# Hay wagon wheel base



## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

You fellas out there that have 20 foot haywagon beds, what length wheelbase did you put under them? Specifically interested in 20 foot only.

Regards, Mike


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## NDVA HAYMAN (Nov 24, 2009)

Mike, I am in the process of building 4 more hay wagons as we speak. I use 20' 6" channel as my runners and 3" across the top. They have 180" between the inside of the bolsters which basically gives me 3' overhang in the back and 2' overhang in the front. I may try to take some pics and get my sons help to post. I use 2x8 salt treated on top. I use to keep my boards tight together on the deck but now I put a gap between the boards to reduce the costs. I usually build 3 or 4 during the winter each year as one of my projects besides fixing up equipment or restoring old JD 2 cylinder tractors. Also have a JD 3010 D that I am working on. Mike


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## NDVA HAYMAN (Nov 24, 2009)

Mike, email me at [email protected] with your info and I will email or text you some pics. Mike


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## gradyjohn (Jul 17, 2012)

Post the pics ... I am not sure what you are talking about. I might need one.


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

Thanks Mike, emailed!

Regards, Mike


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## slowzuki (Mar 8, 2011)

Ours are all 15'6" or 16' wb depending on the brand of gear. 2 ft in front, 3 ft behind.


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

NDVAHAYMAN....Mike, really nice looking frames you are putting on those running gears....probably have more in the bed frames than you do in the r gears....







Should last forever...do you paint the frames?

Regards, mike


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## weatherman (Dec 5, 2008)

NDVA HAYMAN said:


> Mike, I am in the process of building 4 more hay wagons as we speak. Mike


I rebuilt 3 wagons last year (18 foot) and plan on rebuilding one more this spring. The one I want to rebuild is a 6T running gear (16 foot), 5 lug wheels. I'm going to stretch it out to 18 feet and move one of the 18 foot beds to the 6T. What I learn was a 20 foot wagon is more practical for my operation although the 18 foot wagons do work.
NDVA HAYMAN, do you prefer using cross members or lay the deck boards the width of wagon instead of length of wagon. With the length of wagon 20 feet, what do you use for stringers?


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## slowzuki (Mar 8, 2011)

We alway run the deck cross wise so we can keep a low deck height with deep beams. I did borrow a wagon this year than has 4x4 ties then a 1" deck run length wise.

We also borrow a metal wagon with expanded metal deck that has what looks to be 3/4x2 sheet metal tubing under the mesh spaning the main beams.


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## weatherman (Dec 5, 2008)

slowzuki said:


> We alway run the deck cross wise so we can keep a low deck height with deep beams. I did borrow a wagon this year than has 4x4 ties then a 1" deck run length wise.


What did you use for stringers and deck material...size, type?


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## slowzuki (Mar 8, 2011)

The main beams or stringers are normally 6x8" softwood with some type of bitumen/asphalt on the tops, the deck is alway 2x6 spruce/pine/fir. Each edge of the deck has strips sandwiched on with bolts. 2x SPF lumber costs about 700$/1000 bdft here from the mill, so about 2$ per square foot, or 320$ for an 8x20 deck. I've got a little mill so it costs less.

I'm going to try a 24 ft steel wagon build next year, it seems expensive though. The steel was 340$ for 7" channel, I got the expanded mesh for free from someone, have to buy the angle iron and x-members yet. I'm thinking it will hit 500$ quickly.



weatherman said:


> What did you use for stringers and deck material...size, type?


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## NDVA HAYMAN (Nov 24, 2009)

weatherman said:


> I rebuilt 3 wagons last year (18 foot) and plan on rebuilding one more this spring. The one I want to rebuild is a 6T running gear (16 foot), 5 lug wheels. I'm going to stretch it out to 18 feet and move one of the 18 foot beds to the 6T. What I learn was a 20 foot wagon is more practical for my operation although the 18 foot wagons do work.
> NDVA HAYMAN, do you prefer using cross members or lay the deck boards the width of wagon instead of length of wagon. With the length of wagon 20 feet, what do you use for stringers?


I use 3" channel cross members and run my salt treated boards the long way or lengthwise of the wagon and attach with a countersunk self tapping screws that are 21/2" long.


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## slowzuki (Mar 8, 2011)

I happened back into this thread as I've been pulling double wagons lately, a 16 and a 20 ft and am frustrated by how few 4x5 bales they haul.

My old flatbed trailer was 27 ft with a little extension I had, so I could get 22 bales. My current gooseneck flatbed only holds 18 bales with one set in the neck making 19.

So I hitched up the 20 ft and 16 ft wagon for a load, and due to the single top row, got 11 and 8 bales respectively for a total of 19 bales.

I've got more 8 ton gears to rebuild this year so I'm thinking of stretching the reaches out and building 24 ft decks instead of 20/21 ft. I have one tandem 12 ton I'm thinking a 28 ft bed might work on.

Other detail I'm going to change is all our old wagons are chained but not bolted so they can lift off the bolster. I've been have trouble with them lifting off and not returning properly after whereas our newer wagons with bolted bolsters have been fine.

The only bolted bolster wagon we have trouble with is one they tried to use a tubular crossmember welded to the frames. It broke the tube from the torsion, and they rewelded several times before leaving it as it was and its been ok without it.


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## Gearclash (Nov 25, 2010)

Do some weight calculations before getting wild about putting long decks on 8 ton gears. It's easy to overload the gear, and even easier to overload tires if they are flotation tires. Going thru all this myself right now as I need more bale hauling capacity for this fall. I plan to work with 12 ton gears and was surprised to find out that most flotation tires x4 won't match the gear rating. I'm thinking 10 wide x 22 long deck and put 14 1250lb 5x6 rounds on it. I have a Demco 6 hole gear 8 ton maybe with a 10x16 deck and it is maxed out with 8 5x6 hay bales. 8 stalk bales is more reasonable.


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## slowzuki (Mar 8, 2011)

My 4x5's are a lot lighter, I don't think I can physically get enough rounds on to challenge the weight rating. Square bales is another story - I find 250-280 bales all the 8 ton gears and tires want. Sure easier to get that on a long deck than a short one though!


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## Gearclash (Nov 25, 2010)

At 1000lb ea I suppose you can get 14 4x5 on an 8 ton gear ok. Gotta leave a little room for tare weight.


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## 8350HiTech (Jul 26, 2013)

slowzuki said:


> Other detail I'm going to change is all our old wagons are chained but not bolted so they can lift off the bolster. I've been have trouble with them lifting off and not returning properly after whereas our newer wagons with bolted bolsters have been fine.
> 
> The only bolted bolster wagon we have trouble with is one they tried to use a tubular crossmember welded to the frames. It broke the tube from the torsion, and they rewelded several times before leaving it as it was and its been ok without it.


Everything here is bolted in front (either 5/8" or 3/4") and chained in the rear. If your bed is returning down onto your chassis in the wrong position, your chains are too long.


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## slowzuki (Mar 8, 2011)

Grass hay here, bales about 600 lb



Gearclash said:


> At 1000lb ea I suppose you can get 14 4x5 on an 8 ton gear ok. Gotta leave a little room for tare weight.


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## Gearclash (Nov 25, 2010)

slowzuki said:


> Grass hay here, bales about 600 lb


I see. So much for jumping to conclusions. What about stacking the upper layer 2 wide? 5 long 2 wide lower layer + 4 long single row = 14 bales, 4 long 2 wide + 3 long 2 wide also = 14. I'm leaning toward 2 wide on top and a shorter deck.


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## Beav (Feb 14, 2016)

we have 3 20' on 8 ton gears 3 22' on 8 ton gears 2 22' on 10 ton gears and 2 25' easy-trail decks on 10 ton gears use for sm squares 20' 140 bales,22 170 bales, 25' 200 bales. 22' racks work best with a 10 bale grapple. Haul rounds with a 36' yellow jacket self unloading goose neck


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## slowzuki (Mar 8, 2011)

On the wagons - stacking 2 wide on the top row I'd need to strap i think, I've had bad luck on regular flat decks loosing a bale when double wide no straps.

I jammed 3 bales on the neck of the goose today with the help of the loader and lots of straps, I think a crossmember in the right spot would fit 2 bales very easily, and a short front cross member would get me a 3rd without all the fuss I had today.


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