Self-Steer Trucks Speed Harvest

You'll like these "self-steer" forage hauling trucks that quick hitch to rear of forage harvesters and steer themselves around corners, exactly following the tracks of the harvester.

Lowell L. Johnson, Viborg, S. Dak., rigged up three trucks with pivoting hitches that control the truck steering arms. A 2-in. square tube tongue on his New Holland chopper slips into the hitch at the rear of each truck. A steering arm extends off one side of the truck hitch, which is suspended on a pivot point below the truck frame. The hitch and steering arm pivot back and forth as the tongue from the chopper moves back and forth on turns. Rods that extend from the hitch steering arm up to the truck's front axle control the motion of the truck so that it follows exactly in the path of the chopper.

Johnson says the modified trucks steer normally once they're unhooked from the chopper. He rigged up three self-steer trucks so he can have one filling, one on the road and one dumping at his silage pit.