advice needed on trailer for hauling small square bales

[5030]

At $3.00 per, I'll take a 1000. When will it be here ?

Last year maybe. Michigan Custom Rates (here) went up appreciably and have the fuel cost surcharge rolled in.

Small squares - hay - 0.66 per bale
...Straw - 0.57 per bale
Fuel multiplier .75 x $2.82 per acre

That's not mowed and conditioned or raked, that's on the ground and you bust your butt.

I get that everyday.

I also get the person who wants it cheaper. I pass on them.

 

[slowzuki]

I think 102" wide? Its a deckover.

How wide is your trailer? With mine I can get 5 bales per 3' of layer as one runs lengthwise down the center with the other 4 pointing towards the edge of the trailer. If I had a wider trailer (a deckover) then I could stack them a lot easier but currently I have to work with what I have

 

[IronHog]

I am considering buying a new/lightly used trailer to haul hay. Currently I have a 16' equipment trailer that I can stack 150 bales on. I have a friend in North Carolina who needs hay and can sell hay for me as well since I have more hay then I have customers locally here. So now I am trying to decide if I should just run the current trailer or buy something newer.

I have a 2006 F-250 diesel to pull with and have been thinking either a 24' bumper pull enclosed trailer (the widest available) or possibly a longer equipment trailer but the enclosed trailer would be better suited as the hay would be protected from the elements and also I wouldn't have to worry about the stack shifting in transit. The enclosed trailer would also be useful for my father on some of his jobsites which is why I am keeping it at 24' since anything longer would be almost impossible to bring onto the sites (24' is going to be tough for some). I really don't use the equipment trailer much at all so I don't see much use in buying a longer one but the option is there.

So my questions for you guys are which route would you go and what options would you suggest I consider. I have very little experience with enclosed trailers but I do like the rear ramp door but don't know how well they hold up. So thanks in advance and feel free to share your experiences (good and bad) and thoughts.

With the price of used big rigs I'd buy one with a flat bed or lowbow, get a CDL, and go to work.


Right now you can buy a rather nice rig with trailer for less than a used dually.....and actually have something.

 

[56FordGuy]

Right now you can buy a rather nice rig with trailer for less than a used dually.....and actually have something.

I've noticed this myself. There's a 20 ton low boy trailer for sale here for $2500.00. Buy a used day cab truck for $7-10,000 (on the high end) and for less than the cost of a good used one ton diesel pickup you've got a truck that can haul almost anything you would need to move.

 

[IronHog]

I've noticed this myself. There's a 20 ton low boy trailer for sale here for $2500.00. Buy a used day cab truck for $7-10,000 (on the high end) and for less than the cost of a good used one ton diesel pickup you've got a truck that can haul almost anything you would need to move.

There is a nice used Sterling with a flat bed just down from my house for 20K.
And I bet you could get it way cheaper than that.


Why anyone with serious towing needs would fool with a 1 ton pickup with rig prices like that is beyond me..........sure there are drawbacks (size, insurance, CDL, etc.), but if you really need to tow and not just showing off the advantages are huge (80,000lbs and real brakes).

 

[Robert_in_NY]

What about finding a semi truck driving a load from Virginia to Buffalo and having them take the hay back with them as the truck would be empty otherwise. (Did I say that right??) Can you call a terminal or find an online truck scheduling house that could make such an arrangement?

I'm looking into it but so far no luck. I need to call a friend of mine who is involved with trucking and see if he has any ideas.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

robert....

I've considered doing the Florida hay thing a few times and I own a tractor trailer (45 foot spread axle and an International Eagle conventional plus I have the CDL but even at Florida prices (12-15 a bale for quality alfalfa), it's just a break even deal.

You need to crunch the numbers, figure fuel, vehicle cost and maintenance, lodging, food and incidentals.

For me, it's just not a good deal. Maybe a one time shot, sort of like a paid vacation, but that's about it. Better to sell it locally.

I'm looking at the first trip as just that, a paid vacation sort of thing where lodging is included (staying with my friend). It will allow me to get a taste of what to expect and it will either encourage or discourage me from continuing this type of thinking

 

[Robert_in_NY]

With the price of used big rigs I'd buy one with a flat bed or lowbow, get a CDL, and go to work.


Right now you can buy a rather nice rig with trailer for less than a used dually.....and actually have something.

Well, I don't have a use for a one ton dually or a full size tractor/trailer. This idea isn't something that I intend to do every year as I don't always have this situation like I do this year. Its a case where I have an excess and they don't and I know them so it just happens to work out this year if the trucking side can work.

The downside to buying a tractor trailer for me is this,

1. I would need to get a CDL, which I have considered before and could have done a couple years ago but then I am paying a lot of money for my license when I don't need it and have never needed it. I have friends with CDLs always offering their services if I ever need a driver.

2. I would have another truck to maintain with very little use for it.

3. I would have another trailer to maintain with very little use for it as well as it wouldn't be useful for anything but the big truck.

4. I don't want a tractor trailer combination. I have drove them before with a large dump trailer and I can handle them but I just don't have a use for them other then once every two to three years. My current truck gets used daily and can be used by anyone with a driver license. It is more then adequate for hauling 5 ton and its paid for already.:thumbsup:

A tractor trailer is every kids dream but I have drove plenty over the last 5 years on farms both empty and loaded. The novelty has passed me by and I just see the maintence aspect of them now which is too much for my use. I don't want to get into trucking commercially either so other then needing it once every few years it would just sit there rotting and costing me a fortune till the next time I need it.

However, I have thought about buying an old tractor trailer rig to restore and that is something I could see using for fun but again, it isn't really feasible for me and it would basically be a toy. Thanks for the suggestion though

 

[Robert_in_NY]

I've noticed this myself. There's a 20 ton low boy trailer for sale here for $2500.00. Buy a used day cab truck for $7-10,000 (on the high end) and for less than the cost of a good used one ton diesel pickup you've got a truck that can haul almost anything you would need to move.

Yes it can haul almost anything but in my situation it wouldn't haul much at all because it would be too big for most of my towing needs. For the $10-12k your example would cost to buy I could buy a brand new enclosed trailer built to my specs and be able to use it behind both mine and my fathers trucks and for hauling hay occasionally or hauling tools/equipment. It could even be used for other things as well as it would just be handy.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

There is a nice used Sterling with a flat bed just down from my house for 20K.
And I bet you could get it way cheaper than that.


Why anyone with serious towing needs would fool with a 1 ton pickup with rig prices like that is beyond me..........sure there are drawbacks (size, insurance, CDL, etc.), but if you really need to tow and not just showing off the advantages are huge (80,000lbs and real brakes).

Your right, the guys who are serious about towing should have the proper trucks. I had a guy on Uship bid on my load with a pickup and trailer that would only haul 150-200 bales and his original bid was almost $1500. He then cut it to under $700 which is more reasonable but still I am looking for someone who can haul 400-600 at a time. It would allow me to have the hay there in much fewer loads and less hassle with having to meet the trucker to load and unload as each time you need to line up helpers and small loads are a pain. The smallest load I would like to take would be 300 bales as that would allow me to take all the hay my friend needs in one trip. She has another friend that needs 300 as well so again, if the costs worked out it would be nice as each trip would only go to one destination and fill the order. Less hassle. 600 would be better though but thats out of my ability to do myself.