Anyone make there own hayrack?

GoJDpuller · Feb 5, 2009

It seems hard to find anyone selling a hayrack, has anyone made there own? What did you do and how much did it cost? Im going to a auction saturday and the have some gravity wagons on the bill. I was thinking if the price was right I could get it just to use the running gear. What your opinion? thanks.

Dairy Farmer in WI · Feb 5, 2009

my dad made one 2 years ago. took the stringers off an old chopperbox. i believe his is a `14? by 8. biggest mistake he made was using treated deck boards for the floor. slippery as heck. the rest is all treated wood and i believe it cost somewhere around $3-500.
my 2 cents
DF in WI

Anonymous-0 · Feb 5, 2009

Yes, I made rails of a C section of three 2x6 and then used 2x8 crosswise for the planks. I put a 2x4 around the perimeter to hold the bales on. The rails were a little weak, but held up to 165 bales each about 45 pounds. 16' long, 8' wide. 3x8 on edge would have made stiffer rails.

Gerald J.

omahagreg · Feb 5, 2009

Friend of mine bought a 'tipped over' gravity box, used the running gear to build a giant hay wagon. No clue on cost, but it sure looked good, and needed a stout tractor to start and stop! Greg

M Nut · Feb 5, 2009

If you're anywhere near MN, I have an 8x16 with MN 9 ton gear and steel thrower sides that are removable, and a friend of mine has an 8x16 with a square bale back on a MN 6 ton gear. Both have good beds.

Michael Soldan · Feb 5, 2009

I've built four in the last five years. I build 16'x8'. I get sills cut at the local saw mill 3"x10", although I built one with sill made from 2-2"x10"'s and 3/4"plywood between, glued, nailed and bolted. I then use 2"x8" for decking and bolt 1"x4" top and bottom of the decking all the way around the edges..makes a good solid sturdy rack, then soak it with water seal. I bought two old running gears that came from under old hopper wagons, cleaned them, repacked bearings, a few tires here and there, coat of paint and the wagon looks great..$100 for each running gear, about all they are worth because they usually need bearings or seals and paint and tires.

RayP(MI) · Feb 5, 2009

Bought a dandy gear and rack last fall at auction for $600. Home made rack with treated lumber. 8x18 footer, owner said he could put 170 or so bales on it. I don't intend to go that heavy! Can hardly wait to start loading it up behind the baler this summer.

RayP(MI) · Feb 5, 2009

Going to do one this spring - got a old forage wagon gear from late father-in-law's estate. Let me know how you make out on yours. Post photos! I'm planning on seeing the local Amish sawmill, and seeing what they can supply me in oak or other hardwood.

Paul from MI · Feb 5, 2009

I have built several using old homemade running gears. Gears had old car front axles, which tells you how cheap I am. I used treated 4x6s for the stringers and treated 2x4s for the cross supports. 2x2x1/8 angle iron makes a good means to fasten them to the stringers. The deck was made from 5/4x6 deck lumber laid lengthwise. I used a 5/4x2 strip all around the edges to help keep the bales from sliding. Size can be to suit, but I made them 7-1/2' x 15'. I could easily get 96-100 bales on them, more if needed. With some homemade side boards they doubles as ear corn wagons. Fasten everything with deck screw to prevent corrosion.
Paul

Anonymous-0 · Feb 5, 2009

I have a neighbor who was building hayracks a few years ago. I can give you his number if you want it. Located in eastern Nebraska.

Anonymous-0 · Feb 5, 2009

Here is one I built last summer. I got the gear from an old silage wagon for $100, had the stringer and 4x6 lumber laying around and bought the deck lumber for $130. Paid for itself in no time hauling kids to the punkin patch.....shown here with my buddy Fred showing off his corn silk "doo"

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HENRY E NC · Feb 5, 2009

Hay wagons can be easily made from a frame from an old pickup truck that still as the steering gear on it. Bolt 16foot 4x6's as longetudinal stringers and 4x4 on top of that every 3 feet. Add a deck and tongue and awat you go. Henry. PS you can also buy the running gear from Northern tools at northerntools.com. Cost according to wweight capacity. Henry

Kelly C · Feb 5, 2009

Click over to my web site. I have step by step instructions on how I built a hay rack with a materials list and cost. When you get to the site look in the red pane on the left. There is a link " How to build a hay rack"

Click here

Anonymous-0 · Feb 6, 2009

Somebody has to build them. They sure as billyhell don't magically appear!

RickL · Feb 6, 2009

it just all depends on the crowd that day,I built unit last fall 20ft stringers out of 8 2x12, decking 10ft, 2 x 10 bed equals 18ft long by 10ft wide. back rack looks like bleachers. 210 to load and don't touch a bale. Made it to match mu accumulator bundles. All the rest for hay wagons I use 28ft donahue machinery trailers. Cheaper than yoy can build hay rackes in most cases and can be used for alot of other uses. biggest mistake I see made majority of time is vertical back rack,don't do it this way either make it stair step style or lean it to the back some,that way all bales will be offset each row as you stack and the front when full will look like steps real rides nice that way when done . I could do picture of unit if want, but for you it may be to large bit could do same just smaller

GordoSD · Feb 6, 2009

Timely thread as I have spent the last three days building one.
I bought a JD gear with an old gravity box at auction last summer. I didn't want the box, so I walked over to the back bidder and asked him if he wanted it. He said absolutely, that's all I did want. So witht eh help of a couple of bystanders we lifted the box off and he paid me for it.
Watch when you buy for one with 15 inch tires, This one had 14's and if you want new rubber, the 5 rib implement tires now retail at 90 bucks.
Two of the 8 bearings were toast. Lucky I made it home. Next time I would have a jack and tools to pop the wheels off.
I made logitudinals from laminated 2x8's and 3/4 marine plywood. Going across these with the flooring.

Anyone make there own hayrack?

GoJDpuller

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Dairy Farmer in WI

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Anonymous-0

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omahagreg

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M Nut

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Michael Soldan

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RayP(MI)

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RayP(MI)

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Paul from MI

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Anonymous-0

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Anonymous-0

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HENRY E NC

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Kelly C

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Anonymous-0

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RickL

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GordoSD

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