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.