Help rebuilding a hay wagon

[sjbrunk0]

I have also seen where they put down tall beams, then lay 2x8s sideways across them and put a 2x4 or a piece of angle iron lengthways down the sides to tie the edges together.
Aaron Z

Thank you Aaron, the pictures do help. The one with angle iron looks pretty sharp, I might have to do some looking around and see if I can find some.

I'm still scratching my head a little bit at how to mount the back board so it's strong enough.

 

[Egon]

how to mount the back board so it's strong enough./QUOTE]

Those side pieces on the back give the support.

 

[Beavis]

here is mine

 

[2458n]

One pass under the apple tree took the rack off our hay wagon. Used 4x4 square steel tubing to build two stake pockets. Flat steel with holes drilled in sandwiched the main wood beams,which were also 4x10. The replacement rack was dropped into place. The pockets were about 8 inches deep and have held up well.

 

[bigtiller]

here is mine

Where did you get your running gear? I got a cheap one at Northern Tool but wish I had a better, heaver steering system, wheels and tires.

 

[tessiers]

Ok, thanks Tessiers.
So the cross planks must be 2x lumber to be able to span that far.
I like your design, sounds simple which I like.
Treated lumber I guess? I hate that stuff, it's awful bad about warping as it ages. I wish I knew a good local place to get rough sawn oak at a reasonable price, I'd use that. What did you use and were you happy with it?
Also interested to understand the backboard a little better. Do the long beams stick out the back past the deck for that to attach to? I wasn't planning for a back board but that seems to be pretty common so must be worthwhile.

Yes I used 2x10 hemlock planks for across, they warp a little but I cut them myself and they are tough as nails and last a long time. I stopped the decking about 1 foot from the back and bolted 2 4' vertical 2x6 (1 on each side) to each runner. I then fastened a few decking boards across them to stack the rear pile against, It is not nessisary but it helps lock the load and I gain a few bales by not staggering the back. We have been using rough hemlock for wagon and trailer decking for several generations, it is cheap, tough and lasts a long time, the draw back is it warps when dry, but as long as you fasten it while its green it is OK.

 

[butternut]

here is mine

I'm putting together a similar deck on a set of old David Bradley running gear. From the local saw mill, I got 2x8 rough cut hemlock (real dimensions) for the beams, and 2x4's for the joists, and nice heavy 1 1/4 x 6's for the planks. That was pretty much the original setup which I ripped off, and it looks close to what you have. Not the heaviest duty, but I won't be doing much more than pumpkin hauling. I'm not notching the joists like you did, but utilizing all the u-bolt hardware which came off the original.

Question: I'm going to do 24-30 inch removable sides, presumably using tapered pocket clamps for 2x4 studs. I figure I'll have to run a "skirt" board down the sides (along the butt ends of the joists) to bolt the clamps into, probably just one of the 1 1/4 x 6 boards I have left over from the deck. How would you attach that? Just lag bolt into the end grain of the joists, and the side of the outer deck plank? Good enough?

 

[Beavis]

Where did you get your running gear? I got a cheap one at Northern Tool but wish I had a better, heaver steering system, wheels and tires.

I bought mine from a local farmer for $125; it was the running gear from under a grain hopper.

 

[Beavis]

I'm putting together a similar deck on a set of old David Bradley running gear. From the local saw mill, I got 2x8 rough cut hemlock (real dimensions) for the beams, and 2x4's for the joists, and nice heavy 1 1/4 x 6's for the planks. That was pretty much the original setup which I ripped off, and it looks close to what you have. Not the heaviest duty, but I won't be doing much more than pumpkin hauling. I'm not notching the joists like you did, but utilizing all the u-bolt hardware which came off the original.

Question: I'm going to do 24-30 inch removable sides, presumably using tapered pocket clamps for 2x4 studs. I figure I'll have to run a "skirt" board down the sides (along the butt ends of the joists) to bolt the clamps into, probably just one of the 1 1/4 x 6 boards I have left over from the deck. How would you attach that? Just lag bolt into the end grain of the joists, and the side of the outer deck plank? Good enough?

Your described method makes sense to me; I don't see why it wouldn't work.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

I'm putting together a similar deck on a set of old David Bradley running gear. From the local saw mill, I got 2x8 rough cut hemlock (real dimensions) for the beams, and 2x4's for the joists, and nice heavy 1 1/4 x 6's for the planks. That was pretty much the original setup which I ripped off, and it looks close to what you have. Not the heaviest duty, but I won't be doing much more than pumpkin hauling. I'm not notching the joists like you did, but utilizing all the u-bolt hardware which came off the original.

Question: I'm going to do 24-30 inch removable sides, presumably using tapered pocket clamps for 2x4 studs. I figure I'll have to run a "skirt" board down the sides (along the butt ends of the joists) to bolt the clamps into, probably just one of the 1 1/4 x 6 boards I have left over from the deck. How would you attach that? Just lag bolt into the end grain of the joists, and the side of the outer deck plank? Good enough?

If its not too late you may want to consider using pressure treated 4x4's instead of 2x4s. They will hold up to the elements better and are considerably stronger. One of my kicker wagons was made that way and it has held up fine. I built a flat deck for a friend of mine on a new 10 ton running gear that he mounted a 1000 gallon stainless steel tank on to haul juice for wine. It had 4x6 main runners with 4x4 joists and 2x decking.