Self-Propelled Grain Auger Built From Pickup
Ray Swenson raises foundation, registered and certified wheat and also operates a certified seed cleaning operation, so he moves a lot grain into bins with big augers. He says his self-propelled grain auger - built out of an old Dodge 4-WD pickup - makes the job a lot easier.
He uses the rig to move and operate a 91-ft. long, 13-in. dia. Westfield swing away auger, which is bolted to a big steel frame welded to the pickup’s frame.
“I built it 3 years ago and we use it all year long. It eliminates the need to hook up a tractor to an auger and almost makes loading bins a fun job,” says Swenson. “I can move quickly from bin to bin and place the auger into position with no problem. With no tractor in the way, the swing away auger has a full 360 degree range for convenience in positioning the truck for dumping.”
Since Swenson raises certified seed, he has to reverse the auger for cleaning between seed lots. “Most tractors don’t have a reversing pto, but with my self-propelled auger I can just shift the pickup’s automatic transmission into reverse to reverse the auger flighting.”
He started with a 1992 Dodge W250 4-WD pickup equipped with a Cummins diesel engine and automatic transmission. He stripped the pickup down to the front wheels and axle, engine, transmission, and frame which he welded to another frame off a Melroe chisel plow. A pair of caster wheels off an Oliver chisel plow support the bottom end of the auger.
He removed the pickup’s rear axle and uses the driveshaft to power a 5-speed transmission off an old Ford truck. The transmission shaft-drives a gearbox (off a Steiger Bearcat tractor) that’s mounted on back of the rig. The gearbox is equipped with a forward facing pto shaft with the correct rotation to power the auger.
“The auger is fastened to a hitch, and the pto attached as it would be on a tractor and with the usual hydraulic hoses and so forth. That way I can replace the auger if needed,” says Swenson.
“On this Dodge pickup model the front axle is engaged manually, so I disengage the front axle and shift the 5-speed transmission into gear to power the auger as if I’m in 2-WD. To operate the auger I put the 5-speed transmission in second gear, which runs the auger at just the right speed. To move the rig, I shift the transmission into neutral and engage the front axle.”
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Ray Swenson, Swenson Feed Farm, 29667 State Hwy. 92 S.E., Brooks, Minn. 56715 (cell ph 218 280-1934; swenseed@gvtel.com).
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Self-Propelled Grain Auger Built From Pickup AUGERS Ray Swenson raises foundation registered and certified wheat and also operates a certified seed cleaning operation so he moves a lot grain into bins with big augers He says his self-propelled grain auger - built out of an old Dodge 4-WD pickup - makes the job a lot easier He uses the rig to move and operate a 91-ft long 13-in dia Westfield swing away auger which is bolted to a big steel frame welded to the pickup’s frame “I built it 3 years ago and we use it all year long It eliminates the need to hook up a tractor to an auger and almost makes loading bins a fun job ” says Swenson “I can move quickly from bin to bin and place the auger into position with no problem With no tractor in the way the swing away auger has a full 360 degree range for convenience in positioning the truck for dumping ” Since Swenson raises certified seed he has to reverse the auger for cleaning between seed lots “Most tractors don’t have a reversing pto but with my self-propelled auger I can just shift the pickup’s automatic transmission into reverse to reverse the auger flighting ” He started with a 1992 Dodge W250 4-WD pickup equipped with a Cummins diesel engine and automatic transmission He stripped the pickup down to the front wheels and axle engine transmission and frame which he welded to another frame off a Melroe chisel plow A pair of caster wheels off an Oliver chisel plow support the bottom end of the auger He removed the pickup’s rear axle and uses the driveshaft to power a 5-speed transmission off an old Ford truck The transmission shaft-drives a gearbox off a Steiger Bearcat tractor that’s mounted on back of the rig The gearbox is equipped with a forward facing pto shaft with the correct rotation to power the auger “The auger is fastened to a hitch and the pto attached as it would be on a tractor and with the usual hydraulic hoses and so forth That way I can replace the auger if needed ” says Swenson “On this Dodge pickup model the front axle is engaged manually so I disengage the front axle and shift the 5-speed transmission into gear to power the auger as if I’m in 2-WD To operate the auger I put the 5-speed transmission in second gear which runs the auger at just the right speed To move the rig I shift the transmission into neutral and engage the front axle ” Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Ray Swenson Swenson Feed Farm 29667 State Hwy 92 S E Brooks Minn 56715 cell ph 218 280-1934; swenseed@gvtel com
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