Hauling Hay

[Rancher Ed]

We started hauling hay this weekend and I thought you guys might like to hear about it and see some pictures. Anyway, we have two trucks and two 18' trailers and my dad and I each made a trip on Thursday night. We got 17 bales that night and then made three trips on Saturday getting 18 bales each trip. (7 on the trailer and 2 in the truck x2)

The only pictures I got are of the load of 8 we got on Thursday but the rest of the loads were all the same except that we had 2 bales in the second row on the trailer instead of 1 like this first trip. (we got done at 10:30pm on Saturday)

It was 42 miles one way and each truck made four trips for a total of 336 miles. I believe the loaded weight was around 16k for each truck. Both truck were almost full of diesel when we started and we filled them up on the way back with the last load. One is a 2005 GMC, the other a 2004 Ford. They are both crew cab, long bed, 4x4, diesel, auto trans, 1 tons, SRW with 3.73 gears. The only difference is the ford has 305/70R16 tires and the GMC has 265/75R16 tires. It is almost all highway (55mph) with 2 small towns with no stop lights. (there were 2 stop lights else where)

The GMC got 14.96 miles per gallon.

The Ford got 12.85 miles per gallon.

I am guessing that they were getting about 2mpg less coming back loaded and about 2mpg more going down unloaded but don't know for sure.
I also think part of the difference in mileage is the ford having slightly bigger tires but I think even if they had the same size tires the GMC would get better mileage, there just wouldn't be as big of a difference.

Ed

 

[magicheater]

What do you figure each bale weighed on average?

 

[Rancher Ed]

I think they are around 800lbs but don't really know. They are baled with a 4x5 baler set smaller that 5' but I don't know exactly what size it is set at.

Ed

 

[JESSE1]

Glad to see someone getting some hay. I baled mine in early June and got 1/3 the bales I usually get. I'll be lucky to get a second cutting. Very Dry.

 

[Diamondpilot]

I think you are right on the money with the tires changing the gearing. The Ally is also a slightly more efficient tranny and the GMC is probably 800# lighter.

Chris

 

[Rancher Ed]

Glad to see someone getting some hay. I baled mine in early June and got 1/3 the bales I usually get. I'll be lucky to get a second cutting. Very Dry.

This is early for us. Most hay is done around the 4th of July and we only get one cutting. With all the rain this year (here we were above average through May) and then June being pretty dry even though we got little sun lots of people are haying now and will most likely get a second cutting.

I think you are right on the money with the tires changing the gearing. The Ally is also a slightly more efficient tranny and the GMC is probably 800# lighter.

Chris

I think the RPMs are different by about 80 which is not much but the 305s are 1.5" wider which I think makes the big difference. We don't have any scale near by so I haven't been able to weigh them but I agree the ford is heavier, though I have no idea if it is 800 pounds heavier.

Ed

 

[56FordGuy]

You're hauling that hay all wrong. There's nothing hanging off the trailer, it's only one bale high, and I see ratchet straps. :laughing:

Most of the folks around here stack it as high as the loader will reach, two bales wide (on trailers just like yours), one more on the tongue, and use the "It's heavy, it'll sit there" method of strapping down.

Looks good. :thumbsup: I just picked up 80 bales this weekend, hoping to get another 100 or so in the next couple of weeks.

 

[Diamondpilot]

This is early for us. Most hay is done around the 4th of July and we only get one cutting. With all the rain this year (here we were above average through May) and then June being pretty dry even though we got little sun lots of people are haying now and will most likely get a second cutting.



I think the RPMs are different by about 80 which is not much but the 305s are 1.5" wider which I think makes the big difference. We don't have any scale near by so I haven't been able to weigh them but I agree the ford is heavier, though I have no idea if it is 800 pounds heavier.

Ed

I have a 04 F-250 Diesel 4x4, a 2006 F-350 Diesel SRW 4x4, had a 2005 GMC 3500 SRW Diesel 4x4 and my neighbor has a 2007 Chevy 3500 SRW Diesel 4x4. All the same cab and bed except for the 07 Chevy being a long bed. We weighed them all with just a driver and 3/4 tank of fuel.

04 F-250 7,500#
06 F-350 7,600#
05 3500 GMC 6,900#
07 3500 Chevy 7,000#

I also have a 2008 Nissan Titan 4x4. Its 5,600#

So as you can see there is a weight difference. Not quite what some report @ 800# but I have seen about 700#. The new 2011 GM trucks with the new heavier frame is right in line with Ford on the trucks weights.

I have a scale 1.5 miles from my house at the gravel pit. There is also a truck stop north, south, east, and west within 10 miles of my house so I run loads over the scales at them many times when I am hauling.

Chris

 

[Rancher Ed]

You're hauling that hay all wrong. There's nothing hanging off the trailer, it's only one bale high, and I see ratchet straps. :laughing:

Most of the folks around here stack it as high as the loader will reach, two bales wide (on trailers just like yours), one more on the tongue, and use the "It's heavy, it'll sit there" method of strapping down.

Looks good. :thumbsup: I just picked up 80 bales this weekend, hoping to get another 100 or so in the next couple of weeks.

The trailers are only 7k and the fenders would bend onto the tires if we put anything on them. If it weren't for the problem of money I would get a 22' 14k trailer and you could put 18 bales on it. More if we stacked it 3 high which our tractors could do.:laughing::laughing:

We had 11 miles to go on the freeway at 60+ mph and the rest on the highway so we didn't want stuff coming off or having a tire fail cause we overloaded it.:laughing: If it were just back roads and closer there would have been more hay on the trailers.

Cool, maybe take a few pictures when you do? We are going to get 20-30 more and that should get us through the winter.

Ed

 

[Rancher Ed]

I have a 04 F-250 Diesel 4x4, a 2006 F-350 Diesel SRW 4x4, had a 2005 GMC 3500 SRW Diesel 4x4 and my neighbor has a 2007 Chevy 3500 SRW Diesel 4x4. All the same cab and bed except for the 07 Chevy being a long bed. We weighed them all with just a driver and 3/4 tank of fuel.

04 F-250 7,500#
06 F-350 7,600#
05 3500 GMC 6,900#
07 3500 Chevy 7,000#

I also have a 2008 Nissan Titan 4x4. Its 5,600#

So as you can see there is a weight difference. Not quite what some report @ 800# but I have seen about 700#. The new 2011 GM trucks with the new heavier frame is right in line with Ford on the trucks weights.

I have a scale 1.5 miles from my house at the gravel pit. There is also a truck stop north, south, east, and west within 10 miles of my house so I run loads over the scales at them many times when I am hauling.

Chris

Ya, my guess is if we weighed them right now there would be a 500-600# difference. We have more "stuff" straps, wrenches, etc in the white truck (cause we have had it longer) which might add 50+ lbs that the black truck doesn't have.

As a side note, are you sure your 2005 GMC was both a 3500 and a short bed? I thought you could only get the 3500s with a long bed till 08 or later?

Ed