[J-L]

Geoff, precisely what I’m talking about. Why not a gear puller? Good idea. I may try a little heat as well.
It seems like that bushing should be good and tight so your bearing will spin and not the bushing on the wrist pin. I may be wrong, but that seems like the only way a bearing really works.
Not wanting to booger this nice machine up is what makes me a little leary of getting western with it. It is in really good shape and I probably could have mowed with the bearing that’s on there, but it does have just a little slop. The new piece from Macknair’s is really nice and looks like it should really work well
I’ll try harder and see what happens. Keep me posted on yours would you Geoff?
Thanks to everyone for their replies.

[J-L]

That’s what I meant. That bushing will have to come off to get the wrist pin off anyway it looks like.
Are the wrist pins tough to replace?

[J-L]

Good reading, your story. You seldom hear from someone in this neck of the woods (I live in Southern Wyoming) that isn’t really big and mechanized.
I know how you feel in a way because I have to be tractor powered to get all my hay up for this ranch. Don’t like it that way with the increased overhead, etc. Not real sure I make enough money to justify it. Maybe with a lower over head (more horse power) and 100 cows I’d make to the same amount, net. I just am not sure or don’t have the guts to try.
If you ever have need of any help I can usually get time in the fall and early winter away from the place. I’ve done a fair amount of timber work with my mule teams for a few years now. Sure would like to do some more.
You also hit the nail on the head with the fragmentation of the forest in the west. I’ve seen several private sections here on the North slope of the Uinta mtns’ that are broken into small ‘ranchettes’ in the last few years. With the beetle infestation the way it is many are wanting trees removed here as well. That’s been where I’ve gotten some work, both thinning and removing standing dead trees. Many of these individuals don’t need or want any big machinery on their property.
Anyway, good to hear from you and hope to hear some more.

[J-L]

Thanks Jean for sharing.

The first one worked for me. Not sure what browser is on my machine.

[J-L]

I make mine in a similar way as Carl. I use old semi truck tires and only go with two rows though and put either a good stout pole or a piece of pipe in the front with the chain coming off the ends to a loop where your clevise will hook to your cart. Make sure your tires are offset, I’ve seen drags made with the tires directly behind eachother and they don’t break up manure very good.
I use smaller chain to bolt the tires together and then to the pole across the front. Just give enough room between them all to let the tires move around and not clog too easy. If they’re made right I think they work as good as any of the metal ones. Especially if you can time it right with moisture to break it up really good.

[J-L]

I have two perch cross mules and like them very much. On the idea of breeding a tougher mule, I’m not sure that’s necessary. I barely have enough work for the ones I have.
I do have one mule who’s out of a Percheron mare and a red jack. He is sorrel but with some dark points. The other is solid black. She would match up very close to Jasons mule, or the solid colored mule in Donns picture.

[J-L]

My teams wear a halter under the bridle at all times. Many times the jobs I’m doing require me to be on and off the wagon or sled checking cattle, eartagging calves, changing water and many other little tasks. Sometimes I’m away from them longer than I anticipate, and farther away than we can hear eachother. When this is a possibility I like to be able to just tether them to a good brace post or a good tree and do it fairly quick.
I have had teams that’ll ‘park’ for hours untied. I’ve had the same team come out of ‘park’ when a moose came right by their noses. After gathering up the parts of my bobsled and a load of hay, I decided that the 30 seconds it would have taken to tie them was a bargain.
As far as standing while hooked to a wagon or cart etc., I don’t think the tongue weight will bother them that bad. The new one on my farmwagon is just a Lodgepole pine about 4″ at the end where I put the tongue cap on. It feels like they’re sharing about 20 lb. between them. It hasn’t sored or soured anyone for me yet.
It seems to me like standing is something that a lot of practice helps with. I like to let them stand even if I don’t need to sometimes. I have to agree with all who say that it gets reinforced a bunch better when sweat has run off them for a while though.

[J-L]

Got it. Thanks Donn. I think I can fab up something similar on my JD 346.

I was thinking about your loaded wagon, plus baler and motor. That is a pretty good load. 4 head would be necessary on it I’m sure.

[J-L]

I see the neckyoke set up. Another good idea. I will probably bale with a tractor again this year, but with my newfound ability with 4 head I am thinking ahead to bigger things with them.
We just barely quit feeding cows about 10 days ago. I won’t fire up with haying until mid July (1st cut of alfalfa usually 4-10 July) or 1st of August. So I have time to rig something up. I’ve got to get my other haywagon fixed also. I’ll have two wagons that way and can shuttle to the stack with a team.
I’d appreciate the pictures of the baler. Thanks.

[J-L]

Very slick idea Donn. I like the way you can set it up from 2 head to 3. There have been many times when I wanted to put 3 on, haying being one of them. This summer we’re going to have to hand stack most of my hay. My bale wagon is broke down (hyd pump and many other problems) and after last years overhead expenses it looks like it’ll have to stay that way.
Would it be possible for you to post some pics of your trailer hitch on your baler? What I’m wanting to see is where you came from with the hitch point, etc.
I’d like to buck the bales right out of the bale chute then shuttle hay wagons to the stackyard. We did this when I was younger, but can’t remember how we had it set up.
We are going to have to get more than 500 bales a day in to make this work, picking them off the ground is too much work when you may have 10-12,000 bales (possibly more).

[J-L]

It’s very different here in the west. There are times when I can bale within 2 days of mowing, occasionally even a day and a half. Even when it gets rained on we just roll it over if it’s been raked, give it enough time to dry, then bale it up.
Around here you see a few tedders, but not many. Mostly they are used to spread windrows back out after a rain, then put them back together.
There are still quite a few places putting hay up loose around here. Some of them are big outfits. One place runs 1,000 mother cows plus yearlings. They cover lot’s of ground in a haying season (with tractors). The father still runs the farmhand stacker and makes beautiful stacks with it and they keep well.
When we put ours up loose it was a lot more labor intensive. Had to have a few more hands to get it done than I do now with a swather/mower and baler etc. The hay did keep much better though. But it was a pain in the rear to feed 250 cows plus sheep an other livestock with a pitchfork.
I’ve been rumbling to the wife that if I get down to 100 cows that I’ll go dig the buck rakes and stacker out of the brush again. I believe she thinks I’m bluffing.
I still put a team on a side delivery rake every year though. They can rake enough hay in a day to make it worthwhile. Also put up a few thousand bales by hand which we use teams and wagons (and my son’s football buddies) to get hay to the stack.
No matter what I still like to drive a team more than a tractor.

[J-L]

Well I got 7 acres of barley planted this afternoon. I thought it went pretty well. It did surprise me how much ground we covered in a short time. 4 head on that little drill (10′ I think) barely broke a good sweat. Granted they are already legged up pretty good, but still it surprised me how much work we got done for no more time than we spent.
We only have another 8 acres to plant now. I’ve got to get the rock picked first. The little patch produce 4 good sized dump truck loads of good old Wyoming rocks. I wish we could sell them!
Am pretty sure the kids are glad for school tomorrow. Lot’s of sun burnt necks and tender fingers to go with some sore muscles.
I’ll get some pic’s posted soon as my friend gets them emailed to me.

[J-L]

Donn, I just went ahead and hooked up today and drug about 6 acres with my tire drag(harrow). I told you elsewhere I was going to make my crosschecks 38″ and they worked really well with little adjustment. The only one needing any adjusting was the little tiny blue mule. Hers had to be let out a ways.
As you said, there really is not necessity for any buck back’s. I think this is the crux of Geoff’s question, and the part that puzzled me too.
Geoff, it doesn’t really make sense until you hook up and see it physically. It just works.
I’d like to try Ronnie’s method as well, but don’t have time to modify everything and fine tune it so will just stick to this way and get my barley in. Hopefully tomorrow and Sunday.
It was fun to juggle the mules around until I found where they were comfortable working in the hitch. One mule in particular just didn’t care to be on the outside and made a point of letting me know. When I stuck him in the middle he just dropped his head and went to work.
One thing I’ll say is that it is quite a bit different than driving a pair or even three abreast. Lot’s more lag time on the turns, especially at first. Lot’s of fun though and considerable more horsepower.
I’ll try and get some pic’s tomorrow putting in the grain.

[J-L]

They look fine together to me! I didn’t get to hook them up 4 abreast yet. I wound up branding cattle all weekend, some of mine some of the neighbors. I’m hoping to do it soon.
That’s about how I go about it. Whenever I feel they’re ready they go on the spreader first, then graduate from there.
I’m hoping to get some pictures when I drill this patch, but may wind up doing it alone. I’ll keep you posted.

[J-L]

Looks fun. I can’t get over how much grass and leaves you guys have there! We still don’t have leaves for a week or two at least, and I’m still feeding cows.
I have a black mare mule that is quite a match for yours. I was curious what you did to get your new (to mowing) horses/mules ready to go on the mower? Do you do anything special or just the normal sacking out/desensitizing?

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