Best loader bale handler

bk1991

Well-Known Member
I know its probably been discussed on here before . Roller type or soft hands ? Or the tr3trunk style? I made one a few years back a copy of a moyvalley engineering one and the rollers are splayed out already on both my one and the neighbours moyvalley one. Do all roller type do this?
I like the versatility of the roller type too be able spike bales and lift bags too. Are the other trunk and soft hands better?
 
I know its probably been discussed on here before . Roller type or soft hands ? Or the tr3trunk style? I made one a few years back a copy of a moyvalley engineering one and the rollers are splayed out already on both my one and the neighbours moyvalley one. Do all roller type do this?
I like the versatility of the roller type too be able spike bales and lift bags too. Are the other trunk and soft hands better?
Have a mchale roller for years and it does splay a little, I’d say the washer in the centre of the tube that sits on the tines is gone fairly worn and that’s why as the pivots for the legs are still good. Got a tr3 trunk this year and bar the mchale Is being used on the digger or a second loader I don’t see mySelf using it again anytime soon.
The trunk isn’t exactly cheap though but it’ll be a long time wearing out so per bale it won’t be bad over it’s life time
 
Have a mchale roller for years and it does splay a little, I’d say the washer in the centre of the tube that sits on the tines is gone fairly worn and that’s why as the pivots for the legs are still good. Got a tr3 trunk this year and bar the mchale Is being used on the digger or a second loader I don’t see mySelf using it again anytime soon.
The trunk isn’t exactly cheap though but it’ll be a long time wearing out so per bale it won’t be bad over it’s life time

does the mchale open wide? The ones im talking about are splayed on the pivots for the legs.
 
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does the mchale open wide? The ones im talking about are splayed on the pivots for the legs.
Opens out to around 5ft I would think anyway. I know a friend re pinned his mchale last year but it’s also used to feed out and load bags of meal etc so takes a good bit of hardship. Think he gassed out the bushings and welded in new ones.
 
Opens out to around 5ft I would think anyway. I know a friend re pinned his mchale last year but it’s also used to feed out and load bags of meal etc so takes a good bit of hardship. Think he gassed out the bushings and welded in new ones.

i was thinking of doing that with mine putting heavier bushings and pins it might stop the legs twistin . I could shorten the legs too to make it open wider or just sell it and buy a new one
 
I bought a new Polish built soft hands type handler off eBay a few years back,was sub £700 with brackets,been fine and is well built.
 
Have a mchale roller for years and it does splay a little, I’d say the washer in the centre of the tube that sits on the tines is gone fairly worn and that’s why as the pivots for the legs are still good. Got a tr3 trunk this year and bar the mchale Is being used on the digger or a second loader I don’t see mySelf using it again anytime soon.
The trunk isn’t exactly cheap though but it’ll be a long time wearing out so per bale it won’t be bad over it’s life time

Roughly what's the differential between a trunk and the roller type?
 
i was thinking of doing that with mine putting heavier bushings and pins it might stop the legs twistin . I could shorten the legs too to make it open wider or just sell it and buy a new one


We done the bushings at the bottom round the spikes.straightened it up rightly but should have done the upper 2 where the grease nipple is.
Wouldnt buy another mchale.
Johnston bale handler which is made in fintona looks a way stronger job and better priced.
 
Have a serious look at the Goweiil/Lely roller types.
Never knew they existed till I saw a used 3pl one for sale locally.
Rollers were smooth to the back with no daft collar or bracket like my mchale.
And had a linkage to open both sides simultaneously, not sure though if that's a blessing or a hindrance though!!

No idea on build quality, but I think Goweil have a good reputation?

https://www.goeweil.com/en/hydraulic-bale-fork-btghy/
 
I know its probably been discussed on here before . Roller type or soft hands ? Or the tr3trunk style? I made one a few years back a copy of a moyvalley engineering one and the rollers are splayed out already on both my one and the neighbours moyvalley one. Do all roller type do this?
I like the versatility of the roller type too be able spike bales and lift bags too. Are the other trunk and soft hands better?
have roller one hear. over past few years the gotten really bad with it being splayed. could barely hold a bale on it. soft hands have their advantages but they squeeze the living daylights out of the bales leaving air bubbles between the plastic and bale itself.
with the elephant trunk grabs, can grab the bale any way you like and it has minimal contact with the bale. if you're in a telehandler though, be struggling to get a bale off the trailer as your low down and cant see but with some experience can get better at it. only question is do get one with the ram at the back of the grab or one at the top
 
Soft hands and trunk type bale handlers are one trick ponies and only suitable for putting bales into a stack neither should be used for removing bales from a stack . That’s where the roller type is a big advantage. Remove the rollers and you have spikes for drawing bales during the winter . That said it’s soft hands handler that are here and see no reason to change .
 
Roughly what's the differential between a trunk and the roller type?
Not sure on roller prices but looking on dd they seem to be 1000-1300 all in, trunks are 1350+ so it is a good bit more, and as said are a one trick pony but 2-300 will get you an ordinary bale fork and you don’t have to mess taking on and off pipes etc And a standard bale fork can gain you a couple of inches in height too

Have a serious look at the Goweiil/Lely roller types.
Never knew they existed till I saw a used 3pl one for sale locally.
Rollers were smooth to the back with no daft collar or bracket like my mchale.
And had a linkage to open both sides simultaneously, not sure though if that's a blessing or a hindrance though!!

No idea on build quality, but I think Goweil have a good reputation?

https://www.goeweil.com/en/hydraulic-bale-fork-btghy/

when we first got the mchale a goweil was a good bit more, I used one a good bit, they are good, the parallel bar has good and bad points tbh, it stops the bales swinging when your driving across the field, but it also means they are a bit more rigid when trying to slip between bales on a trailer they can’t swing to the side as easily so if your not watching you can burst one.
The pipes run on 2 bearings on a stub shaft that’s only about a foot long if I remember rightly, it definitely doesn’t go even half way out the pipe
 
Not sure on roller prices but looking on dd they seem to be 1000-1300 all in, trunks are 1350+ so it is a good bit more, and as said are a one trick pony but 2-300 will get you an ordinary bale fork and you don’t have to mess taking on and off pipes etc And a standard bale fork can gain you a couple of inches in height too



when we first got the mchale a goweil was a good bit more, I used one a good bit, they are good, the parallel bar has good and bad points tbh, it stops the bales swinging when your driving across the field, but it also means they are a bit more rigid when trying to slip between bales on a trailer they can’t swing to the side as easily so if your not watching you can burst one.
The pipes run on 2 bearings on a stub shaft that’s only about a foot long if I remember rightly, it definitely doesn’t go even half way out the pipe
Yeah I can see they'd have their good and bad points.
The old Twose bale handlers had the same design rollers, don't know how far into the tube the support went, but they were a good handler.
Always wished I'd bought another of them, but wern't made any more.
Uncle bent mine on a tree so was the end of them!
 
Soft hands and trunk type bale handlers are one trick ponies and only suitable for putting bales into a stack neither should be used for removing bales from a stack . That’s where the roller type is a big advantage. Remove the rollers and you have spikes for drawing bales during the winter . That said it’s soft hands handler that are here and see no reason to change .

I only ever remove bales with the spike,don’t need to get off as no hydraulic pipes to plug in for the spike.
 
Quicke with the big roller are fairly robust ,neighbour went to all the trouble of getting rohan in Limerick one but never got around to using it too often .Gentleman back this direction also fairly robust with a bolt trough a bushing holding the tine which is surely better then having to continually having to tighten the bastasts
 
Yeah I can see they'd have their good and bad points.
The old Twose bale handlers had the same design rollers, don't know how far into the tube the support went, but they were a good handler.
Always wished I'd bought another of them, but wern't made any more.
Uncle bent mine on a tree so was the end of them!

Had you a mower or a rake that had a run in with a tree as well:unsure:
 
Had you a mower or a rake that had a run in with a tree as well:unsure:
Yup a single rotor rake.
That had two seperate run ins with tree's. Once by the cousin who turned too sharp at the headland.
The next it was loaned by my cousin to someone I don't even know who entrusted a bloody druggy to drive it. He then reversed it into a tree.....
Worst think about it was they insisted on fixing it, I wanted it written off through insurance (which it would have been) but they went all gentelmanly and fixed the f### thing. Was never the same.

Gosh we sound like a rough lot!
 
This came today, all set for silage’21
View attachment 84806
You won’t be sorry with the choice anyway!! The only thing I will say is we put 2 90degree bends into the pipes where they go onto the check valve, they were a tiny bit under pressure at full lift and it leaves it a bit neater looking too IMO. I don’t know why they don’t do it as they could get the pipe ends crimped with 90’s instead of straights
 
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