engine for a power forecart

[Nat(wasIxy)]

I’d love to use the baler with oxen one day in the future when I have enough to pull it 😉 – what kind of engine would I need to stick on a forecart in order to operate it – would a small car engine do? preferably diesel so we could run it on biodiesel….

please keep answers simple because I know next to nothing about engines 😀

[Donn Hewes]

Here is one guys opinion. A car engine would be way more than you need and want. I use a 24 hp. Honda – gas. When I built the cart I would have liked to use diesel also, but all the available motors were bigger and more expensive. I wanted a new motor as I didn’t want a lot of time trying to fix something. If you look for some old threads you will find some pictures of my cart and various discussions on different cart options. Donn Let me know if you can’t find them.

[Nat(wasIxy)]

That’s great thanks – will look for the threads a bit later wen i have more time 🙂

[Mark Cowdrey]

If a person knew they would only rake & tedd hay (say, 13-14′ tedder max) with a powered forecart, how big, or small, an engine do you suppose they might get away with & still have enough power?
Figured you guys could think about it while you were drying your socks!
Mark

[Barw]

When I built my power forecart I installed a 40 hp diesel engine. It is good general duty cart and is more than enough power for a small square baler but will run a small round baler. You can get small diesel engines in the 20 hp range that would power a square baler. A small car engine would have more than enough power.
My suggestion would be to use what you have available and what is affordable. A small square baler only requires about 15 hp to operate as it has the flywheel to provide the inertia. Just my thoughts.

[njfarmer]

Ixy,
If you are only wanting to power the baler and nothing else, why even build a powered fore cart. Just put the small engine right on the baler. I have seen quite a bit of them out in lancaster, pa. But if you plan on getting other equipment that is pto driven then I would go with the powered fore cart.

[chrisf.]

I havn’t done it yet but if I ever get around to putting a pto on my forcart I intend to use a small diesel motor out of a trailer’s refrigeration unit. I havn’t looked into the price yet but I like the size of them. One of the smaller industial diesels I’ve seen. Just food for thought.

[Author]

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