Ford 4600 and Forage Harvester.

[Farmer Brendan]

I had originally thought of baling round bale silage with a Ford 4600 but it seems that I need can't do it without upgrading tractors. So I am asking what forage harvester would be good for a Ford 4600?

 

[Boohoo]

Know of one running a Taarup 53" single chop, would think that'll be it's limit.

 

[ForkieX30]

We had a Taarup 404 side mounted "precision" chop on a 6600 that ran well, should go fine on a 4600.

When I was 13 to 15 I would drive to the field, drop the trailer, hook up the chopper, then the trailer again, fill up with two ton of grass, then drop the trailer, take off the chopper, hook the trailer back on, drive to the shed, get off to open the door, pull forward, get off to close the door, and then go through it all again. I could do a load every twenty minutes.

Imagine asking some young lad to do that these days.

 

[Abacus]

Class 60E or 75E would be the best

 

[ForkieX30]

Just another thought, you could go posh and get a brand new double chop.

Products - Omarv, agricultural equipments

www.omarv.com

 

[Boohoo]

Keep it simple, a double or precision chop that will have a 4600 on it's knees or you struggle to get parts for is only going to be torture. A side mounted single chop is the only answer.

 

[ForkieX30]

They do those too!

Products - Omarv, agricultural equipments

www.omarv.com

To be fair, in 40+ years of running rusty old random stuff we've never needed anything more complicated than a shear bolt, and most basic stuff on many machines can be found at any local engineering shop. Plus you've got the internet and rapid delivery these days.

 

[ford 7810]

Father used a new 3000 in 1969 on JF side mounted forager for two seasons then up graded to a new MF 165 , side mounted forager is basically a frame behind a tractor to hook the trailer up and the forager hooks on to the frame in the field

 

[Farmer Brendan]

Father used a new 3000 in 1969 on JF side mounted forager for two seasons then up graded to a new MF 165 , side mounted forager is basically a frame behind a tractor to hook the trailer up and the forager hooks on to the frame in the field

What model of JF forager?

 

[ForkieX30]

FC80 looks about the right size.

 

[ford 7810]

What model of JF forager?

I can’t remember something like 48inch cut direct flail forager ,i know he had to put an extra section at the rear of the houseing to pick up already cut grass, he then replaced it with a JF cf 80 precision chopper but still side mounted

 

[Boohoo]

Would be quicker with a single chop than a precision chop unless there's a plan to put a 7740 engine in the 4600

 

[Cocomac]

You could get one with an engine on the chopper they used to be fairly common back in the day. Also means your not limited power wise.

 

[Boohoo]

@Farmer Brendan how many acres of silage will you do in a year and what other tractors have you got?

 

[Farmer Brendan]

@Farmer Brendan how many acres of silage will you do in a year and what other tractors have you got?

Only have a Ford 4600 and will do 3 acres.

 

[Cocomac]

You’d be cheaper buying it in.

 

[ford 7810]

You’d be cheaper buying it in.

Less fun though but less stress

 

[Boohoo]

Only have a Ford 4600 and will do 3 acres.

Not much need of a Mengele 40 with a 200hp engine on the drawbar then!

Single chop is what you need, my preference would be a Taarup DM1100, 43" or DM1350 53" because that's what we've always had. I'm sure the JF equivalent would also do your job. Add a 5 or 6 ton trailer and all you need to figure out is the buckraking.

 

[e3120]

Only have a Ford 4600 and will do 3 acres.

Where are you planning to put it? Or is the journey more important than the destination?

 

[glasshouse]

We had a Taarup 404 side mounted "precision" chop on a 6600 that ran well, should go fine on a 4600.

When I was 13 to 15 I would drive to the field, drop the trailer, hook up the chopper, then the trailer again, fill up with two ton of grass, then drop the trailer, take off the chopper, hook the trailer back on, drive to the shed, get off to open the door, pull forward, get off to close the door, and then go through it all again. I could do a load every twenty minutes.

Imagine asking some young lad to do that these days.

Imagine asking anyone ever.
My grandfather made the drivers load barley with rear loader, take loader off, drive to other farm to drier.
Return with dry load, tip trailer up at blower, take trailer off while tipped, put tractor on pto blower and blow it into bin.
Put rear loader back on and repeat.