Hay Wagon Designs... Any builders out there?
 

Alright, I need a hay wagon to pull behind my tractor.

Right now, I am using my 24' 10 ton equipment trailer for hauling items around my land but finding this is rather inconvenient for quick hookups and unhooking. Outside of the cargo value of a hay wagon, the convenience of simply unhooking or hooking and going will save me a lot of time.

I like to build my own equipment when possible and a wood or metal constructed hay wagon would probably be right up my alley. Has anyone done this? Any advice or pictures you would like to share?

I am thinking a 12' wagon would be about the right size for me. I have four 5 lug tires and rims sitting around but that is the extent of materials on hand outside of some wood, i.e. 4x4's. I will need to scrounge for the other components.

Any success stories out there?

Dave

Re: Hay Wagon Designs... Any builders out there?
 

We used to have an old hay wagon made out of an old car stripped down to the frame and 4x4 cross supports bolted to the frame and more lumber to make a bed, the steering was a steel piece that was attached to the drag link or something like that sort of like a child's wagon.
it has been years and years since I even thought about that old hay wagon.

Good Luck

Re: Hay Wagon Designs... Any builders out there?
 

what kinda hay are you hauling...small square or round....large square or round???....feeding hay....field to barn...???

Re: Hay Wagon Designs... Any builders out there?
 

Neighbor gave me an old single axle wagon made out of some ancient car frame.....I built the deck on it out of some 3x5 oak pieces for the cross members, and decked it with 1x oak board. Use it mostly to haul our firewood from around the farm into the basement in the fall. I like a single axle because I can back it very easily.....a true "wagon" with a swivel type tongue is a LOT harder to back.

Re: Hay Wagon Designs... Any builders out there?
 

The ones I grew up with were generally

1 1/2 or deuce and a half truckbeds with

An extended tongue welded on, pulled by a tractor.

The reason for the extended tongue is that

You could crank the tractor over to damn near a

Ninety degree turn and skid the load around tight corners.

Their disadvantage was the height of the bed;

You really had to whip the bales up.

Their advantage was their clearance to the ground;

Unlike the pretty pictures you see, a lot of the hayfields

I worked were steep and uneven.

If you have flat and even ground, I'd

Look for a used U-Haul flatbed trailer, because

For whatever reason they seem to go cheap.

Otherwise, I'd look at the truckbeds.


scyth

Re: Hay Wagon Designs... Any builders out there?
 

Perhaps this site will have something for you to look at. It has a lot of good old time designs.
http://journeytoforever.org/farm_lib...evicesToC.html

If nothing there, I suggest a mobile home frame (minus the home of course); Would probably make a great hay hauler and can be had cheap.

Re: Hay Wagon Designs... Any builders out there?
 

Built a few of these as a kid.

Try to find an old set of running gears from a gravity wagon.

If you live in the midwest, you should still be able to find one somewhere.

Look to rebuild the bearings. You don't want a bad bearing with a full load.


Most of the tunges are extendable, see if you can find one with an extendable frame also.

Bolt 2 - 6x10 treated runing the length of the wagon or bigger.

Then add the cross pieces (slats). We double lagged ours.

Remember to leave a good 1" or more between the slats if for hay.
( Our preference) This lets the loose stuff fall, instead of kicking it off with your foot.

Add wood around the perimeter. ( We double bolted )

And if you don't think you will stack well or are planning driving over 20 mph with a full load, I would add a back to the wagon.

But if your in a farming area, I would look for an old gravity wagon with a heavier running gear.

Heck you might just drive by some farms and see if you see any around for sale.

Just my 2 cents.


O

Re: Hay Wagon Designs... Any builders out there?
 

Aren't there any mechanics in your neighborhood that know how to build a wagon? In my experience, a farm area has more mechanics than farmers.

Re: Hay Wagon Designs... Any builders out there?
 

if your looking for a old flat bed wagon.....they are a dime a dozen round here (outa be cheaper to buy one than build one).....most everyone around here feeds large round bales.......i sorta assume its similar in other places

Re: Hay Wagon Designs... Any builders out there?
 

This would be my approach