[chh]

My neighbor hauls hay for some fields he has about 35 miles form his cattle operation on a 32' trailer with tandem duals and 10k axles behind a 1 ton dually. His bales are 5.5.x5 and he hauls 5 rows 2 wide on the bottom and 4 bales stacked on top. 14 bales a trip. He says he hasn't had any trouble hauling this way. The bales are grass hays 1200 to 1400 lbs max. That actually puts him over width but currently we can get away with that in Oklahoma if the truck has farm tags. Many guys are going to the 35' inline bale trailers that self dump if they deliver or move a lot of hay. Those trailers run about $3,800 locally and thats really all you can use one for. Another freind uses a dual 7k axle trailer and a 3/4 ton truck the same way you describe with 4'x5' or 4x6'bales and does not generally double stack and makes 10 bale loads. A railroad tie strapped across the back of the ramps as a stop makes him feel more secure when loading. Extra long ratchet straps down the length of the tops secures them for road transport pretty well.