This is sooooo much easier....

[Dave H (MI)]

...than the gravity box I used last year! Here is a picture of the truck I picked up in the Spring. Hauled sand and gravel for me all summer while I built up the shed foundation and improved my lanes. Now it is back on the field. I repeat, this is WAY better than pulling an old gravity wagon behind a pickup.

Not sure if this will be too small or too large...copied it off my phone.

 

[Mike M]

Picture is just right size.
Sounds like you are getting good use out of the truck.

 

[Dalex]

We need to see the other end ...What brand is it ? A Federal , Reo , White, Fageol ?

 

[crooked rows]

That elevator looks real familiar .....just finished up hauling in there a week or so ago.

 

[1948CaseVAI]

That photo sure brings back a lot of good harvest memories from 40 or 50 years ago. Thank you for posting it.

I have heard that many elevators will no longer accept trucks like that and that they only want gravity dump semis? Is that true?

 

[fixerupper]

The local ethanol plant here started out only accepting hopper semis due to what they claimed was liability. Now I see a sprinkling of straight trucks and gravity wagons sitting in line. If I understand it right the gravity wagons have to be able to dump out the bottom or spout the grain under the wagon. We have all heard of or seen straight trucks drive away with the box up and the pits are inside the building so I can understand some of their fears. There is nobody watching over the dumping at the pits.

 

[onefarmer]

In my area Westphalia, Mi is called gravity box city by some of the BTOs. I'm about the only one to use a truck and it's a 66 Chevy c60. Semi's go to Grand Ledge ADM. They take semis down to small gravity boxes. As long as it self dumps, they don't have a lift of any kind.

 

[Brown Swiss]

I ran a strait truck to the river terminals with doors just like that, I would pull over the pit open the two slides to relieve the pressure then open the doors and lift the box, made very fast unloading!

 

[Dave H (MI)]

It's the 1972 Chevy C-50 I bought from Tom O'Conner early in the summer. I needed so much fill for the area around the new shed that it was cheaper to buy the truck than have it hauled in. I needed a better way to haul grain also. Tom can tell you, I was REALLY uncertain about this truck. Turned out to be about the best deal I made all year. It holds 2-3 times what the old boxes held and it dumps about 5 times faster without anyone having to crawl inside and bang around. This pic is from yesterday also.

 

[Dave H (MI)]

I've got a few more trips to make. If it gets windy tomorrow like they say to dry things off I will be back at it Friday. Probably have to finish up next week. As you can see my equipment is all from yesteryear. I don't push any of it too hard so it takes me a while to get her done.

 

[rustyfarmall]

Just my opinion, but pulling a gravity box wagon behind a pick-up truck is NEVER a good idea.

 

[crooked rows]

We still haul with gravity wagons.....but it's only 4 to 6 miles depending on which field we are working in.

 

[Dave H (MI)]

Well it's tough on the truck. Takes forever at 150-200 bushels too. Honestly, I felt that having one of those things behind me on blacktop for even a couple miles (and given that it has maybe 5 tons of grain in it and no brakes) was one of the more dangerous and foolhardy things I could do. One season was all I made it before I was looking for a bigger truck, grain box and hoist.

 

[caterpillar guy]

Now just pull the wagon behind the truck. Would make you about 400 bushel at the elevator.
We found if you take an orbital sander and sand the surface rust off, then paint the bottom it will drain a lot better.

 

[Dave H (MI)]

And patch the rust holes, of course!

Actually, I have one pretty big wagon that would squeek up to 200b. Heavy JD gear and four big fat implement tires.

 

[Donald Lehman]

Most of the fellows buying TMR here are using forage wagons on regular running gear or mounted on a truck. Then you spend all winter chipping frozen stuff to make sure you don't break chains and so forth. Plus if you are truck mounted the truck is worthless for anything else. My son picked up a 95 4700 International dump. Works fine for the TMR and does duty hauling round bales, gravel, and logs. It's about the best money he spent on the farm.

 

[Tom OConnor]

Dave,

I am so pleased that truck has turned out so well for you. I knew that it has had an easy life as I put every mile on it myself and it never had been abused. Since my last harvest I have turned into another "JD Seller" as that has taken up most of my time selling John Deere equipment. Everything has been going quite well as so far I have sold two trucks, seven wagons, two trailers, one tractor, a grain cleaner, the combine with the 30 foot header, a sail boat and my wife's car. Just about everything has gone to neighbors that heard that I was retiring and knew the equipment. I still have two tractors and some tillage equipment to go but I have no doubt that they will go in time. I came to the conclusion that if you can sell a used sail boat that you can sell just about anything. I had to laugh at the gentleman that bought Karen's car took it to Florida to leave at his home there and fly back and forth. On his way to Florida they did a lot of sight-seeing and took them eight days to get to Florida. I told him that I could have fixed him up with an Amish friend and a good horse and buggy could get him to Florida in less time. My wife said she understood completely as that car has always stopped at all Outlet Centers and Shopping Malls. It kind of blew my sales pitch as I told him that it was driven by a retired school teacher to Church and back. We all had a good laugh over that. Glad the truck is working out so well. Sincerely, Tom

 

[Dave H (MI)]

Hello Tom! Glad to hear you are doing well and keeping busy. I had my eye on a trailer at your place, it looked like the same box as was on the truck. Figured you would have a sale and I would bid on it...oops! Your wife said she thought most everything would go to neighbors. I think that is the best way really. I would never let an auctioneer on my place.

You won't hear any complaints from me about the truck. It still gets treated gently. I am well known at the local gravel pit. Every employee on the place knows exactly how much to put in the truck and that I want it put in slowly without touching the top rail. Really good guys at this pit. I keep the truck in the shed right behind the combine. I haven't put many miles on it even though I use it a lot. The pit is only about three miles of gravel road from my place. The elevator is around 5 miles. Once in a blue moon I drive it to the other house...20 miles. That is all the workout she gets but man does she make my life easier and save me money!

Good luck with your equipment sales! Glad you found a home for that sailboat!

 

[bteny10]

my grandfather nnever owned a pickup but straight trucks but my dad will never get a straight truck says cost to much you can hire he says i disagree but never get one