3 point bale unroller

[Trotwood2955]

Hey everyone -

Would like some opinions on bale unrollers. Have one already and love it, feed 90% of our hay with it. But need a second one to leave at a rented farm. The one I have now I really like and has held up well for 15+ years, but the shop that made it is no longer around. I don't have the fabricating abilities to make a copy of it, and having a local shop make one would probably be more expensive than buying one that has been mass produced (even if they aren't quite as heavy duty).

With what is available locally, I am pretty much limited to the Worksaver brand (also rebadged as Frontier at the Deere dealer) or ones that look similar to what is sold by an outfit down in N.C. called Everything Attachments.

Anybody have experience with either of these brands? I am leaning towards the Worksaver because it looks heavier built to me, especially how the arms are bolted to the main frame. But will they work well with smaller 4x5 bales? I know the arms have to be turned around so they are narrower, but wasn't sure if they would still grip the smaller 4x5s ok? I just want to make sure I get one that will last and holdup long term. Mostly feed dry hay but also some baleage. Thanks for any input.

Here are the two I am looking at:

https://www.deere.com/en_US/products/eq ... oller.page

http://www.everythingattachments.com/Tr ... roller.htm

 

[Black and Good]

I like the Everything Attachments one myself. It looks to be built better from what I see. It also looks like it has a second pin hole for bring the arms together. B&G

 

[OklaBrangusBreeder]

We have a 3-pt unroller. Not sure of the brand, we bought it at the local farm supply. I like feeding hay by unrolling as it gives the whole herd equal access to the hay. The big old boss cows can't hinder the more shy/timid cows.

The only thing I don't like about mine is you really can't carry a bale on it. It has too much flex in the hook-up to lift and carry a bale. If I were going to buy a new one (which I just might do soon), I would want to make sure that it can be used to carry a bale.

 

[Rajela]

Stoney Point Machine

 

[Trotwood2955]

Thanks everyone for the replies.

 

[Amo]

Have a shop make you a spinner. Thats what most around here use. That or a processor.

Get a hydrolic final drive out of a scrap combine. Take a steel plate, and weld a single spike in the center, with 2 smaller spikes on either side. Then attach the plate to where the wheel would of mounted to the combine. Way better than an unroller IMHO, not bashing yours either.

FYI, there are some spinners made with an hyd orbit motor, and roller chain. Then cogs (teeth) on outside of the plate. They don't hold up. Takes too much tarque to spin a big bale, and no braking action to stop spinning. Thats whats nice about the final drives from a combine. Pretty sure its a JD final drive that has the brake. Otherwise any combine final drive would do the job.

Just a thought.