Brandt Industries – A Legacy of Innovation
Founded in 1932 by the Brandt family in Regina, Saskatchewan, Brandt Industries began by manufacturing simple, reliable agricultural equipment designed to help farmers navigate tough economic conditions. Through decades of innovation, Brandt steadily expanded its offerings, with the introduction of grain vacuums, conveyors, augers, heavy haul trailers, vac trucks, excavation tools, and more over the years.
Since the earliest models, Brandt has refined its grain vac technology, introducing advancements such as patented airflow systems, improved dust management, and a variety of user-oriented design improvements. Today, Brandt employs a full dedicated engineering, parts, service, and sales team to support products across the United States, in addition to its multiple manufacturing facilities and Canadian dealerships. Despite a global presence, Brandt has continued to stick to its roots, with the feedback gathered from farmers serviced at their own dealerships serving at the backbone of the product improvement process.
Understanding the Brandt 5200EX
The 5200EX is designed from the ground up to maximize throughput while requiring as little power as possible; using only 70 horsepower it can achieve up to 5,200 bushels per hour, varying based on grain type, condition, and moisture content. The unique dual chaffer screen system gently separates grain from the airflow, reducing the potential for grain damage, while working in tandem with a spring-loaded air throttle that maximizing performance based on changing grain conditions.
Operators have a wide choice of configurations to meet their needs with specialized options such as the Pile Driver attachment that converts the GrainVac into an efficient bin sweep, speeding up the cleanup of grain piles. Additional customizations include extended life chrome flighting, dust hose kits for sensitive environments, flexible stainless steel, rigid aluminum, and rubber hose package combinations that allow operators to build their grain vac to fit their storage setup, and more.
Looking to increase capacity without any additional options? Eliminate flexible hose and pipe as much as possible in, using lower cost straight pipes that create less airflow resistance, dramatically improving the speed of the grain. Limiting the length and bends of flexible hoses and maximizing straight pipe segments can be the biggest determining factor in how well your vac performs.
Interested in customized pipe and hose packages? Give us a call to have one built for you, with thousands of feet in stock including specialized adapters and XL lengths.
Looking for More? Consider the 1300HP
The Brandt 1300HP GrainVac was developed as a high-capacity variant of the 5200EX, built on the platform of the previous generation 7500HP with dozens of improvements designed to extend service life with less maintenance. At peak capacity the 1300HP is capable of handling up to 8,500 bushels per hour with 120 horsepower, though we recommend 140 horsepower during extended operations in warm weather. Its upgraded performance is a result of the unique cone separator that operates without moving parts, air equalizer elbow, 13” discharge auger (10” on the 5200EX), and 8” MaxFlo nozzle that automatically balances air and grain intake, eliminating guesswork and manual adjustments. When combined, these changes improve overall airflow while directing grain away from the fan inlet for fast and easy performance.
As with the 5200EX, performance varies based on grain type, condition, moisture content, and pipe setup. Generally, drier grains such as wheat and corn flow more easily and achieve higher throughput rates, while wetter or dirtier grains and oilseeds can reduce the grain vac's capacity due to increased weight and adhesion. While still impactful, the 1300HP is designed to handle these variations more effectively, minimizing capacity loss even with challenging grain conditions.
Maintenance Tips
Proper maintenance of your Brandt GrainVac helps to ensure optimal performance, maximize lifespan, and reduce the likelihood of downtime when you need it most. The following tips include some of our best practices, but when in doubt, reference your owner’s manual or give us a call for experienced support!
Routine Checks and Lubrication
Regularly lubricate all grease points, generally around every 8-10 hours of operation. Brandt simplifies this task with easily accessible grease banks where possible. While doing so, keep an eye out for excessive wear or damage from both regular use and foreign material that may have made its way through the system.
Hose and Pipe Inspections
Any cracks, holes, or leaks at connections of your hose and pipe can greatly impact capacity while damaging grain. Before starting the day, take a look for any air leaks that require patching or replacement. Rubber flex hose generally experiences the most wear, before replacing it with another identical section, consider if you can replace it with a straight steel pipe to reduce cost and improve capacity. Stainless steel flex pipe also experiences significant wear and can stiffen with age; consider storing it or your grain vac indoors and applying a light lubricant regularly to help reduce stiffness prior to the next season.
Monitor Airflow Components
Regularly check the air throttle system and airflow restrictor. While rugged and generally low-maintenance, clogs, wear, and damage from foreign material can prevent the vac from adjusting airflow in the middle of a job, greatly slowing output when grain conditions vary.
Auger and Flighting Maintenance
Periodically examine auger flighting and tubes for signs of wear, particularly if handling abrasive or high-moisture grains, which usually shows first on the upper surface of the bottom auger. When possible, minimize the amount of dust and dirt that enters the vac, as this is generally the largest factor in auger lifespan, although extended life chrome flighting is available to resist wear in more challenging environments.
Gearbox and Driveline Care
Check gearbox oil levels regularly, topping off or replacing oil as recommended by Brandt guidelines. While doing so, inspect drivelines for wear and make a note of any vibrations that may have developed in the machine that indicate excessive wear.
Choosing the Right Grain Vac
With Brandt’s straightforward product line, selecting the right grain vacs for your operation is easier than ever. Many of the producers we work with today choose the 5200EX for its incredible price to performance, minimal horsepower requirement, and balanced capacity across grains. With reasonable overhaul costs that allow the 5200EX’s lifespan to be extended by hundreds of hours after a rebuild, we expect it to remain a favorite into the near future.
For operators that require more capacity or are looking for a single machine that can serve several locations, the 1300HP may be the ideal choice. Its straightforward design also allows for an exceptional service life, while the up to 8,500 bph capacity gives operators more flexibility to handle challenging products across a variety of conditions without slowing down.
Still not finding what you’re looking for? Give us a call for custom-built solutions from diesel and electric-drive trailered grain vacuums to specialized modifications that fit your business.
Learn More
Interested in learning more, getting a demo, or exploring our custom solutions? We’re here to help as the largest grain vac dealer in the United States. With over 50 years of experience, we’re here to help from the first acre to the last with nationwide delivery, competitive financing, and unbeatable support.
See our full line of Brandt products here at KeastEnterprises.com, or give us a call at 800-480-2487 to chat with a member of our team.