Weak Bale spear?

I don't know if these Westward bale spears are weak or if I am too rough on them. I broke my second spear here the other day. Second one in about 15 years. That might sound like a lot but my round bales are not as heavy as most plus I don't handle a huge amount of bales in a year. First one broke right in the middle and this last one snapped right at the threads about 2 inches in from the nut. I welded the first one years ago but never did try using it as I was pretty sure it would just break at the weld.


Spear broke

They probably just don't like your weather!

Many of these are made out of high tensil strength metal, or hardened steel. That's why people don't have much luck welding these things. And because of thier characteristics, they don't have much bend to them. They don't bend. They'll break before they do much bending.

Just lifting the bale (especially a bale that don't exceed its weight limit), is not what breaks these things. It's what the bale does while lifted and in transport. Driving across rough ground (through ruts and pot holes). The bale may then rock and put forces on the spear greater than what the bale weighs. And at points not suitable. Such as in the middle, or at the far end away from its base. Then you got leverage also working in its favor of just snapping off.

Just because you got a bale stabbed and raised, doesn't mean that the bulk of that weight is right there at the base of the spear. Often times the bulk of the weight is still midway way out on the spear. Or sometimes out on the far end of the spear. And this puts great strain on the spear at its base.

Anybody that handles many bales, has the same problems your having. It's kind of the norm. You say you don't handle many, but when you add that up over a 15 year period, it's still probably quite a few.

Some people are just incredibly rough with a bale spear (not saying you are). Some people could just break one off no matter how strong it is just from being a bad operator. Just because a spear can lift a bale, doesn't mean it's unbreakable. But some people seem to think that. I've seen people run them into the ground while driving, and try to stand a bale up with the forks still jabbed into the bale. Anyways, this such stuff is abusive, and should be avoided.

Sounds like you are snowed in. If it were me, I'd put the one on that you welded. Try to get by with it until you can get someplace. But I wouldn't bet on that one lasting long. Nothing against you. But I just know that welding these things back together, is not ussually a fix that lasts very long.

broke 1. but never understood why .it was clean break at the tip. i took torch shaped it then ground it smooth. still in use today. but i always tip bales back as far as it will go.
we bale lots of wet hay n bales are so heavy a 7405 john deere dont want to turn if not moving.
the spear i broke made me think made from chineasium steel ,poor quality

Just judging from what I have seen of your hay bales, they appear to be a bit soft, unlike a wet wrap bale, as dry hay tends to make a softer bale anyway. What I am getting at here is , you could probably sleeve a piece of pipe on to the spear over the welded area. And grind the leading edge smooth. It think the spear would slide right into the bale and come off just as smooth. The whole time the sleeve would help spread the load either side of the break

We have 2 on a larger angle with them about 2 feet apart. Works good for bigger bales like the 6x5 and we can get 2 at a time with the 4x4 bales. I have even set a 3rd bale on top of the 2 and picked all three up at once with the 4x4 bales. Never broke one have bent one of them some though.

I have to make a comment about welding the spears. If it appears to be hardened steel you need to use the correct rod, possibly even something better than 7018. If you use 6011 it will probably break right off next to the weld. I think I would add a strip on top or half sleeve it.

Just an FYI, not all bale spears have the same degree slope at the end. There are 2 different collars for bale spears. if you have the wrong spear for the wrong collar it will snap at the thread every time. The red one in the pic is probably a bit flexible compared to the black one. I had red ones(yes I know they can be any color, but the red ones around here come from a different company and I broke lots of them) When I started using the black ones (a little more money) They were snapping off like your. Had the seller tell me you have the wrong collars in them. welded up new collars in it and haven't broke one yet. Also do not over tighten in this cold country of ours. Metal shrinks when -30 and causes a lot more stress on that thread end. I tighten mine just snug and center punch ONE spot on the thread so it can't unscrew, if it loosens the nut only can move an eighth of a turn if that. easy to tighten a bit every now and then until it is rusty and won't move. And after 10 years of rust if not undone the rust can create a lot of pressure as well. Kind of a darn if you do and darn if you don't scenario.

I welded up a shaft on the bean head of my combine one night hoping it would last till the one I ordered came in the next day. That was more than 10 years ago and the new shaft is still laying in the corner of the machine shed. Give it a go. Like me, you may be surprised.

Thanks for all the replies and comments. Still not sure which way I'm going on this. One comment on the video indicated that SHW German made spears are superior and will last much longer.

I handle a few thousand heavy round bales both wet and dry each year. The only spears that last for me are genuine SHW spears from Germany. Even use them to push myself backwards when I get my 18k lbs tractor stuck in the snow.

I've bent and broken probably 30 "other" spears. I've bent the SHW spears but never broke them. When I bend then downwards i flip them over so I can bend them down to straight again.

When I had cows I handled 1400 to 1800 pound bales and never broke one. I would put the repaired red one back on and use it. Your welding skills may surprise you.

(quoted from post at 04:20:54 02/27/23)

Just lifting the bale (especially a bale that don't exceed its weight limit), is not what breaks these things. It's what the bale does while lifted and in transport..

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Mine broke standing still. I suspect now that by trying to tilt back the spear before I had the bale off the ground it might have put the overload on the spear that broke it. Although I have been doing it that way for years with this spear. Maybe it was the extra cold morning, -15F. When I'm carrying one on the spear I keep it tilted right back so that more of the weight is against the loader and not just hanging on the spear.

I agree with cjunrau. The spear wasn't fitting right in the socket, so it popped the end off at the weakest point which is the transition from the thread to the spear.

(quoted from post at 09:06:10 02/27/23) I agree with cjunrau. The spear wasn't fitting right in the socket, so it popped the end off at the weakest point which is the transition from the thread to the spear.

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How would I know it wasn't fitting right. The socket is tapered to match the spear as far as I can tell. Tightened up the nut on the back side and it was solid. Not a hint of movement ever. I just wish I could find the broken stump but I've gone over the ground with a garden rake twice already with nothing to show for it.

i just cringe when i am moving a bale over rough ground, just idle along. its the shock loading that will cause the breakage , as when it starts bouncing. and yes agree higher is better so its not 90 degree's to the ground. many times starts with a crack then it will eventually break when u least expect it. i have the 2 short forks under the log one on the top. i make sure the taper is good and clean then lube it with never-seize and dont tighten the nut too tight. many times i remove the long spear when i am using the fork it its in the way, such as moving a tote bag. i had a few of them oil field pump rods from them old duplex pumps that i was going to try as a spear but nver did get to use one.

(quoted from post at 13:19:13 02/27/23) i have the 2 short forks under the log one on the top. i make sure the taper is good and clean then lube it with never-seize and dont tighten the nut too tight..

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Mine has the same. Two short spears on the bottom of the frame and then the long (39 inch) spear higher up in the centre. This one broke when the tractor was standing still so no bouncing involved. Examining the broken spear further I see it broke right where the threads start so it was inside the socket. Not where I'd expect the most stress to be when lifting.

Thanks for the LENGTHY, in depth analysis of an all-to-common problem0, bent or broken bale spears!

U da MAN!

This post was edited by wore out on 02/28/2023 at 01:07 pm.

(quoted from post at 21:24:28 02/27/23)
Just some more drama for ''clicks'' on ewe tube.

Stuff like that breaks all the time and most of use just fix/replace it with no ewe tube drama.

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Youtube drama, yes thats what I'm looking for. Actually I've had a lot of interesting suggestions and ideas from some here and on the channel. Hardly any negative armchair expert criticism.

I enjoy you channel keep it up