# Hay hauling and trailer size



## reede (May 17, 2010)

Okay, here is a question for some of you with a bit more experience than me at hauling hay in volume. I have a customer for some hay this spring that will be coming significant distance. They will be coming for 300 bales in one delivery. I know that a flatbed tractor trailer will do more than that. If you were going to haul a load that size, what size trailer would you want to carry it. ~65 lb square bales, 14 x 18.

Thanks.

Reed


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## danwi (Mar 6, 2015)

300 x 65= 19,500lbs so it would have to be a trailer rated over 20,000 even if you put 5,000 pounds on the truck so it would have to be a an aluminum trailer to make those weights work. I know A 30ft trailer would work for 45 lb bales maybe the 65lbs may need a little more space. If I had to haul them I would use a semi and 45 ft flatbed or an enclosed van depending on distance weather and other factors.


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## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

40' gooseneck flatbed should do it......depending on physical size and weight, hand loaded?


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## slowzuki (Mar 8, 2011)

Our bales are closer to 45 lb /33" - 300 bales is a really big load on our 23 ft goose, 250 more reasonable. Used to do 250 on the old 27 ft with 50 bales on the truck quite nicely.

For the size you're talking about really need 30+ foot tandem dually.


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## Teslan (Aug 20, 2011)

Shouldn't that be your customers problem to figure out?


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## reede (May 17, 2010)

Thanks, guys. Yes, it is the customer's responsibility, I'm just trying to help out and make sure things go smoothly when the time comes.


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## 8350HiTech (Jul 26, 2013)

30-32' tandem dual


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## glasswrongsize (Sep 15, 2015)

Loading with a grapple, I put 300 on a 32' trailer. 14x18x34 bales.

Mark


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## skyrydr2 (Oct 25, 2015)

This is 300 bales, 106 on small trailer and the rest on 18' gooseneck. We usually haul 250 on the gooseneck at 50# a bale.
Sides make all the difference!
Oh and we install a small shelf on the rear so the trailer deck is actually 20' with the last row hanging over by a foot sometimes.
35 bales to a row 7 rows deep with 5 on top down the middle. They are packed tight and travel very well.
Small trailer is 12' 7000# unit.
We do 16 on deck and 18 there after as high as 7 tiers or 124 bales. Then throw another 26 on the truck and that 1/2 has 150 bale load. And handles it like a dream. Although when I bought the truck I had no intentions of hauling hay with it or the trailer! Just my garden tractors.. next thing I know I have a 97hp tractor and making 5500 plus bales my first season... DOH! I normally do row crops and got rope-a-doped into beef..now hay.. good grief....


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## thendrix (May 14, 2015)

Is your gooseneck a special made? The axles are a long way back there.


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## skyrydr2 (Oct 25, 2015)

thendrix said:


> Is your gooseneck a special made? The axles are a long way back there.


 It used to have a beaver tail but they clipped it before we got it. Ended up getting that trailer in a hay deal. Customer traded it for hay.
It works well for hauling hay and pallets but not so good for equipment, too high especially with out a dove tail.


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## Shetland Sheepdog (Mar 31, 2011)

Sky, I have a 24' deck over flat, that works fine for my tractors. It has 8' ramps, (heavy) but work fine for occasional use. I have "loading docks" where I'm apt to be moving to/from routinely.


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## skyrydr2 (Oct 25, 2015)

Shetland, your a lucky dog having loading ramps and docks! Not so here! I have only one place that I can back equipment on and off and even that is not ideal.


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## Shetland Sheepdog (Mar 31, 2011)

I got 3 "jersey barriers" for the hauling! 1 at the farm, where I am now! 1 in New Boston where I was! 1 at my son's! Since I've "landed" here in Hollis, I seldom use any, or the trailer, for that matter! Prolly been 5 months since I even hitched to the trailer! But, it's there if I want it!


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