CLAYTON, Ind. – Freije & Freije Auctioneers’ Fall 2023 Midwest Construction and Farm Equipment Auction was Oct. 5. It was a massive event, filled with agricultural and construction equipment, attachments, agricultural implements, vehicles, and even surplus merchandise. It took three rings, live and online, to auction the 934 lots that spanned everything from toolboxes to backhoes.

The focus of ring one’s 420 lots was heavy equipment, agricultural machinery, trucks, and other vehicles. It was the ring generating the auction’s largest bids. Trucks grabbed the auction’s three highest sums, including the $220,000 offered for a 2020 Kenworth T-880 stone spreader truck with 80,042 miles. The two-wheel drive rig featured a Cummins, X15 engine with 525-565 hp, Eaton-Fuller, 8LL manual transmission, Hendrickson steerable lift, double frame, and 20,000 front/23,000 rear capacity.

Bidding went to $200,000 for a 2020 Kenworth T-880 tri roll-off truck with 37,137 miles. It was equipped with a Paccar Allison automatic transmission, Hendrickson suspension, double frame, and 20,000 fronts/44,000 rear capacity. A bid of $115,000 won a 2014 Peterbilt 348 tandem-axle vac truck, with 46,585 miles and 7,507 hours on the meter, with a PX-9 automatic transmission, Vac-Con tank, and 20,000 front/40,000 rear capacity.

Multiple pieces of heavy equipment also pulled six-figure bids. Among them was $114,000 offered for a 2017 Caterpillar 320FL hydraulic excavator with 3,946 hours. It featured a 9-foot, 6-inch stick, 48-inch bucket, auxiliary hydraulics, hydraulic counterweight removal, pattern control changer, and rear-view camera. A 2020 John Deere Model 333-G multi-terrain loader with 864 miles was won for $109,000. The two-speed unit was outfitted with auxiliary hydraulics, 17.5-inch rubber tracks, a Fae Vcon shredder attachment with a rooftop cooler, and a rear-view camera.

Twenty-three of the pieces of agricultural equipment picked up four and five-figure amounts. Among them was a 2018 John Deere 5090R 4X4 tractor with 811 hours that grabbed $51,000. The diesel rig was nicely equipped with a shuttle shift, 3-point hitch, drawbar, 540 PTO, dual remotes, 480/80r34 rear tires, and 400/80r24 front tires. Another John Deer tractor – a 4840 with 710 hours – got a tidy $14,250. The 6-cylinder diesel was also well equipped, with front weights, drawbar, 1000 PTO, dual remotes, and dual 480/80R42 rear tires.

Many of the first ring’s lots held new merchandise, including new pieces of smaller commercial equipment. Among those were four 2023 EGN 323W Dingo skid steer loaders that sold from $3,100-$4,00. Each was outfitted with a 13.5 HP Briggs and Stratton engine, manual coupler, auxiliary hydraulics, hand controls, and smooth 42-inch bucket. They were followed by three multi-terrain loaders: A 2023 EGN Model EG-380, with rubber tracks, auxiliary hydraulics, manual coupler, hand controls, and smooth bucket, landed $3,400; two 2023 AGT Model LRT-23s with auxiliary hydraulics, manual couplers, hand controls, smooth 42-inch buckets, and 6-inch rubber tracks, reached $4,600 and $4,800.

Even smaller were the six new-on-pallet 2023 Magnum Easy-Kleen 4000 psi pressure washers that grabbed bids from $2,000-$2,500. There were also eight new-in-box Honda model EU-2200i portable inverter generators that sold from $850-$1,050.

Ring two brought 204 lots of smaller equipment and attachments, like a Tiger side brush cutter attachment, with a 3-point mount, that scored $5,500. A lightly used Topcat stump grinder rang up $2,500. Then came 12 Wolverine and Mower King hydraulic mowers, ranging in size from 66-72 inches. Among them were two new 2023 72-inch Mower King SSRCs that sold for $2,200 each and an identical new unit that only received $850.

Fifty three of the lots in ring two were industrial forks by manufacturers like Land Honor, Wolverine, and Bobcat. Twenty-nine of them were new 2023 AGROTK SAII100 pallet-size forks, each coming in between $400-$425.

While ring three was titled for overstock and surplus, most of the 310 lots held used items. Among them was a solid-condition Western Wideout adjustable wing snow plow that reached $1,000. A Schmidt abrasive “media” blaster went for $1,000. Later, 60 lots containing used steel livestock panels went for $275-$300 each.

Included among ring three’s surplus and overstock were nine lots with 20-foot bi-parting wrought iron deer design gates. Each sold from $300-$450. Three new-in-box Digit 10-D ten-drawer workbench cabinets pulled $140-$150. A bid of $600 snagged a bundle of approximately 192 14-foot 2x4s, while another bundle with approximately 150 was won for $500.

For information on Freije & Freije Auctioneers’ upcoming sales, visit:  www.freijeauctioneers.com