Hay Wagon chains

[SHALER]

I will be repairing or rebuilding a thrower bale wagon over the winter. Most of the bale wagons i have seen have a loop of chain wrapped over each main beam and then around the rear axle. therefore the beams at the rear of the wagon are not bolted to the rear wagon gear supports but are allowed to float to account for flex in the wagon when traveling over uneven ground. My question is the length of the chains----how many inches of flex should the chains allow for maximum?

 

[matthies]

On the racks my Dad made in the 1960's, the rear wood beams were bolted and the front was allowed to float on the pivoting bolster with chains. And remember the sack was enough for the bolster to pivot but not bottom out having the chain stopping it before that happened. These were Electric running gears with more than likely a Deere bolster. These were not thrower wagons, but we rode on the racks and stacked. So I guess you would need to allow it to flex to the point you are comfortable with and so the wagon doesn't go over.

 

[will-max dairy]

At home growing up, dad had the local "farm-welder" do a winter project; and he built two frames for 8 x 16 thrower racks. The main beams were 8" C channel. The cross members were 4" C channel. The frame of the "basket" on top was 2-1/2" x 1/4" angle iron. I gave those details to relay the impression that these thrower racks are stiff. They don't flex like a wooden rack. They needed to float from the running gears, because they were stiffer than the running gears. If they didn't float, and you went over uneven ground... you might end up with a bent running gear... lol.

These racks were not bolted to the running gears anywhere.

There were bumpers on the main beams ahead of the front axle of the running gear and behind the rear axle of the running gear. Once the rack was put in place, the bumpers gave it maybe an inch or two of slide from front to back.

Then there was a chain wrapped around the main beam at one side of the front; and another chain at the opposite side of the back. These chains allowed a few inches of give... enough to allow the running gear to float... but not enough to allow the main beam to get high enough that the bumper wouldn't catch.

Those racks have lasted 50 years without a rollover or that type of incident.

They were also a pleasure to work with, as the rear of the racks were stiff enough to push against. Much stiffer than any steel kicker rack that I've ever seen for sale. We could push the wagons up the ramp into bank barns using a bumper on the front of the tractor or a loader. They also didn't sway and rack like wooden racks did.

(This is meant more as a tribute to the old guy that did our farm welding than a brag. He was a real cowboy engineer, and got dad out of a lot of pinches...and welded up some really tough and novel stuff for dad. The "weight box" on our old Farmall 706 was a welded assembly of his design... it mated with the rear of the haywagons, so the 706 could push them into the barn. It also served to hold weights of just about any shape... to hold the front of the 706 down when it pulled the 4 bottom plows. And... we would often throw a bale of twine in there, along with maybe a tool box... when the 706 was the "runner" hauling wagons back and forth. It always had twine or tools for whoever was doing the baling with the 856. Good old Bill Riesel... been gone about 30 years now... they don't make many like him any more.)

 

[will-max dairy]

PS... We have wooden racks on the farm that my wife and I run. With the price of steel and labor, there's no way that I could have a modern Bill Riesel make the same type of steel racks that are still in place on the home farm.

Anyway... I used the same method with the wooden racks. I bought them, not made them; and had to modify them to have bumpers. They were Amish built, and the Amish builders tried to bolt them at one place and chain the others. The bolts were too small and one of them sheared while I was baling on a hill. Fortunately the chains held the wagon from sliding right off the running gear. After I got it back in place... I installed bumpers on the main beams and chained opposite corners, like dad's wagons were done.

 

[caterpillar guy]

Boy I guess we over built wagons here. We use 4x12 timbers for the main beams on edge with a plank about the same height as the beams then put a rod through the timbers and tighten them tight to hold the cross plank in between them so they can't tip sideways All cross members are bolted with an angle iron on them to the main beams. bolsters were made high enough to be about the same height as the main beams. These are all truck axles so needed that much height to clear the top of the tires. They are also 22 feet long and the other is the truck frame with cross members on the frame and is 24 feet long. Used to load alone and keep up with the baler. The first set was the most work and hardest to keep up with after that it was pretty easy and would have a little over 200 on the load with the 24 footer. We cjained the end at either end and the other just floats for flexibility.

 

[flying belgian]

I will be repairing or rebuilding a thrower bale wagon over the winter. Most of the bale wagons i have seen have a loop of chain wrapped over each main beam and then around the rear axle. therefore the beams at the rear of the wagon are not bolted to the rear wagon gear supports but are allowed to float to account for flex in the wagon when traveling over uneven ground. My question is the length of the chains----how many inches of flex should the chains allow for maximum?

Enough so it can't fall out of the pockets.

 

[will-max dairy]

Boy I guess we over built wagons here. We use 4x12 timbers for the main beams on edge with a plank about the same height as the beams then put a rod through the timbers and tighten them tight to hold the cross plank in between them so they can't tip sideways All cross members are bolted with an angle iron on them to the main beams. bolsters were made high enough to be about the same height as the main beams. These are all truck axles so needed that much height to clear the top of the tires. They are also 22 feet long and the other is the truck frame with cross members on the frame and is 24 feet long. Used to load alone and keep up with the baler. The first set was the most work and hardest to keep up with after that it was pretty easy and would have a little over 200 on the load with the 24 footer. We cjained the end at either end and the other just floats for flexibility.

You have to "overbuild" wooden wagons. These sound pretty tight.

 

[Loosehandle]

At home growing up, dad had the local "farm-welder" do a winter project; and he built two frames for 8 x 16 thrower racks. The main beams were 8" C channel. The cross members were 4" C channel. The frame of the "basket" on top was 2-1/2" x 1/4" angle iron. I gave those details to relay the impression that these thrower racks are stiff. They don't flex like a wooden rack. They needed to float from the running gears, because they were stiffer than the running gears. If they didn't float, and you went over uneven ground... you might end up with a bent running gear... lol.

These racks were not bolted to the running gears anywhere.

There were bumpers on the main beams ahead of the front axle of the running gear and behind the rear axle of the running gear. Once the rack was put in place, the bumpers gave it maybe an inch or two of slide from front to back.

Then there was a chain wrapped around the main beam at one side of the front; and another chain at the opposite side of the back. These chains allowed a few inches of give... enough to allow the running gear to float... but not enough to allow the main beam to get high enough that the bumper wouldn't catch.

Those racks have lasted 50 years without a rollover or that type of incident.

They were also a pleasure to work with, as the rear of the racks were stiff enough to push against. Much stiffer than any steel kicker rack that I've ever seen for sale. We could push the wagons up the ramp into bank barns using a bumper on the front of the tractor or a loader. They also didn't sway and rack like wooden racks did.

(This is meant more as a tribute to the old guy that did our farm welding than a brag. He was a real cowboy engineer, and got dad out of a lot of pinches...and welded up some really tough and novel stuff for dad. The "weight box" on our old Farmall 706 was a welded assembly of his design... it mated with the rear of the haywagons, so the 706 could push them into the barn. It also served to hold weights of just about any shape... to hold the front of the 706 down when it pulled the 4 bottom plows. And... we would often throw a bale of twine in there, along with maybe a tool box... when the 706 was the "runner" hauling wagons back and forth. It always had twine or tools for whoever was doing the baling with the 856. Good old Bill Riesel... been gone about 30 years now... they don't make many like him any more.)

Wonder what they weighed empty? Sounds like a lot.

 

[495man]

I've done a few wooden racks. I bolt the front beams to the stake pockets and then use chain loop on the back bunk

 

[will-max dairy]

Wonder what they weighed empty? Sounds like a lot.

a lot...for their size...

But they were only 8 x 16, and with all of the side hills and other conditions that we baled under; a small, more rigid wagon was worth the extra weight to make it.

We were part of a big, extended family with a few farms in the area. When we got out onto open, flat areas, we would often borrow one of my uncle's or another brother's wagons that were of relatively light construction and either 8 x 18 or 9 x 20.