# Hauling 5x6 bales



## Kasey

Hello, I have been having trouble hauling 5x6 bales on my 8x22 flat trailer. I have tried a few different ways,even straps but I would like what you people are doing


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## swmnhay

Kasey said:


> Hello, I have been having trouble hauling 5x6 bales on my 8x22 flat trailer. I have tried a few different ways,even straps but I would like what you people are doing


Put a single row on top of a double row.It ties them in.


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## Kasey

Would I need to put a strap over every bale. I have managed to dump some off that way with out straps


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## swmnhay

Kasey said:


> Would I need to put a strap over every bale. I have managed to dump some off that way with out straps


Legally yes.

I've never dumped one off the top they are pretty stable unless miss shappen bales that had been previously stacked.


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## chevytaHOE5674

I used to haul a double row on the bottom with a single row on the top to lock the bottom ones in. Straps over each of the top bales and one around the rear two bottom bales pulling down and forward.


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## Tim/South

How many 5x6 rolls can you get down each side of your 22' trailer?

When you put a row on top, down the middle are they fairly stable? People here do not like hauling 6' tall bales because of the height.

Most that tall here are 4' wide though, and unstable.


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## swmnhay

Tim/South said:


> How many 5x6 rolls can you get down each side of your 22' trailer?
> 
> When you put a row on top, down the middle are they fairly stable? People here do not like hauling 6' tall bales because of the height.
> 
> Most that tall here are 4' wide though, and unstable.


5' wide is way more stable then the 4' wide especialy if 6' tall.24' trailer will get 11 bales 8 on bottom and 3 on top.A 22' would be tight to get 11 on unless they are made 5.5' tall


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## Kasey

They are more like 5x5.5. I can get 8 on the bottom, but 8 1500 bales puts me at my load limit


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## carcajou

At the outside edge of the sides, place 4x4's on the deck parallel to the trailer. This raises the outside edges of the bales causing them to tip in slightly. Problem solved


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## Kasey

Thanks for all your replies. My wife will be happy we dont need to buy a round bale trailer


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## Tx Jim

Are your bales level? Most 5' wide bales I see in my area resemble the shape of whiskey barrel because baler operators won't fill the ends of the bales correctly.


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## Tim/South

Kasey said:


> They are more like 5x5.5. I can get 8 on the bottom, but 8 1500 bales puts me at my load limit


That is what I was wondering when I asked how many you could get on the bottom. Your weight restrictions will keep you from putting a row on top to tie in the bottom bales.


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## Kasey

They look level, but the out side is softer so they stack like barrels. Grass is worse than alfalfa. I have tried six on the bottom and two on top with the front and back bottom bales strapped down, that has worked. But for some reason I tried one row of 4 on the bottom and 3 on top strapped down, but I managed to lose the top bales turning into my lane. That's how I discovered the outsides are soft


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## Kasey

I should add that I cut and rake it, but I hire out the baling


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## swmnhay

Kasey said:


> They look level, but the out side is softer so they stack like barrels. Grass is worse than alfalfa. I have tried six on the bottom and two on top with the front and back bottom bales strapped down, that has worked. But for some reason I tried one row of 4 on the bottom and 3 on top strapped down, but I managed to lose the top bales turning into my lane. That's how I discovered the outsides are soft


Make a 5' wide windrow so the baler doesnt have to weave and he can make a squarer bale.Talk it over with the custom baler and see how he wants it raked.A good rake job makes for good bales.


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## Tx Jim

Ditto what swmnhay stated about good windrows.


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## MT hayer

Not very fun hauling marshmallows! I can tell you stories! I sure agree with making the windrow wider. Might have to clue the baler man in, that it helps to weave. Also, only make them 64 inches or so. As for hauling, I use 2 by 4 by 11 guage square tubing, and just weld the size on the bottom, to fit in your stake pockets. They are easy to take off and won't rot. I would say two sections per side, and three pocket pieces per section.

When you go to load, set the one side so the inside is right in the middle of the trailer. Then when you set the other side on, tip the bale down, so it is close the trailer and rail. So the inside and out. Push the bale into the other one, when you think it is centered, set the bale down on the rail. This kind of wedges the two bales against each other and the rail underneath. It works well. Best on a 8 ft 6 inch wide trailer.


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## JD3430

I do 22) 4x5 bales on a 30'x 102" trailer. Typical GCWR on a load is 36-38k. One of the best things I did was crank my baler pressure up from making a 775-800lb bale to a 875lb bale. They are much more solid and stable. They also save me money in hauling them by the ton. However, although my bales are usually symmetrical, I have found almost every bale is tapered slightly on one side or the other. I always load the bottom layer bales with the wider side out over the edge of the trailer about 6" and the tapered side facing inward. I leave a lengthwise gap between (2) rows of bottom 12 bales of about 18". When I do the top 10 bales, I do the same thing, but I butt the insides of the bales together, once again loading the slightly wider sides to the outside, tapered to the inside, but no gap between them. That way there's a slightly tapered lower row with a "ledge" to help hold the upper bales from tipping off. 
I've never lost a bale doing it this way. Cops don't seem to care a wit about AG going down the road 10' wide and I've never come close to a car.
I'm really wanting to buy a bigger transport set-up like a 40' trailer and switch to a 5'x5' bale or maybe a 5'x5.5' bale, carrying more like 30 bales. I just don't know if I can make the load stable when I have the bottom layer butted tight down the middle and another double row up top directly over top top of them. I think I'd have to go to a single row up top. Might not be very efficient. 
I may try to bolt down a strip of 4x4 to add "tilt" to the bales as Carcajou suggested if I ever get to a 5x5 bale. Or use my rub rail stake pockets an fab something up that's more easily removed.


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## 8350HiTech

JD3430 said:


> I do 22) 4x5 bales on a 30'x 102" trailer. Typical GCWR on a load is 36-38k. One of the best things I did was crank my baler pressure up from making a 775-800lb bale to a 875lb bale. They are much more solid and stable. They also save me money in hauling them by the ton. However, although my bales are usually symmetrical, I have found almost every bale is tapered slightly on one side or the other. I always load the bottom layer bales with the wider side out over the edge of the trailer about 6" and the tapered side facing inward. I leave a lengthwise gap between (2) rows of bottom 12 bales of about 18". When I do the top 10 bales, I do the same thing, but I butt the insides of the bales together, once again loading the slightly wider sides to the outside, tapered to the inside, but no gap between them. That way there's a slightly tapered lower row with a "ledge" to help hold the upper bales from tipping off.
> I've never lost a bale doing it this way. Cops don't seem to care a wit about AG going down the road 10' wide and I've never come close to a car.
> I'm really wanting to buy a bigger transport set-up like a 40' trailer and switch to a 5'x5' bale or maybe a 5'x5.5' bale, carrying more like 30 bales. I just don't know if I can make the load stable when I have the bottom layer butted tight down the middle and another double row up top directly over top top of them. I think I'd have to go to a single row up top. Might not be very efficient.
> I may try to bolt down a strip of 4x4 to add "tilt" to the bales as Carcajou suggested if I ever get to a 5x5 bale. Or use my rub rail stake pockets an fab something up that's more easily removed.


Logically, a load should be more stable with your bottom bales touching each other due to the additional friction. I can see no stability advantage to having space down the middle but I absolutely agree that having the sense to load even the slightest narrower diameter end toward the center is the best thing one can do. Also, if you get a bale that leans a bit after strapping, pushing it with the loader while still strapped and then tightening it additionally corrects that.


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## JD3430

8350HiTech said:


> Logically, a load should be more stable with your bottom bales touching each other due to the additional friction. I can see no stability advantage to having space down the middle but I absolutely agree that having the sense to load even the slightest narrower diameter end toward the center is the best thing one can do. Also, if you get a bale that leans a bit after strapping, pushing it with the loader while still strapped and then tightening it additionally corrects that.


The space in the middle allows the upper bales to tilt slightly into the space. 
Works for me anyways.


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## 8350HiTech

JD3430 said:


> The space in the middle allows the upper bales to tilt slightly into the space.
> Works for me anyways.


If the upper bales are tilting into the void, that would yield a slight outward pressure on the bottom rows. Not saying it doesn't work for you but I want gravity pushing my loads straight down, not out.


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## JD3430

8350HiTech said:


> If the upper bales are tilting into the void, that would yield a slight outward pressure on the bottom rows. Not saying it doesn't work for you but I want gravity pushing my loads straight down, not out.


It does, but the straps counter that force. Works great. Shipped like 4,000 bales using this technique with little problem.


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## farmer97

Grapple bucket or bale spear? If you can put some hay sides on your trailer and haul them round side out. Good strong hay sides=no strapping. Unless it's not legal and hauling long distance.


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