck then top it off direct before he leaves. Then fill the dump wagon again. The larger operations with 800 HP choppers are putting it out of course too fast to use a dump wagon.

Robert (ID) · Dec 8, 2020

I have wondered about one too... we quit putting up silage due to the lack of available labor.. we chopped direct in to trucks then to the concrete bunk.. that took a minimum of 3 or 4 people.. I wonder if with a hi-dump if 2 people could make any time.. 1 guy chopping with the hi dump and one guy dumping trucks and swapping trucks at the field..

formerly ny bill · Dec 8, 2020

We fill a bunk silo. We were using 5 Allis wagons, usually 3 at a time, pulling them through the bunk while unloading, while Dad was fixing whatever broke on the other 2 that day. I bought a Gehl dump wagon and we built a wooden box on a 15' flat dump truck the next year (early 90s). It was like night and day, improved. I did have to change from a NH718, to a NH 782 to keep from the chopper getting pushed around on hills. Went on to a Dual slide and dump, now a Richardton slide and dump. Various trucks, none high dollar. You could even use an unloading wagon on a truck if you are filling a bag or upright silo. I have a neighbor that has such a truck. I still use a 900 NH and the Richardton.

Brendon-KS · Dec 8, 2020

We always did it with three people - a cutter, a trucker, and a packer. The farthest haul was only about 2 miles so the truck could be back to the field about the time the wagon was getting close to full. In Kansas dryland corn it took longer to fill the wagon than what would be typical in higher-yielding regions.

Anyone use a hi-dump for silage?

woodvue

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jon f mn

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Bruce from Can.

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greg oliver

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Brendon-KS

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showcrop

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showcrop

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Robert (ID)

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formerly ny bill

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Brendon-KS

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