advice on using bale trailer - narrow road, gate angled wrong way.

cathy427 · 28-06-2018 10:08PM #1

Hi there, looking for some advice or directions to good websites or youtube please

Story is:
Gran uncle (in-law (ish)) has asked me to draw in some round bales of silage for him. Not sure of length of trailer - maybe 16ft/18ft. It fits 4 bales on each side.

I would have done good lot of tractor work growing up but very little with a trailer. Have memories of being roared at when hit the lift arms off the drawbar!!!

The rain gate I will be using is into a field that is higher than the narrow road, the gate is angled to come in from the left hand side but of course I am coming in from and trying to turn back out onto the right hand side
(left hand and right hand from standing in the field looking out)

Any advice or tips as to how to turn in and out without catching the drawbar on the wheel and/or lift arm?

kay 9 · 28-06-2018 10:14PM

Reverse in instead might be an option

cathy427 · 28-06-2018 10:27PM

kay 9 wrote: »

Reverse in instead might be an option

Thanks, ya was thinking that might be an option if I am stuck (not that easy once in field though as bit of laneway that is slightly lower than the land)

cant reverse out with the load though!!!! :-)

Say my name · 28-06-2018 10:33PM

Can you drive past the gate up the road and turn around anywhere and then approach the gateway that way?
Same then as exiting the gateway.

cathy427 · 28-06-2018 10:35PM

Say my name wrote: »

Can you drive past the gate up the road and turn around anywhere and then approach the gateway that way?
Same then as exiting the gateway.

Afraid not the road gets narrower and higher just after his land.

rushvalley · 28-06-2018 10:38PM

cathy427 wrote: »

Afraid not the road gets narrower and higher just after his land.

Park the trailer on the road somewhere and draw the bales out to it

cathy427 · 28-06-2018 10:46PM

rushvalley wrote: »

Park the trailer on the road somewhere and draw the bales out to it

Good idea but infortunately nowhere suitable to park it.

I should have said in the original post that gran uncle gets the trailer (and at other times small vaccum tank) in and out the gate and has being doing so for years, so it can be done - I am just looking for tips and advice for myself as someone that isn't used to this type of job.

I cant ask him for tips cause it has taken an awful lot for him to admit that he needs help.

patsy_mccabe · 28-06-2018 10:56PM

If you can let the drawbar back a bit, less likely to catch it on teh tractor tyres. If you are turning right in the gate, keep well left as you approach it.

SuperTortoise · 28-06-2018 11:37PM

Can the gate be taken off to make it easier?
Take a dry run both ways with the trailer empty first, it would'nt be ideal to get half ways out and realise you're not going to make the swing and then not having the power in a tractor to reverse back up.

cathy427 · 29-06-2018 12:04AM

SuperTortoise wrote: »

Can the gate be taken off to make it easier?
Take a dry run both ways with the trailer empty first, it would'nt be ideal to get half ways out and realise you're not going to make the swing and then not having the power in a tractor to reverse back up.

Would having the lift arms up help avoid getting them caught and make the swing more doable?

Sometimes is it enivitable in tight spaces that you get very close to drawbar? Or is that just bad driving?

tanko · 29-06-2018 06:14AM

cathy427 wrote: »

Would having the lift arms up help avoid getting them caught and make the swing more doable?

Sometimes is it enivitable in tight spaces that you get very close to drawbar? Or is that just bad driving?

Yeah sometimes its inevitable alrite in tight spaces but if you run out of room with a load on the trailer you could end up with the trailer jammed against the wheels and be unable to go forward or back.
Making the gap wider sounds like the best solution.

patsy_mccabe · 29-06-2018 07:34AM

Cathy247, try a few empty runs as said above. If you're not comfortable doing it, don't. It's really only a matter of getting comfortable with it.

I was driving a large Class rake with auto-steer for a silage contractor last week. It drove me nuts trying to get it in and out gaps with less than a foot each side to spare. The wheels didnt follow like an ordinary trailer. Realised eventually that if I was heading for the pier on the right hand side, I needed to swing the tractor right , and not left like a normal trailer. Point I'm making is with a bit of patience, you'll probably get the hang of it.

foxy farmer · 29-06-2018 09:59AM

If there's a loader in the field would it not be easier to reverse up to the gate, park on the road and have the loader bring out the bales and place them on the trailer? Have all bales inside the gap ready to load.

lakill Farm · 29-06-2018 10:04AM

e200

€80 for a mini digger for 2 hours and widen the gate
€120 for a gate and post

cathy427 · 29-06-2018 02:03PM

Thanks for all the replies, all good ideas.

I am loading myself in the field so parking a trailer anywhere on the road is not an option.

I dont own the land and this is a semi one off so I cant make any changes/hire a digger etc.

Just to reiterate - it is possible to take the trailer in and out and he has been doing it for years (I am just helping out for this year as his knees at him at the mo)
So what I am really looking for is trailer driving tips for getting in and out just to help a novice rather than make any changes

Nekarsulm · 29-06-2018 02:15PM

Leave the tractors lift arms down the whole way, so they pass under the drawer when turning (especially helpful when your tractors front end is higher, going up into the field)
Or pull a few pins and remove the arms altogether.

Keep the back window shut.
This type of manoeuvre brings the trailer frontboard much closer, you don't need to hear the dreaded "pit-choo" of a back window exploding ...

Doctors room ghost · 29-06-2018 02:51PM

Take a good wide swing at the gate and have the lift arms above the draw bar so they won’t hit it.take your time on gate a minute extra going in and out will save you a day rising walls and pillars.and if you are going to flitter a pillar get it over with early so you have plenty of room the rest of the day

whelan2 · 29-06-2018 03:12PM

I think you are over thinking this op. I normally just close my eyes and hope for the best

TheBoyConor · 29-06-2018 03:25PM

What would be so wrong with asking your man what is the best way to approach the tight gateway from his experience?

It's hardly that big of a deal like to tell a fella whether it's best to drive or reverse in a gateway!

And if you're inexperienced and don't feel confident enough to do this job safely then you shouldn't be doing it.

mikeymouse · 29-06-2018 03:46PM

A little prayer for you Cathy;

“Enter through the narrow gate,
for wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction,
and many enter through it.
But, small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life,
and only a few find it"? (Matthew 7:13, 14)

tanko · 29-06-2018 04:27PM

whelan2 wrote: »

I think you are over thinking this op. I normally just close my eyes and hope for the best

Sure isnt that what all women drivers do.

Runs for cover....

White Clover · 29-06-2018 04:40PM

As you are swinging in, Aim for and swing towards the far gate post, stop and reverse back til the back wheel is close to the drawbar, go forward again and you should get in. If this doesn't get u in, straighten yourself on the road and aim for a 3 or 4 feet beyond the far gate post, this will give u 2 chances to reverse a small bit towards the drawbar and get in on the 3rd go.

blue5000 · 29-06-2018 04:55PM

Is your tractor 2wd or 4wd? 2wd should have a tighter lock.

elperello · 29-06-2018 05:08PM

Ask the old guy.
If he is finding it hard to accept help he might be glad to have some useful input to the job.

cathy427 · 29-06-2018 10:57PM

whelan2 wrote: »

I think you are over thinking this op. I normally just close my eyes and hope for the best

Thanks a mill guys and gals for all the advice.

You got it in one Whelan2 - was completely over thinking it. !!! (but I haven't closed my eyes yet :-) )

Got a few loads in - dropped well down the gears, took my time and got in and out fine. Will get if finished tomorrow all going well.

Had to do the slight reverse a few times going in but its not really an easy option going out but am getting out ok.

Either the baler or wrapper man had went well up on the ditch to make the turn so they were in same boat.

Had two loads in and he rang to say tea and "sweet cake" ready, over cuppa he says to me "that gate is awkward, I sometimes gets caught with the drawbar - just try not to get wedged"!

Thanks so much for all the helpful tips, advice and comments - really great and friendly forum.

Just on the safety concern on one of the replies - that wasn't my concern, rather whether there was tips and tricks I didn't know. I would always be safety conscious - I am not dismissing the concern.

Odelay · 29-06-2018 11:29PM

Well done, great to hear you're not afraid to ask for advice. Great to see people offering it, we have all been there.

the_pen_turner · 29-06-2018 11:37PM

if your going to hit it you may as well do it on the first run and make the rest easier.

there is a local guy that lived near me , they used to say about him that there was never a gate post built that this man couldnt widen

jimini0 · 30-06-2018 10:09AM

Over thinking it was the problem. Well done on getting the job done. The first go is always the hardest. You learn from your mistakes on the next run.
I work for a contractor and we could be at anything. A couple of weeks ago we were taking away an old house with tractors and dump trailer. One lad was an over thinker and a bit of a know it all. Was worried about the tight entrance. He was so worried about catching wheels and drawbar he forgot to look forward. He took out the pillar and mangled an big old cast iron gate. But on a happy note he made it easier for the rest of us to get in and out.

dar31 · 30-06-2018 10:26AM

A handy tip. If the gate is very tight but you can squeeze through, put a big 'ish stone at the base of the inside pillar, this will rise the wheel next to the pillar a bit and throw the trailer body away from the pillar, and save getting wedged against the pillar.

There was a turn in our yard (u turn and down the hill) that some ridgid drivers would get stuck on, milk lorry made every other day. We had a big stone at shed pillar just for the purpose.
Any how had a lad come in with a tri axle lorry and big low lowder with a timber forwader on the back, took one look at the turn, moved the stone a few feet and made the turn in one swing

Edit: On double/ tri axle trailers it will also help change the pivot point of trailer

advice on using bale trailer - narrow road, gate angled wrong way.

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