Hay Ride Wagon Build

[K5lwq]

I have been looking for an old farm wagon running gear for quite some time. There is not many to be found around my area. I would like to build a wagon to do hay rides with the grandkids and such.

There is one that I just found but it looks homemade and not sure what the thought process was on this design.

The asking price is $300.00 but not sure this is the right candidate for my use. I will not be able to see it till next week but wanted to get some input from some of you smarter folks. Here are a few bad pictures.

Any thoughts on making a hay wagon out of this?

 

[EddieWalker]

I've never built one before, pulled one before, or even seen one in person before. But for $300, I don't see how you could go wrong. If the axles turn and the bolt pattern isn't something odd like a mobile home, and you can get rims for it at a good price, I'd probably go for it.

 

[EddieWalker]

Abilene Craigslist has this one with springs. That might be nicer for hauling people around.

Hay Wagon - trailers - by owner - vehicle automotive sale - craigslist

For Sale: late 1950's - 1960's hay wagon. Beautiful, ornate, ready to decorate. Beautiful wood-slat sides, meticulously put together on a very strong steel frame with both leaf and coil-spring...

abilene.craigslist.org

Tractor House has this a hay feeder wagon that's really nice, but it's over four grand.

WINCO 5GN 10000 For Sale in Powderly, Texas

WINCO 5GN 10000 For Sale in Powderly, Texas at TractorHouse.com. 20 ft. Hay Feeder Wagon.

www.tractorhouse.com

 

[EddieWalker]

I changed my searches to just "wagon" and found these

Farm Wagon/trailer, steel deck - farm & garden - by owner - sale - craigslist

Farm Wagon 8 ft by 20 ft Steel deck Has one open spot about 2 ft by 5 ft, one of the large heavy steel deck sheets has enough extra to cut for open part of deck Very good condition Tires in good...

easttexas.craigslist.org

1940s John Deere Farm Wagon - Great Behind Your Old or New Tractor!! - farm & garden - by owner - sale - craigslist

Lots of Uses and these are fairly hard to find any more. John Deere Brand. Model Number 953. Has “JD” stamped in the Cast Iron on each of the 4 Hub Dust Caps. Ready to use or enjoy a nice Winter...

easttexas.craigslist.org

Vintage wooden Pepsi Crate wagon - collectibles - by owner - sale - craigslist

This is a great wooden wagon made from an old Pepsi crate from Fort Worth, Texas that was used for the glass bottles. The wheels work and it is in very nice condition. The middle divider is slightly...

easttexas.craigslist.org

 

[EddieWalker]

The last one is a joke. It made me laugh

 

[K5lwq]

The one in Abilene is a much better candidate no doubt. The good thing about the one I am looking at is it is close.

The one in Canton never replied to my inquiry so thinking it is out.

The one in Tatum may be worth looking at. Need to add that to the list.

 

[Torvy]

Sounds like fun. I'd imagine someone would expect you to put in seating, with safety belts and airbags, ROPS and who knows what else on that wagon.

We always just rode on grandpa's hay wagon. Not that much different than our utility trailer. If I ever decide to give family hay rides, I'd just put small square bales around the perimeter of my trailer and let them sit on the bales.

 

[EddieWalker]

I've been wanting to stop at the place in Canton. He seems to have a lot of interesting stuff. I've driven past it a few times, but I've always been short on time. He had a manure wagon on Craigslist that I wanted, but didn't want to spend the money on, and now think I should have. I haven't tried to contact him

 

[K5lwq]

Sounds like fun. I'd imagine someone would expect you to put in seating, with safety belts and airbags, ROPS and who knows what else on that wagon.

We always just rode on grandpa's hay wagon. Not that much different than our utility trailer. If I ever decide to give family hay rides, I'd just put small square bales around the perimeter of my trailer and let them sit on the bales.

I could use my trailer but like the idea of no tongue weight. Also want to share some of what life was like on the farm. I can teach the kids how to back one of these which is challenging for most folks.

 

[K5lwq]

I've been wanting to stop at the place in Canton. He seems to have a lot of interesting stuff. I've driven past it a few times, but I've always been short on time. He had a manure wagon on Craigslist that I wanted, but didn't want to spend the money on, and now think I should have. I haven't tried to contact him

I don’t know where he is located at in Canton but have seen he advertises a lot of stuff. Most is priced too high in my opinion.

 

[ruffdog]

I would rather have a real running gear's steering design than the one the OP posted.

 

[K5lwq]

I would rather have a real running gear's steering design than the one the OP posted.

That is one of my main concerns with this thing. Also the height the bed will be by the time I finish.

 

[sixdogs]

My neighbor has an Amish made parade wagon with springs on it for a smooth ride and nice bench seats. It's beautiful.
Maybe search Amish made parade wagons in Holmes county, Ohio? You could get enough good ideas to build one and get a good end result.

I might be able to get pictures of my friends in maybe a week or so.

 

[K5lwq]

My neighbor has an Amish made parade wagon with springs on it for a smooth ride and nice bench seats. It's beautiful.
Maybe search Amish made parade wagons in Holmes county, Ohio? You could get enough good ideas to build one and get a good end result.

I might be able to get pictures of my friends in maybe a week or so.

I would love to see pictures. I did try to search for them but no luck yet. Thanks

 

[Gee Ray]

I would pass on the one that you have pictured. It looks to be of the fifth wheel design. That is the front axle turns on a pin sticking down from the frame. Instead look for one that has automotive style turning. That is it has tie rods and tie rod ends and leaves the wheels at the corners as you make the turn. The fifth wheel design can get tippy as you make it a turn.

Make sure to include some kind of shelf where you could hide a small generator. That way you could decorate the wagon with Christmas lights if you ever decide to pull it on the road.

Mine was built with railings around the outside edge and it’s only 14 foot long but I have had as many as 40 and 50 kids on a it at a time.

I wanted to take my tractor wagon and do hayrides in the neighborhoods but I’ve been unable to find an insurance company that will cover me for liability and a reasonable price.

 

[2manyrocks]

A standard 16' utility trailer would be lower to the ground to get in/out, would have a suspension and could be used for other purposes. However, I see a lot of hay rides where no thought appears to have been given to someone falling out and hitting their head or breaking a limb.

 

[CobyRupert]

With that style steering, the tighter you turn, the narrower the front (let’s call it) “effective axle width” decreases, relative to the wagon width. At 90° pivot, it’s essentially zero, a single point in the center. Here, the wagon is totally relying on the back tires, and frame stiffness, for lateral stability, to not tip over.

Given that the cargo is PEOPLE, and terrain, weight distribution can add additional instability to this design, I’d pass on that running gear.

 

[bigtiller]

Keep looking. That home made fifth wheel design is to tippy for hauling anything mildly heavy or expensive, especially kids.

 

[RjCorazza]

I used a pivoting front axle hay wagon for one event, and couldn't get the hang of backing it up. For the next 15 years to present I used a 16' or 20' equipment trailer with fab'd side rails and hay bales for seating.
Good luck in your search!

 

[EddieWalker]

I don’t know where he is located at in Canton but have seen he advertises a lot of stuff. Most is priced too high in my opinion.

When I go to Mabank, I drive through Canton and then head straight down to Mabank. He's just past Canton, on the right side of the road. It's a house with tons of "stuff" in his pasture, along the road. Most is junk, but sometimes he has something that I probably should of stopped for.