Building hay wagon rack

[Anonymous-0]

I have an old running gear that I want to build a rack on. I am going to make it 8'x16' by using 4"x8" x16' stringers then lay 2x6x8' boards across.
How do you guys fasten the deck boards to the stringers?

Thanks
Gary

 

[Anonymous-0]

toenail first then place pieces of angle iron placed vertically every so often (like every other one)

 

[Anonymous-0]

If your going to lay them flat you could do it two ways one would be to screw them to the top of the stringers or bolt an angle iron to the side of the stringers and then bolt the cross pieces to the angle. If on edge just set them and then like he said put an angle iron up the side. A chain around the axleand stringer works better than those bolts through the side to the bolsterjust 2 chains one on each side front or rear. We always put them on the heaviest end empty.

 

[Don-Wi]

The last 2 I built I used 2x Pine and nailed them on with 20 penny ring-shank spikes.

I'm looking at using hard wood for the next one, in which case I'll probably buy a length or 2 of 1x1x1/8" angle iron, drill 2 holes in it for a 5/16 bolt on both sides and offsetting them to not interfere with each other, then bolt them all down. Probably use lag screws into the stringers, after pre-drilling a pilot hole for the screw.

Sounds like you're using treated pine (could be wrong) so I'd just use a big ring shank nail and a bigger hammer. I use our biggest ball pein we've got on the farm to drive those suckers, I think it's a 24 oz. Not sure though.

I also make pockets for the backs to fit into, so there is no actual bolts directly holding the back to the wagon. Makes it a quick job to pull the back off when not wanted or needed, and if the back happens to catch on something and break, it's just the 2x4 for the upright and nothing else. Takes all of an hour max to replace the broken upright and the rest of the wagon is fine.

Donovan from Wisconsin

 

[paul]

Don, that is much like dad made decades ago, & I just rebuilt one 2 weeks ago.

I used 5/4 treated deck boards for the floor.

Those side 2x8 (what I used) go on the bottom, not on top like yours. I understand on top holds the load on, but under gives better support, and we nail a lathe down each side on top, holds the load on & is easier to pull the bales off over the thin lathe. Frankly I stack a pretty solid load, hay doesn't move - straw is so light & slippery need the lathes.

Across the front & back is an 8 foot angle iron, helps support the rack from sagging with my thinner cross boards. The iron is sandwitched between the stringer & the floor, front one angle is down, back one the angle is up for a small lip. As well makes a metal bumper, doesn't chip the wood up so bad when tapping into things.

As well dad made 2 angle irons that bolt to the bottom of the stringer, and angle up to both side 2x8s. This also keeps the sides from drooping down.

So, there are 4 angle irons supporting the side rals, keeps the deck real level even with actual 1 inch planks (dad used home-sawef actual 1 inch). Makes for a sturdy but lighter rack.

We do the rear rack like you do, slips right off when not needed.

Dad nailed the boards down, on the 2x edges used long nails & clinched them over.

That musta been 30 years ago, or more, lasted until this year.

He put tin over the stringers, they were perfect yet when I pulled the old planks off, I bought new tin & did the same. Keeps the bit of hay that piles into the cracks from rotting the stringers.

I used my air framing nailer, nailed planks down. Figure stainless screws if any planks want to work loose.

I cut an inch off each side after putting it together, so it _could_ fit in the 8 foot wide doors here if it _had_ to. Also mine are 14 feet 2 inches long, neither of us felt like walking that extra 2 feet with every bale.

--->Paul

 

[Don-Wi]

The one pictured is 8x18. I don't mind stacking on the extra 2' vs. the other 4 16' racks we've got, and you can get that extra little bit of hay on it.

The back wasn't my idea, but stolen from another old wagon we got at auction a while back. Very easy to build and very simple design.

Donovan from Wisconsin

 

[buickanddeere]

Lean the rear vertical rack back approx 6" at the top. The bales stay on much better and the bales fit better on the front when finishing the load.
Our back racks are high enough to come level with the top of the 6th row of bales. It adds load stability on hills.
If the rack has some flex it's less likely to toss a load. And it's not as rough to ride when baling.

 

[Don-Wi]

I'd say I'm atleast a good tank of gas and a day's drive from any part of Minnesota. I'm over in the East Central/Northeast corner of the state.

Donovan from Wisconsin

 

[keh]

If you are using treated lumber, I would use galvanized nails and bolts to keep them from rusting.

KEH

 

[Anonymous-0]

Hi Don,
Thanks for the pictures. That is about what I had in mind to do although I don't need a back board as I will not be hauling hay with it, just moving junk around on the place.

Your stringers look like they are 6x6? Did you put anything on top of the axle to raise the stringers up to get whell clearance?

I am trying to find some white ash for the stringers and deck boards. I would like to use 4"x8"x16' stringers and 2"x6"x8' deck boards. I saw some discussions in the archives that suggested that the white ash holds up about the best over time.

Someone suggested bolts or screws to hold the deck boards down. If using lag bolts thru the deck and into the stringers then the heads would stick up?
If I were to put angle iron under the deck and lag into the stringers then I suppose I could use carriage bolts thru the deck boards and into the angle iron?
Should I use one or two bolts on each side on the deck boards to keep them from warping?

I don't suppose that I could nail into hardwood.

Don, where in Wisconsin are you? I am 100 miles north of Green Bay by Iron Mountain Michigan.

Thanks to all for the suggestions.
Gary

 

[Leroy]

Donovan. I wish I could see the wheels beter, is that a closed center rim? With 5 lugs? Could it be a COOP brand wagon? Some of the rims with the closed center were 6 lug as a wagon I have that was made at Troy, OH. Cannot remember the manufactures name. The frame of yours is different than mine and that is why I am wondering if it is a COOP.

 

[Don-Wi]

It's actually a closed center 6 on 6 1/2" bolt pattern. The running gear was made by Better Bilt. We've got several of these wagons with several different bolt patterns, this is the only one with the closed center rim though.

I tightened up the steering on this one and tightened the wheel bearings, it'll go down the road at 65mph straight as an arrow. Best wagohn we've ever had. The rest still pull pretty good yet also, but I've gotta tighten up the steering on the front of them sometime.

I've seen this style rim on some other things in the area, mainly some 2 wheel trailers here & there, one was under a generator and the other was on a golf course. We had 2 running gears with this style wheel, but one got jack knifed going down a steep hill with a load and bent the front end really bad.

Donovan from Wisconsin

 

[Anonymous-0]

Where is the Amish sawmill? I'm not far from Harmony, and have a few projects that need some white oak.

andrew

 

[Leroy]

They sure look like the same type I have, mine are 16" and they like to break the edge of the wheel right where the bead seated to the center of tire and the outside part of bead, right in that bend. 2 of four are welded at that point and a third borke so bad I had to have the rim removed from the disc and anouther welded on. None to be found here and the trailers the Hobart welders were mounted on used the same rim. Coop was a 5 lug and slightly smaller bolt circle.

 

[Don-Wi]

these are 16" as well, I the rims are atleast 6" wide, could be more but I'm not sure. A 7.50-16 or a 235-75 R16 fit really nice. Never had a problem on our rims breaking out.

Where are you from?

Donovan from Wisconsin

 

[Leroy]

6:50x16 is what I have on mine, think the 7:50 would be a bit wide but haven't tried them on these wheels but other wheels made for a 6:00-6:50x16 tire I have 7:50 on and they work OK, think they are 4 1/2" rims. Located in Ohio just off I75 and 100 mile south of Toledo, Oh. and 70 mile north of Dayton, Oh., 40 mile north of Troy, Oh. Just retired from farming this spring and rented out what land I had left. Still have a bunch of machinery.

 

[Don-Wi]

The stringers under this wagon were scabbed off a green feed wagon we had that was rotted up, but the stringers were good yet. You got it right that they're 6x6 treated pine. Not my 1st choice, but we didn't have to pay for them so i won't argue. I did have to weld some tube to the running gear to raise it up a little, if I remember right it was some 2 1/2 x 2 1/2 square tube.

For the deck boards, if you use bolts I would use 2 per stringer on each one, like you said a carriage head fomr the top for the deck and lag screws into the stringers. For the angle brackets you would have to make them say 5" long, then drill the holes 1/2" in then 3 1/2" in, then on the other side of the angle go 1 1/2" in and 4 1/2" in so the bolts don't interfere with each other.

You could nail hardwood, you'd just have to drill a pilot hole a little smaller than the nail you're useing.


I'm about 20-30 miles SW of Green Bay in Kaukauna. If you follow 41 down you'll be on the opposite side of town as I'm on.

Donovan from Wisconsin