Front-Mount, Rubber-Tired Packer Made From Car Tires

Front-Mount, Rubber-Tired Packer Made From Car Tires TIRES/WHEELS New Uses 25-1-2 "It packs and levels soil in front of our tractor as we plant, which results in better seed placement and germination," says Loren Halvorson, Galesburg, N. Dak., about the rubber tired packer he made from old 15-in. car tires. Halvorson mounts the packer on front of his Deere 4430 tractor when using his Deere MaxEmerge 8-row mounted planter. Like the planter row units, the tires are spaced 30 in. apart and are mounted on vertical standards that are U-bolted to a 4 by 4 toolbar. The toolbar attaches to a mounting bracket that bolts onto the front and sides of the tractor, and is raised by a single hydraulic cylinder. "We designed it mainly for planting edible beans, but we've found that it also improves planting of corn and soybeans," says Halvorson. "We used it for the first time last year and harvested 100 to 200 lbs. more edible beans per acre. Most of our soil is fine, loose sand. The main advantage is that this unit packs the sand down uniformly so that seed is placed in moister soil. "Commercial spiral packers designed to be pulled behind are available, but they sell for $15,000 to $30,000 depending on the size. We spent less than $1,000 to build this unit." The toolbar is filled with sand for added weight. He mounted new wheel rims on the tires. He drilled holes in the standards to weld on the spindles. The front-mount packer has other advantages, says Halvorson. "The tube is filled with sand and the extra weight helps counter balance the weight of the 3-pt. planter. The packer also serves as a guide when planting along fence or tree lines. And it helps hold the tractor straight in the field." Many of the parts Halvorson used to build the packer are also used on an edible bean recutter that he has been building and selling for years. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Loren Halvorson, Box 40, Galesburg, N. Dak. 58035 (ph 701 488-2790).

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