I Need a Longer Trailer

[JESSE1]

Hauled a load of hay this evening. I had baled this hay last fall on a field about 20 miles away. I thought I could get five rows side by side but I had increased the size of the bales so this was as much as could be loaded. Bales are about 1500#'s, baled with a John Deere 535 baler. Total of twelve.
Trailer is a 28' Fleetneck with dual 12,000# axles, GVWR of 24,000#'s. Truck is an F-450 with a GCWR of 29,000#'s. I'm thinking about a 32' trailer with at least 12,000# axles and with 19.5" wheels like the truck has.

[Diamondpilot]

I love that truck. How is the 6.4 treating you and those low gear? Which do you have the 4.33's or the 4.80's? How about mpg?

Chris

[rutwad]

Could you get 2 bales on the rear with a center pop-up? Then 1 more on top and 1 more on the neck. That should be enough weight!

[JESSE1]

I have the 4.30 axle ratio. The 6.4 has been an extremely smooth and powerful engine. Fuel mileage running empty may be as high as 14 mpg if you keep your speed down. Towing--don't even think about the mileage. Ford doesn't offer the 4.88 axle ratio now on the F-450 pickups built after 1/1/08. They've raised the GCWR to 33,000# on all F-450 pickups. My truck was built in October so it is rated at 29,000# GCWR.

[texasjohn]

I understand your dilema... you want to keep trips to a minimum...If you do the math, it may help. How many fewer trips would you have to make to pay for the new trailer??

You currently haul 12 bales = 8.3 trips = 9 trips for 100 bales

If you get one more bale on the neck = 13 = 7.7 trips = 8 trips for 100 bales

So, 1 less trip = 40 miles = 40/8mpg (guess) = 5 gallons*$3.50= $17.50
plus, of course, your time, etc....

If you can manage to get 15 bales per trip as suggested, you would need
6.6 trips = 7 total... Your tractor is certainly capable of properly lifting and centering a bale anywhere on your trailer.

A 32' trailer would haul 5 on a side plus a row down the middle
10+4+1 (maybe on the end) = 15 bales again... = the same 7 trips.

All things considered, you may be at a sweet spot.... the longer trailer will have more difficulty getting into and out of tight fields.

Of course, there could be other overriding reasons to swap out trailers and other loads you wish to carry that require the 32' trailer.

[JESSE1]

You're right about the size of the trailer. The reason I didn't buy a longer trailer to begin with was that the shorter trailer would be easier to get into and out of pastures. Usually I can load 5 per side but I increased the size of the bale to nearly 6' so I would be baling less bales and hauling less( I thought). I'm baling the hay for myself so the bigger the better. Of course, now I can't haul as many bales per load. One other problem is that when I load the tractor and rake on the trailer I'm having to load the tractor all the way to the front of the trailer so I have room for the rake. Not as big of a problem now that I have the F-450 (11,000# rear axle) but it does put more load on the truck than I usually like.

[Diamondpilot]

I always wondered about that 4.88 so I guess you answered it. That stinks about the increase of GCWR but I guess that is what happens when the model year changes. Nice truck. I would love to have one.

Chris

[texasjohn]

I understand about the large bales... less loss in rain, etc.... also, heavier bales, so more lbs...

12x1500 lbs = 18,000 lbs
14x1300 lbs = 18,200 lbs ... I guessed at 1300 lbs for your smaller bales, if I guessed heavy, then you are hauling the same or more hay with the larger bales. You win because you handle fewer bales and feed less often.

[ddivinia]

What sizes bales are those?

D.

[texasjohn]

See OP entry