When grain cart manufacturers started designing and building flexible augers, the idea was to get maximum side reach across the ditch to the semi and still have adequate forward reach so the tractor driver could see the spout.
But the latest generation of high-power tractors with their electric PTOs forced a re-think of that idea because of the instant power they apply to soft-start rubber devices designed to transfer power in bend-at-the-bottom augers.
Grain cart manufacturers, J&M has abandoned their adjustable unload auger concept, opting for a fixed, in-line auger that places the spout closer to the front and nearer to the tractor driver while maintaining good side reach.
According to J&M the Xtended-Reach in-line auger is a more efficient layout for moving grain because it presents fewer maintenance problems than an auger with a U-joint-style knuckle at the auger base.
Ironically, although J&M is moving away from the bend-at-the-bottom augers, it owns the 20-year-old patent for those original designs, still used by competitors.
J&M says its in-line augers provide a direct shot from the gearbox to the spout with the long-term benefit of mechanical efficiency and durability.
It also puts the spout up parallel to the operator’s head and any loss from side reach is made up for with a telescopic slide on the spout.
The 500mm (20-in) diameter auger has a bullet design that is double-sided at the bottom, forcing more grain into the tube. Grain is not re-directed.
The cart unloads at a rate of 21 cubic metres per minute
