Smyth or Broughan for a Grain trailer?

J

JD6410

Well-Known Member
Smyth or Broughan for a Grain trailer?
Any difference in build quality, durability, or resale over time?
What colour for long term paint quality?
Length - 20ft vs 22ft?
Hydraulic door or manual?
What Tyre?
Reversing lights?
Hydraulic Door?

Anything you’d definitely spec again — or avoid — if you were buying tomorrow?
 
I went Broughan in 2024 as a grain only trailer. I only have 135hp to pull it and was moving up from under 10 ton trailers so opted for 20ft, it was a special as I only wanted 5’ 6” sides to fit into storage shed for winter, standard are 6ft.
Loads big enough at that, it will take 18 ton of wheat and over 16 of barley but it’s rated for 15 ton payload so don’t know why 6ft is standard, possibly to do with silage trailers spec.
Mine is on 445 tyres, didn’t feel I could justify the cost of flotations or the need for them on dry harvest fields.
Was going for manual door but changed to hydraulic last minute, glad I did, speeds you up getting back on the Weighbridge. I do think Broughan door has a better locking detail than it’s competitors.
Get a grain chute also, may come in handy.
Added a toolbox to have a few bits in the field during harvest.
Mine only has hydraulic brakes but bracketed for air in future as I don’t have air on current tractor.
I also opted for multi leaf springs, the silage trailers have single thick spring leaf, I’m told the multi leaf runs smoother but I haven’t ever used the others.
Young lad specked the light board at the back, must admit it is nice.
I possibly should’ve opted for the bolt on hitch if I ever wanted to go ball and spoon.
Overall delighted with it but I don’t have a massive amount of work for it, others on here will have much greater experience.
 

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KTM 450 said:
I went Broughan in 2024 as a grain only trailer. I only have 135hp to pull it and was moving up from under 10 ton trailers so opted for 20ft, it was a special as I only wanted 5’ 6” sides to fit into storage shed for winter, standard are 6ft.
Loads big enough at that, it will take 18 ton of wheat and over 16 of barley but it’s rated for 15 ton payload so don’t know why 6ft is standard, possibly to do with silage trailers spec.
Mine is on 445 tyres, didn’t feel I could justify the cost of flotations or the need for them on dry harvest fields.
Was going for manual door but changed to hydraulic last minute, glad I did, speeds you up getting back on the Weighbridge. I do think Broughan door has a better locking detail than it’s competitors.
Get a grain chute also, may come in handy.
Added a toolbox to have a few bits in the field during harvest.
Mine only has hydraulic brakes but bracketed for air in future as I don’t have air on current tractor.
I also opted for multi leaf springs, the silage trailers have single thick spring leaf, I’m told the multi leaf runs smoother but I haven’t ever used the others.
Young lad specked the light board at the back, must admit it is nice.
I possibly should’ve opted for the bolt on hitch if I ever wanted to go ball and spoon.
Overall delighted with it but I don’t have a massive amount of work for it, others on here will have much greater experience.
Click to expand...
Smart looking trailer. Agree the locking mechanism on the Broughan at least looks better. Has it a feature also that the trailer must be slightly tipped for the door to open?
 
Is Joe Deery still making trailers or whatever became of him, some of the Ballon Barley Barons might know?
 
TAFKAT said:
Is Joe Deery still making trailers or whatever became of him, some of the Ballon Barley Barons might know?
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I think he gave up in the mid teens sometime?.
The lads wanted him to build 2 more spudbox trailers but he dragged out a start date so they went to Broughan in a panic. His trailer has much better build quality than the broughans in terms of steel and paint only negative really is the tie down hooks on the side rails are all over the place. Have a grain trailer aswel.
 

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Have 2 year old 22ft Broughan in work.
-Grain window on the front is pointless as far too high, it was ordered to be able to put a .
-The door can catch its self if closed tipped up too high with the catches sitting outside the slots due to the slotted nature of the hole the door pivots on. Could be bent.
-Contractors love of over filling trailers makes it a bit wobbly multi leaf probably more stable?
-On bkt 560's 693 with the heavier load rating.
 

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Only thing we see to fail on the broughan was the drawbar leaf spring hanger. Leaf pushed out ends of the box it’s inside. That was due to crazy weight in the 22ft with silage sides on.
Closed the door to early plenty times and never bent any door catches
The normal square Perspex window is fine.
 
KTM 450 said:
Yes, flotations do increase payload rating, can’t remember by how much.
That front window is too high, this is my one. I specified no mesh inside it as they are on some, can’t paint properly and they rust like hell.
Click to expand...
Was there much of an issue getting a custom side height side?
The lads wanted 5ft sides but supposedly were going to be some drama(you'd never be told the full story) with getting the standard changed.
 
Philip.. said:
I think he gave up in the mid teens sometime?.
The lads wanted him to build 2 more spudbox trailers but he dragged out a start date so they went to Broughan in a panic. His trailer has much better build quality than the broughans in terms of steel and paint only negative really is the tie down hooks on the side rails are all over the place. Have a grain trailer aswel.
Click to expand...
Bought a couple of new grain trailers off him in 2008 or so, thought they were the best trailer on the market at the time.
 
Philip.. said:
Was there much of an issue getting a custom side height side?
The lads wanted 5ft sides but supposedly were going to be some drama(you'd never be told the full story) with getting the standard changed.
Click to expand...
No issue whatsoever, it was the same price as one with 6ft sides which I expected.
From date of order it was ready in 5 weeks.
 
thefarminglad said:
Have a few smyths here but if i was going out to buy tomorrow and prices were similar i would probably buy a Broughan. As regards carrying legal weight on a twin axle, a 20 foot would carry max weight in grain and beet.
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Why would you buy a Broughan over another Smyth?
 
JD6410 said:
Why would you buy a Broughan over another Smyth?
Click to expand...
I have two Smyths, one is around 15 years old which is a 18 foot and a lovely trailer to pull on the road. My other Smyth is around 7 years old. she is a 20 foot and she would not run as smooth on the road.. It is like balance is off a tad. Very little difference between a Smyth and Broughan, just think the Broughan is a nicer trailer.
 
JD6410 said:
Smyth or Broughan for a Grain trailer?
Any difference in build quality, durability, or resale over time?
What colour for long term paint quality?
Length - 20ft vs 22ft?
Hydraulic door or manual?
What Tyre?
Reversing lights?
Hydraulic Door?

Anything you’d definitely spec again — or avoid — if you were buying tomorrow?
Click to expand...
Never had a Broughan grain trailer here.
We have Smyth grain trailers and bale trailers.
Have used a friends broughan bale trailer, the Smyth is nicer to pull, imo it’s better built and better finished.

When buying again it will Smyth, might be a bit biased, we’re dealing with them for nearly 30 years.

Go with hydraulic door, hydraulic and air brakes, reversing lights, roll over cover, spoon hitch.
Res in colour.

Lots are happy with broughan trailers there’s very little in the difference of them and Smyth.
Either will be good and will be easy to sell again.
 
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