For the farm department

Sep 1, 2003 12:00 PM

Fifth-wheel adapter

Get rid of the fifth-wheel hitch in the back of your pickup with a new RV1 Fifth Wheel Adapter. The RV1 allows operators to tow a trailer with a standard gooseneck hitch ball. The RV1 fastens to the king pin on a trailer. When uncoupling, the RV1 stays with the trailer. It features 4 in. of vertical adjustment to accommodate different truck and trailer heights and a 5-in. rearward offset that provides added trailer swing. The unit will handle gross trailer weight of 24,000 lbs. and gross tongue weight of 6,000 lbs.

Price: $365. Contact PopUp Industries Inc., Dept. FIN, 220 W. 14th St., Chanute, KS 66720, visit www.popuphitch.com or www.freeproductinfo.net/fin.

Acoustic grease job

For most farmers, keeping bearings lubricated means pumping the gun until grease squirts out the sides. Now there's a better way. An acoustic control device from UVLM Inc. lets you listen to a machine bearing to determine whether it needs more lube. Bearings that don't have enough grease are noisy. Well-lubed bearings are quiet.

The device works once the gun connects at the grease zerk nipple. The operator listens to amplified “acoustic” bearing noise through a headset, discerning problems associated with lack of lubricant or too much lubricant. Both cases greatly shorten the design life of a bearing. No additional procedure is necessary other than to continue to grease components in the normal manner.

For a producer with a large fleet of combines and tractors, the benefits of extended machine bearing life, reduced grease use and less equipment downtime can add up, potentially making the Ultra-Lube system's cost of $1,297 a good investment. Contact Ultra-Lube Division, UVLM Inc., Dept. FIN, 815 Sunrise Lane, Centralia, WA 98531, 800/736-3757, visit www.uvlm.com or www.freeproductinfo.net/fin.