Hopper Bottom Grain Truck And Trailer

Hopper Bottom Grain Truck and Trailer TRUCKS Conversions 17-1-8 "It has much more capacity than a conventional tandem axle grain truck and is road legal hauling up to 900 bu. of corn," says Bill Mai, Sharon Springs, Kan., about the hopper bottom truck and trailer combination he built. Mai bought a 1969 Ford 1000 cab-over semi-truck and lengthened the frame 21/ 2 ft., then built a 300-bu. hopper bottom box and bolted it to the truck frame. He pulls a 500-bu. hopper bottom trailer behind the truck. Both the truck and trailer gravity unload out the bottom. "I use it to haul most of my grain," says Mai, who has used the truck and trailer combination for nine years. "I can legally haul 830 bu. of wheat and 900 bu. of corn. A conventional tandem axle grain truck can legally haul only 450 bu. I built it because I needed another grain truck and wanted more capacity. The problem with tandem axle trucks is that they have a road legal limit of 42,000 lbs. but already weigh 20,000 lbs. empty. The hydraulic hoist, pump, and fluid alone can weigh up to 4,000 lbs. "Another advantage is that it's easy to unload because I don't have to back up. I simply pull over the dump pit or swing auger. Both the truck and trailer unload through a sliding gate just ahead of the rear wheels. Grain doesn't splash all over like it does on the back end of a truck. The semi truck is equipped with a 10-speed transmission and a Cummins engine. I paid $2,800 for the truck and overhauled the engine. I spent a total of $8,000 to build the truck and trailer, much less than the cost of a conventional grain truck." Mai used sheet metal and steel tubing to build both the truck box and trailer. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Bill Mai, HC 1, Box 360, Sharon Springs, Kan. 67758 (ph 913 852-4455).

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