hay trailers

[twodogroad]

1st time posting on this forum. Im interested in your imput on various trailers to haul hay with. The conditions are : in state, within 50 miles on state, county and federal highways. I have a 2002 Dodge diesel 4x4 6 speed manual transmission. I would like to stay with a receiver type hitch. I would like to hear from those of you who have, or have had, hay hauling specific trailers with pros and cons for your trailer please. Thank You, Twodog

 

[DiamondSCattleCo]

If you don't want to go to a gooseneck, you're somewhat limited in your options.

I've used a few tag along options that worked:

1) 5 bale mover with individual cradles. In my mind, the least desirable option. When you release the cradles, you have to lift the bale a bit by hand to get the cradle to overcentre and dump. With soft core bales in the 1500 lb range, its not bad, but with 2000lb hard core bales, you've got a sore back/legs by the end of the day. Plus, you're forever on the road. There are tandem axle 7 bale movers available. One of these would be better.

2) tag-along flat deck. With your receiver hitch requirement, you're not going to want to get too big. Maybe 18 foot. Loaded farmer style, you'll be able to haul 8 to a load. Good hard bales will net you 16,000 lbs to a load. Thats alot to ask of a tagalong, so you'll want a load equalizer hitch. If you load tube style, you could step to 20 foot trailer and get 12 to a load, 24,000 lbs. Thats a pile of weight for a tagalong. This will be your best option for hauling long distance.

3) Tri-haul mover. Add this to your flat deck to allow for auto unloads in the hay yard. Not going to save you much time when hauling from 50 miles away, but when hauling from within 3 or 4 miles, the auto unload will double the number of bales you can haul in a day.

Rod

 

[gabby]

3) Tri-haul mover. Add this to your flat deck to allow for auto unloads in the hay yard. Not going to save you much time when hauling from 50 miles away, but when hauling from within 3 or 4 miles, the auto unload will double the number of bales you can haul in a day.

Rod

What's a tri-haul mover?

 

[flaboy+]

I usually use a car trailer to haul two or three 5x6 bales to my house from the farm for my replacements. I use a gooseneck flatbed to haul from one of my away pastures back to the barn. 5x6 fits nicely in the back of a pickup or small 5x8 utility trailer. Much depends on how much and how often you need/want to haul.

With your truck I would go gooseneck and never look back. Plus you can use it to haul equipment or some of Crowder's X's on it too. :lol:

 

[twodogroad]

Thanks flaboy and all. I originally but this truck to resell back in july. That is the reason I didn't want to alter the bed. I like the truck so well I've decided to keep it. So, yes a flat bed is probably going to happen. I'm still interested in what everyone has to say about various trailers that are specific to hauling hay.

 

[Beefy]

how about a U-haul?

 

[jersey lilly]

We use a hay van, but not for long distances, hauls six rounds at a time, and is gooseneck. Have another one that piggy backs on the 6 hauler that hauls 4 more. Sure is long when ya git em all hooked up together tho.

 

[ND]

richardton bale handler- hauls 17- no loader tractor needed

 

[msscamp]

We have a 35' H & H flatbed, gooseneck trailer. Tractor with bale spears is needed to load and unload 5X6's, just manual labor for small squares.

 

[cfpinz]

how about a U-haul?

Beefy - All jokes aside, there's a couple of "earth-friendly" people that show up to pick up hay each summer from us in a U-Haul. They rent a little dually Toyota with a box body and run the stuffing out of it for the day, sweep it out and take it back. Been doing it for years!

 

[farmer4620]

Its tough with a bumber hitch cause a lot of weight back there the front end likes to float a donahue trailer (planter trailer) would be okay probably wouldnt beable to go 55 mph with it but itd get the job done. We had one that was a 24 footer for the planter they are built half way solid but gooseneck if you wanna haul heavy loads.