Not flatwork, intentionally unlevel!

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North West Indiana
Whitey is a '94 Dodge 1/2 ton 2 wheel drive the youngest daughter bought when she got her driver's license. He has over 220,000 miles and going well. He has the death wobble on the road now so I bought him and she bought a '99 cab and a half Dodge. Anyway, he starts, rain, cold, hot, he starts, that is a number one criteria for a farm truck. The death wobble, well, not an issue on the farm at low speeds so he is regulated to an off road/farm only truck.
Last year and this spring I was watering using the Oliver and a couple of water troughs. Well once I moved the yearling calves to the back, I needed those troughs so bought a tank (good move, no splash due to cap, no water lost in transport).

Filling water tank on Ollie.jpg

Okay, here is a shot from last year showing the filling of this trough. Now the trough in the bucket is half the size of the one in the pasture. So this is why I went with two troughs this spring. Problem, they still didn't fill the trough in the pasture due to water lost in splash. So still not efficient enough and I didn't like a tractor tied up or used daily.
Watering feeder calves w:Ollie.jpg

So, a load of free, yep FREE, 4X4's waiting to be unloaded created an idea.
Scrap 4X4's.JPG

I needed those two troughs in the bucket of the Oliver when I moved the yearlings to the back pasture, so, I bought a water tank. Put it on a skid in the back of Whitey (as we refer to him around the farm since he showed up).
Whitey all summer side.JPG

Excellent transfer, a valve and it fills a trough in half the time it takes the hose to fill it! But this fall a problem arose. Bed is filled and I need to take hay to the saddle horses as they are still in the South pasture. That is why the load of 4X4's created an idea.
Whitey all summer rear.JPG

Backed Whitey up by the woodshop door and started cutting 4x4's to length. Removed the bed tool box as it only held gas/oil/chainsaw. Well chainsaw is on back on the passenger floorboard and will show where the gas went soon.
Whitey's tank build.JPG

Repositioned so valve is behind driver's door, still have to get out and hold the extension pipe, but at least can scratch the dog's ears as we wait!
Tank platform side.JPG

So this is the shot that explains this is flat work but is unlevel. Sloped it a little to help with clean out. Notice the wood is attached so the platform is locked in the bed. Not bolted down, might still run a strap around the water tank, but haven't yet. Maybe when the grandson starts driving on his own (he is 3) so I have a year or so to procrastinate.
Tank platform w:out sides.JPG

This last shot shows the end result. I can haul water, hay, dog and chainsaw now!!! Oh the gas and oil, goes in the box on the passenger side behind the tank in a little box created by empty space.
Whitey back in business!.JPG

No kitchen rebuild, shop tour, thousand dollar gig, but works for me and gives you an idea of what I have been up to. Will be posting my trade of the century soon.
 

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Now you done so good i got to tell teach you a new South African phrase. Will have to translate it for you after but here it is " n Boer maak altyd a plan" So what this says is a farmer always makes a plan.:thumb:

I love it. Only thing i was thinking is do you have forks for your tractor?

If so could you have made the "Water Buffel" hey i cannot help it thats another one, we called something like that a water buffalo, now thats old army slang, :rofl: ok could you not make it so the tank could be lifted off whitey when not needed or for storage in winter so it dont freeze. Kinda like making the platform a pallet skid style so you slide the forks in and lift.

Man you making me want to get down to your parts to see your farm. I have the darn shakes here wanting to get out of the box and burbs.:rofl:

I know its hard word Jonathan but man its all real.:)

Hey you selling cattle again this year? How many in your herd?
 
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