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Flatbed and Cake Feeder

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Circle5

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I'm sure these questions have been asked on here before but I search it and nothing recent came up


I'm looking at putting a flatbed on my 2012 F350 and was just wondering which beds you guys prefer. I looked at some Bradfords and Hillsboro's they were both very nice. I found some Pronghorn's and PJ's on the net which also looked nice. Just wondering on you guys opinions on them. And also price vs quality.

And I've been kicking around the idea of putting a cake feeder on my bale bed and was just wondering the same thing about them. Any input would help. Around here we have TS Feeders and that is about it. I've seen pictures of the 3C and Bar 6's but never seen one.

Thanks for any input
 
I have a Highway Products aluminum flat bed that I like a lot. The Bradford's are real nice and priced pretty reasonable. Bradford just came out with their aluminum bed and it looks nice and built well. I didn't think I would care for an aluminum flatbed. But mine is still tight and no rattles after five years of washboardy dirt roads. Don't be afraid to look at an aluminum bed. No rust either.
 
Instead of putting a regular flatbed on your F350, which would cost probably $3000, you could spend another $6500 and get a Hydra-bed. My son puts 3" x 1" tubing on the arms, which makes a nice railing so the bed is handier for summertime use. With the ledge, stuff doesn't fall off and get lost. As for a caker, get a regulation Hydra-bed caker, and then you are fixed with a great combination set-up.
 
Thanks for you guy's input.

Soapweed - I already have a bale bed on the ranch pickup.

This is my supposed to be "Good" pickup but I have already wrecked the inside of the box on it and just thought I should put a flatbed on with the insurance money. It's a crew cab and I really like my regular cab for the bale bed.
 
Pronghorn is a very good bed. My dad has one. If your looking for something to put tools and supplies in you can load one of those things down with just about everything in your shop. Aluminum is nice from the rust and paint issue. I think the Hillsboro is a pretty good bed in that department. On the cake feeder. I looked at a lot of them and the only one I thought looked nice and worked good as well was the hydrabed one. But when I bought my bed I only got with two valves and I also thought that the hydrabed caker was more than I wanted to spend at the time so I made my own out of aluminum and put a direct drive low rpm motor on it.
 
stay with your T&S diamond c and bar6 are auger driven and seem to me to cause a lot of fines IMO. J&i beds are ok if you will have one built and not just buy off shelf. lots of good beds out there.......cm, Easley, reyes, ji, etc
 
My son put a Hillsboro on his and put tool boxes under it on both sides - - - We have some 2X6" boards with stakes we can put on both sides and across the back.

The boxes under the bed are the best thing he has done in a while - - - keep the cab clutter free and keep things secure and dry.
 
I would avoid Hillsboro at all costs.... I know the people that run the business, and they are not the most honest in the world. I would rather see money spent across town at Circle D, rather than Hillsboro.
 
I would put a Welker flatbed on and buy a Welker caker. That is if you don't need the bale bed. I have used several bale beds, not sure if I have ever used a Hydrabed, but know lots of people that like them. I would never buy a DeWeeze bale bed, just my 2 pennys. I don't like the fact that the arms are rigid and slide straight in and out compared to the scissor style action of many others.
 
Soapweed said:
Instead of putting a regular flatbed on your F350, which would cost probably $3000, you could spend another $6500 and get a Hydra-bed. My son puts 3" x 1" tubing on the arms, which makes a nice railing so the bed is handier for summertime use. With the ledge, stuff doesn't fall off and get lost. As for a caker, get a regulation Hydra-bed caker, and then you are fixed with a great combination set-up.
Click to expand...

So am I correct in saying that a Hydrabed is only around $9500 USD? Pretty well all the ones I looked at at Agritrade up here (Red Deer AB) were about $15K. The difference would pay for the road trip.
 
RSL said:
Soapweed said:
Instead of putting a regular flatbed on your F350, which would cost probably $3000, you could spend another $6500 and get a Hydra-bed. My son puts 3" x 1" tubing on the arms, which makes a nice railing so the bed is handier for summertime use. With the ledge, stuff doesn't fall off and get lost. As for a caker, get a regulation Hydra-bed caker, and then you are fixed with a great combination set-up.
Click to expand...

So am I correct in saying that a Hydrabed is only around $9500 USD? Pretty well all the ones I looked at at Agritrade up here (Red Deer AB) were about $15K. The difference would pay for the road trip.
Click to expand...

Or you could make one to fit on a tractor for about $1500 and use the other $13500 for fuel that would be used anyway. :wink:
 
gcreekrch said:
RSL said:
Soapweed said:
Instead of putting a regular flatbed on your F350, which would cost probably $3000, you could spend another $6500 and get a Hydra-bed. My son puts 3" x 1" tubing on the arms, which makes a nice railing so the bed is handier for summertime use. With the ledge, stuff doesn't fall off and get lost. As for a caker, get a regulation Hydra-bed caker, and then you are fixed with a great combination set-up.
Click to expand...

So am I correct in saying that a Hydrabed is only around $9500 USD? Pretty well all the ones I looked at at Agritrade up here (Red Deer AB) were about $15K. The difference would pay for the road trip.
Click to expand...

Or you could make one to fit on a tractor for about $1500 and use the other $13500 for fuel that would be used anyway. :wink:
Click to expand...
When you put it that way that's nearly 3 years worth of fuel here, but it does not lessen my need to find excuses for fun road trips. :D
 
The auger on the hydrabed is a couple inches larger right at the end than it is most of the bottom of the feeder. That keeps it from bubbling up where it goes into the pipe to come out the spout. I think that helps it cut down on the fines as well. The majority of the auger is maybe 6 inch then right before it goes outside it goes to 8 maybe. Don't know it I explained that very good but it works good.
 
I still like Welker's belt caker. The auger type work good for ground corn.
 
I'm with WP, the only fines that come out of a belt caker went in to start with. I've not fed a lot per day with one, capacity might be an issue.
The 3 point bale unroller is sure cheaper, but if you have any distance between feedgrounds, time might run out before the fuel money does. You have a balebed already, so I would look at the Welker cake feeders for your new setup. If they are built half as well as their flatbeds, they are well worth the look.
 
a ball on the bale spinner a high clearance 5th wheel and you can feed a lot of hay


you put the wife on the empty 5th wheel and let her open sacks and spread cake..... :roll:
 
RSL said:
Soapweed said:
Instead of putting a regular flatbed on your F350, which would cost probably $3000, you could spend another $6500 and get a Hydra-bed. My son puts 3" x 1" tubing on the arms, which makes a nice railing so the bed is handier for summertime use. With the ledge, stuff doesn't fall off and get lost. As for a caker, get a regulation Hydra-bed caker, and then you are fixed with a great combination set-up.
Click to expand...

So am I correct in saying that a Hydrabed is only around $9500 USD? Pretty well all the ones I looked at at Agritrade up here (Red Deer AB) were about $15K. The difference would pay for the road trip.
Click to expand...

Can get a single wheel hydra bed installed for under $7500 usd here
 
Thanks for all the input guys.

As far as the Welker goes. Does it have a good rotation counter?

I know the TS has a counter and you can set your feed ration with a flow gate.

also does Welker make just a Flatbed I couldn't seem to find one.
 
Circle5 said:
Thanks for all the input guys.

As far as the Welker goes. Does it have a good rotation counter?

I know the TS has a counter and you can set your feed ration with a flow gate.

also does Welker make just a Flatbed I couldn't seem to find one.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure what Chris uses for a counter anymore. I know the older Welker Cakers used a calculator type deal for a counter. As for flat beds, I think they build one of the best flatbeds on the market. I just haven't justified one yet. I can send you their number if you want.
 

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