“Made It Myself” Pickup Bale Spear

2016 - Volume #40, Issue #2, Page #29

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Charles Mitchell can spear a bale with his pickup truck and run it down the road to a customer. Best of all, it takes him less than 5 min. to mount or dismount the bale carrier from his truck.
    “The carrier is especially handy when a loader-mounted spear isn’t handy,” says Mitchell. “It handles 4 by 5 bales without a problem. It can move 4, 5 and 6-ft. bales up to 1,250 lbs.”
    Mitchell doesn’t need hydraulic power to pick up the bale. A 1,700-lb. Warn winch raises and lowers the spear. Two bolts fix the winch to the flat side of a reversible hitch ball in the truck’s bed. The ball is secured by a spring-loaded pin that is pulled out for reversing and is spring retracted to lock it in.
    “The pin is accessible in the left fender wall,” explains Mitchell. “If I need the ball for a trailer, I unbolt the winch and store it in a cabinet in my shop. All I need is a 9/16-in. wrench.”
    Mounting or removing the bale spear is even easier. The Cat. 1 implement spear mounts to flanges welded to either end of a 30 1/2-in., 4 by 4-in. heavy wall tube. A solid steel shank welded to the center but opposite side of the tubing slips into the truck’s receiver hitch.
    The winch cable runs through a pulley attached to the top of a 4-ft., 3 by 3-in. tube and back to an anchor on the truck bed. The tube is pinned 8 in. from its bottom to top link mounting flanges on back of the bale spear.
    Mitchell controls the position of the spear from the cab by releasing or taking up cable on the winch. Once a bale is loaded, the winch will keep it in the raised position or a safety chain can secure it. To keep the spear from flopping forward when empty, Mitchell attaches a heavy spring to the bottom of the spear and the safety slots on the receiver hitch.
    “A friend who is an excellent welder helped me fabricate the quick hitch for the bale spear in 2002,” says Mitchell. “It has moved hundreds of bales, and all I’ve had to do is replace the cable on the winch.”
    Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Charles H. Mitchell, 6299 Lee Road 188, Auburn, Alabama 36832 (ph 334 887-2255; chmitchell@bellsouth.net).

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“Made It Myself” Pickup Bale Spear BALE HANDLING Charles Mitchell can spear a bale with his pickup truck and run it down the road to a customer Best of all it takes him less than 5 min to mount or dismount the bale carrier from his truck “The carrier is especially handy when a loader-mounted spear isn’t handy ” says Mitchell “It handles 4 by 5 bales without a problem It can move 4 5 and 6-ft bales up to 1 250 lbs ” Mitchell doesn’t need hydraulic power to pick up the bale A 1 700-lb Warn winch raises and lowers the spear Two bolts fix the winch to the flat side of a reversible hitch ball in the truck’s bed The ball is secured by a spring-loaded pin that is pulled out for reversing and is spring retracted to lock it in “The pin is accessible in the left fender wall ” explains Mitchell “If I need the ball for a trailer I unbolt the winch and store it in a cabinet in my shop All I need is a 9/16-in wrench ” Mounting or removing the bale spear is even easier The Cat 1 implement spear mounts to flanges welded to either end of a 30 1/2-in 4 by 4-in heavy wall tube A solid steel shank welded to the center but opposite side of the tubing slips into the truck’s receiver hitch The winch cable runs through a pulley attached to the top of a 4-ft 3 by 3-in tube and back to an anchor on the truck bed The tube is pinned 8 in from its bottom to top link mounting flanges on back of the bale spear Mitchell controls the position of the spear from the cab by releasing or taking up cable on the winch Once a bale is loaded the winch will keep it in the raised position or a safety chain can secure it To keep the spear from flopping forward when empty Mitchell attaches a heavy spring to the bottom of the spear and the safety slots on the receiver hitch “A friend who is an excellent welder helped me fabricate the quick hitch for the bale spear in 2002 ” says Mitchell “It has moved hundreds of bales and all I’ve had to do is replace the cable on the winch ” Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Charles H Mitchell 6299 Lee Road 188 Auburn Alabama 36832 ph 334 887-2255; chmitchell@bellsouth net