Ya Think?

My old 966 ought to be able to handle this old feller, hadn't it?

Guys around here use 1066s and 1086s on 'em all the time. Why wouldn't a 966 work too? Almost the same tractor.

Allan

The reason you probably saw bigger tractors was that was all the guys had to use, or liked the fact that a tractor that big hardly knew it had something behind it.

Back when I was a kid I saw them pulled by 574's. The ones up here had walking beam axles with duals for a total of 8 wheels underneath. Until they came out with bale pickers that was the hot set up for hauling hay.

John

I knew Farmhand had made a sled once upon a time. Had forgot all about those silly cables!

Wow! Did you ever just yank me back in time! :>)

Thanks ol' Pard,

Allan

Allan

We still have ours, by the way...but now it has two large arms mounted on each side, and only the outer two rows of chains on each side, we use it to pick up and move big round bales- can haul 8 on it and another two in the grapple fork on the loader....unfortunately though, it's now pulled by a big ugly 4x4 green thing. Ours has 4 wheels under each side, and with all the twine that seems to wrap around stuff from the bales, it's the most wheel-bearing-eatin' booger you can imagine....probably go through 8 sets of wheelbearings a year on it.

The one I got is a little bigger than the one in the picture (only picture I could find). :>)

I think it is an 8 chain, 'bout 13' X 25' maybe?

Looks to be in pretty good shape; they are gonna run it thru their shop before I drag 'er home. Needs one chain looked at and it has a bearing out of one ground roller.

Allan

I've always wanted one of these jokers; never could afford 'em 'til they started gettin' too darned old and "out of fashion" fer the big boys. :>)

Since I always have stacked 11 bales to a stack, this thing ought to do the trick perfect for me, I'm thinkin'.

So, they just aren't that tough to handle? I've just never seen anything smaller than a 1066 in front of 'em, is all. :>)

One more question: I would imagine that you have to have the PTO completely shut off to reverse the chain direction with the hydraulics? It would probably tear things up if you had both going at the same time?

Allan

When you start using yours, be sure to have a nice long length of #9 wire or similar on hand so you can fish broken chains back through the runners and a good supply of repair links. Those chains break even more often than the wheelbearings go out! 'Course the sand in our area probably contribuites to increased chain wear.

And be sure to pick up or build a tool to pull the chains together when you're fixing them- it's just basically a steel contraption with two levers shaped like an "H" that you hook the bottoms into the chain rollers and pull the tops of the handles apart to squeeze the chains together.

I've got the duals on the little 686; but, I 'spose that is pushin' it a little? No hills here to speak of; mostly level ground?

The guy told me that I could easily drag it home with my pickup? Is that right? Darned thing looks awfully heavy to me! :>(

Allan

Allan, if you have a big bow tie on the grill of that truck, no problem!