Bolting or Chaining Beams to Wagon?

Negligence · Jun 19, 2010

Making progress on my 24' wagon build, but I'm not sure whether I should bolt or chain (or a combination of both?) the two beams to the running gear.

I've seen people recommend just bolting, just chaining, or a bit of both. Loosely bolting all four corners seemed like the best idea but I'd like to hear your thoughts.

flying belgian · Jun 19, 2010

We always bolt the rear two and chain the front just enough slack in chains so it can't jump out of stakes.

Bob Bancroft · Jun 19, 2010

Great question. I'd say it depends....... on the running gear and the rack. They're both going to have to be able to stand the twisting if they're fastened solidly together.
I would think blocks to keep a rack from sliding, and chains to keep it from jumping off would be ideal.
I have a brand new 300bu. Unverferth box on a new 12 ton gear. They have it clearly marked and bolted TIGHT on all FOUR corners. When it's empty it'll pick one wheel right off the ground on uneven terrain. Can I assume the engineers know what they're doing?
Seems like from years ago when everything was handled on flat racks and gravity boxes I can remember uprights damaged frequently. So I guess we were expecting them to do a lot more than they were built to do.

Negligence · Jun 19, 2010

I forgot to mention that the rear axles are the "walking" axle type, they are not solid in place. So that added flexibility is different than most wagons... so I might be just fine bolted at all four corners. There are already holes in each of the stakes/lips where the beam sits against.

M Nut · Jun 19, 2010

On my 20ft wagons I prefer chains on each corner. Has always worked well for me.

tom upton · Jun 19, 2010

I dont think you want to fasten your sills solid to wagon axles at all. I have put steel beams in 5 of my hay wagons and just weld a keeper both sides of the upright on the axles to keep rack from moving back and forth on undercarriage. I suppose if you are going over extremly unlevel ground a limiting chain would keep sills from coming up to far. The only time I ever had a problem was with a wagon that had too much overhang out past the back axle. We where buiding a big load of hay and front came up. Gave the guy building the load a bit of a ride!!

ErnieD · Jun 19, 2010

Good advice here

JD Seller · Jun 19, 2010

The John Deere 1275 wagon you are using was made for mostly forage boxes. They had a special mount that allowed it to rock up and down but kept it from moving back and forth.
I would not bolt it solid that will put too much stress on your bed and it will eventually break something. I would weld stops in front of and behind each bolster. Then lope a chain around the whole frame with it just tight enough to not come off of the bolster. Look on line at Meyer forage boxes and gears. They have a mount like I just described.

DuaneWKKC · Jun 19, 2010

Dont think it really matters, I have NEVER EVER NEVER seen a loaded wagon where the bed did not sit on the running gear whatever the terrain or twist the wagon was on. If you dont want your wagon bed to flex, better only run it on flat ground loaded.

Leroy · Jun 20, 2010

Absoutly correct, Mine were always bolted solid on all 4 corners, hopper or flat bed, the only one that was not was the old wood box bed that did not have sills under and is only 42" wide and 10 1/2' long.

dieseldoc · Jun 20, 2010

all my forage wagons are chained so they can flex. i would not want them bolted.

kyhayman · Jun 20, 2010

I usually bolt the left front and right rear, the chain the left rear and right front.

Kevin Schmidt · Jun 20, 2010

Yep, that hold up the best

Unless the running gear had a front bolster

kevin

Bolting or Chaining Beams to Wagon?

Negligence

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flying belgian

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Bob Bancroft

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Negligence

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M Nut

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tom upton

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ErnieD

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JD Seller

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DuaneWKKC

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Leroy

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dieseldoc

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kyhayman

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Kevin Schmidt

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