Moving an Opico grain drier

[Richard Devon]

There's one come up for sale about 50 odd miles from us trouble is there's a fair bit of dual carriageway between us (and a small bit of motorway and wondered how easy they are to disassemble enough to reduce the travel height.

Any other tips or tricks to moving them - other than getting someone else to do it?

 

[JLLM]

@Campbell

 

[Dave W]

They travel most economically on a trailer behind pickup. Graham Edwards if you can as they sit lower. As long as there's no bridges.

 

[Boysground]

The top section of the central augar and unloader spout come off ok. Just undo bolts and lift it off. Don’t think you can reduce the height of the sides. Other than that a careful driver and a low loader

bg

 

[Tim G]

There's one come up for sale about 50 odd miles from us trouble is there's a fair bit of dual carriageway between us (and a small bit of motorway and wondered how easy they are to disassemble enough to reduce the travel height.

Any other tips or tricks to moving them - other than getting someone else to do it?

Early Sunday morning job.

I've moved a few around the country and they aren't the most pleasant of things to have on a lorry, but they aren't very tall. Always took the unloading auger off, sometimes it would play the game, plenty of times it didn't. Width was the problem with them, as the wheels where too far apart to go up the trailer ramps.

 

[Boydvalley]

Towed my early twin wheel model 12t 570 back from Milton Keyes to Bath about 15 years ago behind the Landy. Took the unloader off, hooked up and went.
Last 20 miles down the M4. Traffic calming schemes were a bit tight and some traffic lights.
Asked the Police they didn’t have a problem..
It towed quite well actually, their not that heavy.

Dual carriage way would be the easy bit

 

[Boysground]

Towed my early twin wheel model 12t 570 back from Milton Keyes to Bath about 15 years ago behind the Landy. Took the unloader off, hooked up and went.
Last 20 miles down the M4. Traffic calming schemes were a bit tight and some traffic lights.
Asked the Police they didn’t have a problem..
It towed quite well actually, their not that heavy.

Dual carriage way would be the easy bit

Bet you were loved between the M4 and Bath

Bg

 

[Hawkes]

I think technically you should have a movement licence to shift on the road? I got one to move mine as it is getting on for 12ft wide and I had to negotiate a Motorway junction. It was no problem to get and then I wasn't worried about being stopped.

 

[Hooby Farmer]

Bought one last year. Cost almost as much to transport than to buy

 

[high plains drifter]

I towed a 12 tonne one home about forty miles with a tractor, collected the top part of the centre auger separately with car and trailer. Nearly all dual carriageway,think it was a bank holiday weekend

 

[v8willy]

We had a new 9 ton delivered by jeep, he got 2 miles up the road with our old trade in & got parked by the police, they said the tyres wern't fit, so he dropped it at the back of the petrol station & went home.
Boss came back next evening & hooked it on & took it home as it was.

Got a 12 ton a few years ago & it arrived on a low low loader with the knock out front, said they had to go that way as too much hassle these days pulling them.

I think technically you should have a movement licence to shift on the road? I got one to move mine as it is getting on for 12ft wide and I had to negotiate a Motorway junction. It was no problem to get and then I wasn't worried about being stopped.

I think you are right, local dealers lorry driver told me he couldn't take a 10 foot mower on the motorway as it's too wide.

If pulling them take the unloading auger off if you can, some models it helps if you take the loading hopper off as well, puts a bit of weight on whatever is pulling it.

 

[Campbell]

I've towed quite a few Opico's around the country, but I would only do short early morning local journeys now. HGV with step frame trailers are best now days. For the 12 tonners, best to inform the Police abnormal loads dept to get route approval and also provide a sign written escort vehicle with full lighting gear.
With the top auger off they are [US dimensions] 13ft 6ins high x 11ft wide. Anomalies to consider, the std tyres only rated for 20mph, no brakes as it's an implement, wind resistance makes it feel heavy, but is only just over 2 tonne. And don't forget to PULL OVER OFTEN..............

 

[Steevo]

Sold our 12t a few years ago and it was towed by pickup back to Yorkshire.

 

[carbonfibre farmer]

We brought a refurbished 9t opico from South Yorkshire.

The bloke towed it from there behind a transit all the way to us in South Norfolk
Hydraulic unloader, not taken off.

He seemed most unconcerned.


I have noticed that he appears to no longer be in business, mind.

 

[Hillside]

Tow ok behind a tractor minus the auger, bought ours 70 miles away and brought it home through Dundee and over the Tay bridge on a Friday morning with all the traffic.

 

[Richard Devon]

Thanks everyone for the feedback! Much appreciated

The top auger assy, is it difficult to get off? looks like the sort of thing you would need a telehandler to get at, support and lift with

 

[2wheels]

pulled a 20ton master 35mls behind a tractor. the loading auger folded up and the unloading one was folded down. just ran at 15mph. had to take a detour through aberdeen as the cops wouldn't let us cross the queen elizabeth bridge so had to go via riverside drive to the next one downstream. that was over 25yrs ago.

 

[neilo]

Thanks everyone for the feedback! Much appreciated

The top auger assy, is it difficult to get off? looks like the sort of thing you would need a telehandler to get at, support and lift with

Just leave it on, but set off around midnight. What could possibly go wrong?

 

[Steevo]

Just leave it on, but set off around midnight. What could possibly go wrong?

A Top Gear challenge right there!

 

[v8willy]

Our old one going.