Truck-Mounted Big Bale Hauler

Truck-Mounted Big Bale Hauler BALE HANDLING Bale Handling (31B) 17-5-25 "It lets you load or unload big bales on-thego. You can move up to 100 bales per hour," says Larry Matlack about his big new bale mover that mounts on any medium or heavy duty truck frame. The "Stinger" bale transport can haul eight 4 by 4 by 8-ft. 1-ton big square bales, six or seven 5-ft. dia. round bales, or eight 4-ft. dia. round bales. The hydraulically-powered unit consists of an up-front bale fork, an inclined plat-form that extends up over the cab, and an unloading endgate. You spear the side of the bale and set it on top of the bale platform. When you retract the bale fork, the bale slides by gravity down the Teflon-coated slide frame. "It moves hay faster and for less cost than anything else on the market," says Matlack, who built the bale transport assembly with the help of his brother Bill. "It requires little maintenance because there are few working parts. You can load and unload bales at 3 to 5 mph without stopping. "It can be used on a wide range of new or used trucks or even old school bus frames. The size of the truck depends on the terrain and how fast you want to go. We recommend a tandem axle truck for more stability on steep hilly land. On flat or rolling land, a heavy duty single rear axle with overload springs will work. You can use the truck's hydraulics or a self-contained power unit that we sell with a 25 hp gas engine." The bale transport rig has three hydraulic cylinders in front - one to tilt the bale forks and the other two to raise the lift arms - and two cylinders at the rear to let the tailgate down. The bale loader assembly can be easily unbolted from the slide frame and swung forward and down to provide access to the engine compartment. Sells for about $25,000. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Larry Matlack, Matlack Brothers Mfg., Rt. 1, Box 185, Bunion, Kan. 67020 (ph 316465-2683 or 316 463-3513).

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