Stacking hay

Devin Sparks · Jun 9, 2011

How do you guys stack square bales on a trailer. Every way I stack it they move around and get spaces inbetween the bales making it unstaedy.

Anonymous-0 · Jun 9, 2011

When you say a trailer are you talking a hay rack behind the baler or a semi load to ship down the road?

Tyler Jackson · Jun 9, 2011

If youre talking wagon we go with the 2 sideways next to eachother then oe longways in the middle then 2 more sideways for the first row. then alternate one long way on the far right then 4 sideways, then next row one long way to the far left then 4 sideways, then after 5 rows 4 longways on top for a tie. I know I just butchered explaining that lol. That way 98% of the time holds unless you hit a deep ditch and knock them out of whack.

heavyhaulertoo · Jun 9, 2011

alwayes grab the bail from the left side of the rack. Then walk back to place the hay, never turn the bail end for end. It has to do with the cut side and the bent side,it just works that way.

Devin Sparks · Jun 9, 2011

Flat bed trailer. I have to haul about 30 miles back home from the farm where I have cut hay. I have a hay wagon but need to fix the sides on it. Any ideas would be great on stacking cause it aint working for me!!!!!

Aaron SEIA · Jun 9, 2011

Let me try something.
Bottom row goes like this:
=|=
2 sideways, one long down the center, then 2 sideways. Thats the entire bottom row all the way back.
Second row:
==|
4 sideways, right side long
Third row:
|==
left side long, other 4 sideways.
Alternate row 2 and 3 as high as you want to go. Always end with the top looking like row 1. That give you 5 bales in each unit of layer. 5 layers high is all I go on my trailer, 25 bales in each stack 16' trailer give me 5 stacks, 125 bales. I also have 2 2x6x16 boards bolted to a pice of flat bent so it's about an 18" brace. Toss 3 straps across the top and away we go. Have hauled hundreds of bales that way on a 90 mile trip, never lost one.
AaronSEIA

Don-Wi · Jun 9, 2011

On a trailer, it'll be a bit different, but I stack them 3 wide and then cross a layer every so often, and when I cross the next layer I'll make it so the cross goes back one or 2 more rows.

On a trailer without a back on it, I'd taper in both front and back. I've stacked on a few flat racks without backs and that's what I did then.

Either way, with a 30 mile travel distance, I'd throw a couple straps over the load to hold it down.

Donovan from Wisconsin

showcrop · Jun 9, 2011

In 1965 I was taught to do it the way Aaron shows, so I've done it that way ever since. And like heavy hauler said cut side out. I think that was to keep it from falling over on you on the down hill part because the cut side is always firmer than the pressed side.

fixerupper · Jun 9, 2011

Aaron, that must be the 'Iowa way'. That's the way we stacked them. Hardly ever lost a hay bale but straw was a different story. The old guy that I stacked with made sure I always stacked so the sides were straight, no bales sticking out. If I stacked a bale a little loose or out of place he made me re-stack it, there was no compromise. If the bales from the 24T started getting irregular in length we slowed down and fed the baler slower. The load was like a perfect rectangle. We did not have backs on the racks because we don't have hills to speak of. Jim NW IA

Janicholson · Jun 9, 2011

Indiana adopted Aaron's method in 1932 as the Hoosier standard (by consensus) and never looked back to see if they fell off because they didn't. Jim

Tyler Jackson · Jun 9, 2011

That's the way I was trying to explain lol. That's a good visual aid

snoop-nc · Jun 9, 2011

I concur...almost!! Aaron's 1st layer is not what I do. I just do his 2nd & 3rd layer alternating. That way, there is no break through any 2 layers. The cap layer is 4 bales (==) with middle break in the middle. That way each layer ties together the layer below. Cinch it down longways and you should be good to go....the NC way!!

Good discussion...Thanks

Rick

Devin Sparks · Jun 9, 2011

As usual any time I post here I always learn something. Thanks for all the help. Now if anyone wants to help demonstrate come on out. Only have about 500 more bales to get up.

The Swanndri Guy · Jun 10, 2011

... If you pay for the airfare to the US from Enzed return, I'll give you a hand to pick up your hay! We stack it just like Aaron. TSG.

Keith Molden · Jun 10, 2011

I've found that around here, people are making their bales shorter than we do. Mine are all about 36" bales so Arron's way is the way we've always stacked. A neighbor that I bale for only wants a 30" bale and she wants them about 20 lbs. They are a bear to stack any way--too loose and too short to stack... But she can't handle them by herself to feed if they are any heavier- 70+ years old and still taking care of her horses. She's a good person so I do what she wants. Keith

4 bottem · Jun 10, 2011

Alternate twine up and twine side horizontal will lock up your load better.

Janicholson · Jun 10, 2011

True if they are square in crossection. if not it gets wierd. jim

bc · Jun 10, 2011

So what is the best way to load a pickup with bales when the pickup has a tool box across the bed behind the cab and wheel wells that stick up in the bed (ford F150 extended cab)? It's a short bed 6.5 feet long. Thanks.

Mike (WA) · Jun 10, 2011

In an 8' pickup, put 4 on edge across the front, 3 on edge between the wheelwells, 4 on edge in the back, with the tailgate down. In your situation, would have to experiment. But you need a tailgate on the pickup (and down), and need 4 on edge across the back. Front doesn't matter much- fill it out as best you can- they're not gonna fall off the front. The 4 across the back could hang out over the tailgate a little bit, if spacing makes it necessary.

tg in VA · Jun 10, 2011

I stack mine 5 wide, all parallel to the axis of the trailer, the next layer has the center bale parallel to the axis of the trailer and then two bales crosswise on each side of and butting up to the center bale. I alternate the stacks for five layers and then I strap the stack and rachet it down tight, then I repeat the process along the length of the trailer. On my flatbed gooseneck, I load six stacks of 25 for a total of 150 bales. It makes for a nice load and 150 bales isn't too hard to load and then unload and stack, especially of you're by yourself.

The straps are the key. I know a lot of guys are purists and stack so you don't need straps BUT, it only takes one time loosing half the load on a busy road to make you a believer in strapping each stack.

farmer boy · Jun 10, 2011

Using symbols like Aaron. --- for the first layer. then l--l for the second layer. Front to back 6 layers ligh 7th layer is just -- centered. Front is just whatever it takes to make them stay on, and as many as possible. Some wagons stack better then others. Should be able to get about 200 on on an 18 foot wagon, by the time you figure on unusable space on the front. there are better ways to do it but this seems to hold together

Stacking hay

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