Hauling small bales on a car hauler

[dgeesaman]

I have an Aluma 8218 trailer Tandem or Two-axle Aluminum Utility Trailer | Aluma Trailers
I've been using it to pick up 100-120 bales of grass hay from local farmers. I'm having trouble getting a safe, robust stack on the trailer.

Right now I stack lengthwise (4 wide), and put one strap horizontally over each row of bales. Then I climb on top and string together the ends of each bale on top. I also make the top layer 3 wide.

The big problem I see is grass hay is mushy and the bales are not the same length. The stack will shift on top sometimes. I could complain about the baler (machine and operator) but I can't really change it.

I thought about buying a cargo net to cover the top but wow are they expensive. (It would be cheaper to buy a crappy enclosed trailer!)

I'm sure there is a better and safer way. I don't want to drop bales on the road.

 

[MossRoad]

Do you brick stack them, as in lay the first layer all one direction, then the second layer all at a 90 degree angle to the first layer, and so on?

 

[bcp]

Might try this pickup method adapted for your trailer.

www.hayexchange.com/articles/EQ_Hay_Loading.pdf

Bruce

 

[dgeesaman]

Currently I do not brick stack. I've found it challenging, esp with uneven bales.

 

[CDN Farm Boy]

Might try this pickup method adapted for your trailer.

www.hayexchange.com/articles/EQ_Hay_Loading.pdf

Bruce

We always did them like that while I was growing up, well pretty close to it. We had 60 bales on a 8' bed. We only did 3500 bales or so a year but hauled 90% of them with the pickup.

Alternate direction of the bales as you go up with the top ones running fore/aft and strap as you are. We'd often also about the 3rd layer run one bale lengthwise down the middle and then butt the side ones into it. Helps tie things together better than a square stack which ends up with a bunch of 2x2 piles.

If piled and strapped properly, there should be no reason to tie the bales together

 

[Wagtail]

Might try this pickup method adapted for your trailer.

www.hayexchange.com/articles/EQ_Hay_Loading.pdf

Bruce

Thanks for that .pdf Bruce. Although I go with round bales it's nice to have that bit of knowledge tucked away just in case.

Ta.

 

[MossRoad]

Currently I do not brick stack. I've found it challenging, esp with uneven bales.

If you don't alternate the seams in a brick wall, the wall is weak. Same things go for hay bales. If you stagger them, they're less likely to fall over. Even if they are uneven bales, it will help. Good luck with your project.

 

[sd455dan]

agree with MossRoad-
even if they are different length and have to leave some spaces, stacking bales 90 degrees and staggering so they tie each other helps stabilize the stack.

Have seen a newbie try to stack straight up on a level floor in a barn and have sides fall at the 5-6 level.
imo- It just doesn't work and would be compounded on a moving trailer.

Extra straps across the load might help. But would have to be checked and tightened often -especially if leaving spaces.
On second thought for stacking on a trailer probably best to minimize spaces.



The uneven bales sure sounds familiar-our hay suppliers bales were horrible for consistency last year and it made it much more challenging to get a decent stack

Good Luck and hope this years bales get more consistent for both of us

 

[wmonroe]

We always did them like that while I was growing up, well pretty close to it. We had 60 bales on a 8' bed. We only did 3500 bales or so a year but hauled 90% of them with the pickup. Alternate direction of the bales as you go up with the top ones running fore/aft and strap as you are. We'd often also about the 3rd layer run one bale lengthwise down the middle and then butt the side ones into it. Helps tie things together better than a square stack which ends up with a bunch of 2x2 piles. If piled and strapped properly, there should be no reason to tie the bales together

We always did it this way when I was growing up also. Used a truck to haul all of our hay.

 

[dgeesaman]

Good Luck and hope this years bales get more consistent for both of us

I'm not holding my breath. I'm not sure if it's the baler (machine) or the baler (operator). As a mechanical engineer, it bothers me to no end to see equipment used poorly.

 

[CDN Farm Boy]

Without seeing the bales first hand, I'm going to go out on a limb and say its the operator, particularly how the baler is adjusted is the reason for the inconsistency in the bales. They need to tighten the clamp on the back of the baler which will slow the exit of the bales out the back. This will solve both problems of spongy and inconsistent bales as it causes more pressure from the plunger to pack the hay tighter to push it out the back. Tighter bales are easier for the baler to make consistent length.

 

[powerscol]

Brick stacking will work for you, but better yet build yourself some edge supports out of 3/4 ply or lumber. mine happen to be 1x8x8 oak - old flooring hinged with old fire hose. you will need two boards set 3 inches apart and then hinge with the hose or other suitable material. Mine happen to be 8' long and I use several sets. These are placed on top of the stack with the second board hanging down the side, one each side and front and back too if you wish. You then throw you tie down straps over and secure. With this method the boards hold everything in line. you can also rip down 3/4 plywood to an 8 or 12 inch width and do the same. I have even used them on the corners and wrapped a tie down strap around the stack in one situation of loose straw bales.

Hope this helps

 

[CobyRupert]

Compress it and lock it down. Run a rope from front corner to other front corner, enough slack so it will loop up to the top of the load. Another between back corners.
Get a block and tackle and pull the two loops towards each other at the top of the load

 

[boggen]

i have never seen someone try and stack bales, straight on top of each other. always has been brick style. to interlock it all together. the only time i have seen straight bales stacked on top of each other. is in pictures. were a side has collapsed and fallen all over. some of the pictures i remember seeing over the years came along with some sort of accident (bails fallen down on someone)

 

[RedNeckRacin]

You gotta learn how to stack hay. The different sized bales are pretty common thing to deal with. Hay bales are not made in a factory with precision machinery. We used to stack 7 rows high on the wagons coming in from the fields. And used no tie downs. Also, we stacked on a pickup 80 bales plus and only ever used a single rope from the front tow hook back to the hitch and never lost a bale going down the road.

 

[wmonroe]

You gotta learn how to stack hay. The different sized bales are pretty common thing to deal with. Hay bales are not made in a factory with precision machinery. We used to stack 7 rows high on the wagons coming in from the fields. And used no tie downs. Also, we stacked on a pickup 80 bales plus and only ever used a single rope from the front tow hook back to the hitch and never lost a bale going down the road.

I grew up with my dad using an old worn out baler that rarely made two bales the same length or density. A lot of time was spent stacking those bales on the wagon and in the barn and I learned very quickly how to stack it correctly.

 

[RedNeckRacin]

I grew up with my dad using an old worn out baler that rarely made two bales the same length or density. A lot of time was spent stacking those bales on the wagon and in the barn and I learned very quickly how to stack it correctly.

:thumbsup: