Hay ride wagon

[sos1]

I was considering buying a used hay wagon for transporting people at a Halloween Festival.
Then I started thinking about the trailer I have and maybe converting it to a wagon.
It's a single axle trailer and measures 6' x 10'. I thought I could mount the front axle at the hitch.
This would give me another 3 feet in length. I wanted to do all this so it could be converted back to
the original configuration.Does anyone have any suggestions other than having my head examined?

 

[boggen]

just use trailer as typical trailer. and toss some square bales on it for seating, maybe even some blankets over some so folks not standing up with straw sticking to there rear.

 

[sos1]

O.K. Thanks

 

[boggen]

deck over wheels trailer has a high stepping, and for small kids gets ugly crawling on/off, if trailer sets down between the wheels were top of deck is lower to ground. it can make things easier for folks to get on/off. if trailer has regular ramps for getting atv/utv, cars/trucks / tractors, etc... onto trailer. see if the ramps will allow for easier wheel chair access "rolling up it / down it" along with some elderly with canes / walkers.

dedicate a person on trailer with walkie, to act as a direct eyes on folks, while driver with walkie does what ever watching in front of them. with all the kids hoping and racing about... to easy for driver not to see things.

 

[sos1]

How about this if I decide to make the conversion?

 

[boggen]

i think ya making mistake... if you have to go down ANY hills. and need to stop for any reason, the wagon/trailer with the tongue going to want to steer off to the right or left un uncontrollably.

major reason why hay wagons have the setup like you have drawn, is because farmers can pull multi wagons behind each other. and they need the extra turn in the wagons. to get them around corners. what you are trying to do... is for looks and extra danger IMHO (in my humble opinion)

 

[sos1]

Thanks, I need someone to keep me out of trouble.

 

[mikehaugen]

I was looking for hay wagons for a while, but their prices were much higher than I expected. We have a few gatherings (parties) at the house a few times a year, and I wanted to be able to take people for rides. I just started using my existing 5x10 tandem axle trailer and putting hay bales on it. It's got 2' plywood sides and works out great. I even drive it into town to take the kids trick-or-treating some years. My only complaint is that I wish it were a little bigger. It also doesn't "look" like a traditional hay ride, but the kids don't mind. It sure is a lot easier to back up than a hay wagon.

 

[RoMad]

Look at my avatar. I have used a tandem axle lawn trailer for three years and it works great. I take the ramps off and I put hay down each side and leave a few spaces for plastic lawn chairs. I put one dad at the back in charge of loading and unloading. No one gets off unless I am stopped and I don't take off until he raises his arm to signal me to go. After about two stops everybody has it down pat. As far as looking like a hay ride, theses kids think this is what a hay ride looks like.

 

[oosik]

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I built my own farm wagon using Horst Model # 185 running gear. Its rated at 10 ton. Finding a dealer that sold the running gear was the most difficult part of the entire build. The deck is 8x12. The total cost was $2700. If you buy or build something like this be aware - it takes a lot of patience and practice to back this thing up. With the steerable front axle it wants to "cramp". I've learned to "locate" the wagon when I use it - such that I can drive forward when leaving a work site. The rear step is an assist for people getting up on it. Its a heavy wagon - I would guess - 2500# but I can still move it around, empty, with the ATV. I use it, mainly, for dirt, rock, gravel and large sections of trimmed trees. I does not have the ability to dump.