# # of bales on trailers



## TheGreenOasis (Apr 20, 2019)

Hey Guys!

I'd like to know how many 100 lb, 3 string bales are able to be hauled on:

48' Flatbed
53' Flatbed
48' Stepdeck
53' Stepdeck

Thanks!


----------



## Tx Jim (Jun 30, 2014)

Way back in the 80's when I drove a truck for a JD dealer I hauled IIRC 620 small sq bales of Alfalfa on a 53' flatbed.
HTH's, Jim


----------



## haybaler101 (Nov 30, 2008)

TheGreenOasis said:


> Hey Guys!
> I'd like to know how many 100 lb, 3 string bales are able to be hauled on:
> 48' Flatbed
> 53' Flatbed
> ...


Assuming a roughly 30,000 lb. empty weight, I would say about 500. Tight alfalfa bales will gross weight before it becomes an oversized load.


----------



## Tx Jim (Jun 30, 2014)

Cab-over truck & trailer I piloted weighed around 25,000 # empty.


----------



## haybaler101 (Nov 30, 2008)

Tx Jim said:


> Cab-over truck & trailer I piloted weighed around 25,000 # empty.


Ok, so you get an extra 50 bales!


----------



## Tx Jim (Jun 30, 2014)

haybaler101 said:


> Ok, so you get an extra 50 bales!


Not all Alfalfa small sq bales weight 100#s. The way my calculator determines the gross weight of the load I was referring to is 620 X 80#s = 49,600#s + truck/trailer of 25,000#s is under 80,000#s by a few 1000#s but I didn't drive across a scale between Artesia,Nm & N Texas to determine for sure. DOT scales weren't as plentiful in the 80's as they are today.


----------



## Ray 54 (Aug 2, 2014)

TheGreenOasis said:


> Hey Guys!
> 
> I'd like to know how many 100 lb, 3 string bales are able to be hauled on:
> 
> ...


The only answer is you need to know the weight of each piece of equipment. Because 80,000 gross is all that is legal. With nice bales I assume all could be overweight without being over height.

But the last alfalfa hay I bought showed up as a closer to 90,000 gross than 80,000 load. It was not on the brokers own truck,so no idea who made the decision to haul that much load.


----------

