Our horse trailer has a flat and I don't have a spare I usually get 60 bales of hay in that but I will need to get hay in the next few days with a little help from my friends but I have never loaded pickup with a 6' bed before, hell I have never loaded them in a pickup with an 8' bed. I have been surfing the net on the pattern to pack the bed but they are all for 8' beds. anyone ever loaded them in a 6' bed and gotten more than 20 bales in it? if so how about a diagram of how you packed the tiers?
I would like to get enough to get us to the end of the month in one load, we go through about 2 a day and have about 10 bales left in the loft, so we have enough to get to the 15th but after that we will need at least another 30 bales to get through to the end of the month when I can buy a new tire for the horse trailer.
Thanks ahead of time
Steve
------------------ Technology is great when it works, and one big pain in the ass when it doesn't
Detroit iron rules all the rest are just toys.
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10:41 PM
PFF
System Bot
IMSA GT Member
Posts: 10458 From: California Registered: Aug 2007
Steve, use that brain and I'm sure you'll figure it out. I'll give you one hint though. The first tier or level on edge, that'll get you closer to the height of the bed sides. Leave the tail gate down and let the bottom tier overhang the tailgate some but leaving as little room or space between the bales as possible. Be sure the rear of the bed bales are length wise to the truck. Stack the second tier cross ways to the first covering the entire first tier. You should be able to run a center row of length wise bales down the center with all other bales on the second tier being 90 degree to the center row with the second tier over hanging the sides of the pickup. Keep stacking each tier in alternating patterns until you reach the load limits of the truck.
Depending on how tightly packed your bales are, will determine how secure your load is. Since you are having to ask, I highly recommend you secure the load with ropes or tie downs.
------------------ Ron Isn't it strange that after a bombing, everyone blames the bomber, his upbringing, his environment, his culture, his mental state but … after a shooting, the problem is the gun?
My Uncle Frank was a staunch Conservative and voted straight Republican until the day he died in Chicago. Since then he has voted Democrat. Shrug
[This message has been edited by blackrams (edited 03-10-2014).]
Throw a 1000 lb round bale in there, take it home and chop it into equal pieces with a chain saw. Should give you twenty two 45lb sections. No, I haven't done it this way, but I have cut one up with a chainsaw before for other reasons.
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11:36 PM
Mar 11th, 2014
MidEngineManiac Member
Posts: 29566 From: Some unacceptable view Registered: Feb 2007
We used to stack them in the truck with an 8ft bed, but you get to the point where it isn't safe, unless you strap them down, and even then.... we used a trailer. Sorry, can't help, but with a 6ft bed, you are limited. Can you borrow a trailer? Used tire for the existing trailer?
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06:31 AM
blackrams Member
Posts: 32052 From: Covington, TN, USA Registered: Feb 2003
Throw a 1000 lb round bale in there, take it home and chop it into equal pieces with a chain saw. Should give you twenty two 45lb sections. No, I haven't done it this way, but I have cut one up with a chainsaw before for other reasons.
Don, Please provide a drawing of the proposed cutting locations to ensure a precise outcome of twenty two 45 lb bales. Additionally, what should one do with the fallout or wasted "hay dust"?
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06:48 AM
Purple86GT Member
Posts: 1592 From: Ontario, Canada Registered: Mar 2012
If the bale feels particularly heavy with moisture, set it aside. Spontaneous combustion is a reality when it comes to hay, and one bale can burn down an entire barn. Consider getting a moisture probe to test your bales and make sure they won't threaten your harvest. The reason hay is stacked edge side up is because moisture can drain more easily, and fires as well as mold or fungus are less likely to be a problem.
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07:05 AM
tesmith66 Member
Posts: 7355 From: Jerseyville, IL Registered: Sep 2001
I realize this pic is an 8 ft but it will give ideas, I remember getting them out over the trucks cab roof as well. Strap stuff down before hitting the road.
Best bet thought is pop the rim off your trailer and go get a new tire on it.
[This message has been edited by 2.5 (edited 03-11-2014).]
Don, Please provide a drawing of the proposed cutting locations to ensure a precise outcome of twenty two 45 lb bales. Additionally, what should one do with the fallout or wasted "hay dust"?
It's actually 22.22 "V" shaped 45 lb pices. "V" as in a slice of pie.
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08:22 AM
tesmith66 Member
Posts: 7355 From: Jerseyville, IL Registered: Sep 2001
We just made the switch to round bales. If you have a way to store and move them it's much easier.
Agreed. I made the switch to big round bales several years ago. But, I didn't like all the waste the animals would leave with the outside big bale round feeders. Additionally, those feeders were meant to be used outside and I hate letting good hay get wet and go to waste. Used my noggin a bit and built an (inside/under roof) self feeder where the bale was placed in front of the feed trough on a angled (high end to low end) set of beams. As the animals ate and pulled on the hay bale, it was pulled closer to the trough. The second bale behind it was also pushing it forward due to the angle of the beams. I always put a block to limit how far the second bale would travel. Wanted to keep it out of reach until the first bale was depleted. Worked great, not nearly as much waste and when the animals ate the first bale, they would generally clean it up to the point that the second bale would roll into position once the block was removed. Took very little effort on my part. I would use my tilt bed trailer to transport the big bales and just let them roll off the trailer onto the angled beams. Made life a whole lot easier and greatly reduced back effort and strain.
Why did I do it that way? Probably because I'm lazy and would rather use my noggin than my back.
------------------ Ron Isn't it strange that after a bombing, everyone blames the bomber, his upbringing, his environment, his culture, his mental state but … after a shooting, the problem is the gun?
My Uncle Frank was a staunch Conservative and voted straight Republican until the day he died in Chicago. Since then he has voted Democrat. Shrug
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08:47 AM
fierofool Member
Posts: 12909 From: Auburn, Georgia USA Registered: Jan 2002
Steve, we used the pattern depicted in 2.5's photo, when we had our farm. We used Dad's 51 Chevy, and also a flat bed trailer that we pulled with the tractor. The trailer had anchor points around the perimeter for tie downs and the truck had places where the side planks (standards) fit. Something today's trucks don't have, so finding a tie down point might be a problem. But the alternating direction pattern shown is the best way. Pyramid them and make your final layer oriented front to back. We had a few rough areas to pass over coming from one hay pasture, and only once had a problem. It's best to make two trips than to not be able to finish one successfully. Don't stack too high. Coming across the Sandy at the sharp turn could land you on your side.
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09:11 AM
Fats Member
Posts: 5575 From: Wheaton, Mo. Registered: Jan 2012
change tire, sure I am broke right now and we can afford the hay but not a 100 + dollar tire and we just got another few inches of snow last night with another ft or more of snow coming wed.
I even have another tire out back on my old ford van that would work but the van sunk into the ground from sitting for the last 10 years and this winter we got 3" of ice in the beginning that has been covered by every snow we have gotten since so the axel is frozen into the ground along with the tires. I called a friend and we went out and tried to jack the van up and steal the tire but as I said the axels are frozen into the ground so the 2 1/2 ton jack hit its limit and wouldn't do anything but lift the bumper not the van.
no we don't do credit cards, don't believe in them, we have had such a cold hard winter up here between the snows and sub 0 temps all winter we have no extra cash right now. we have actually gone through over 2 tanks of oil so far and have another 100 gallon delivery coming wed. and we only have a 1,000 sq ft home.
I know about the loading the first tier sideways but its the pattern I wondered about as we have never gotten hay with just a pickup, our other trailer is under 3' of snow plowed in until spring, and that may not arrive until May up here. the Burb only holds about 12 bales if memory serves me. that would mean going about once a week, more gas to pay for.
round bales are fine for outside but as someone already said there is a lot of waste with those and we use the square bales in the barn with no room to put a round bail for storage.
I am beginning to regret asking here because most people here have never had hard winters and make what 100k a year and have never had to worry about anything and when they did simply charged it on a credit card, a habit I have never liked and don't want to get into now the way things are.
never mind I will just go rip a tire off the yard plow that doesn't have a spare ether and put it on the horse trailer, forget it and thanks for the help.
Steve
Steve
------------------ Technology is great when it works, and one big pain in the ass when it doesn't
Detroit iron rules all the rest are just toys.
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09:27 AM
2.5 Member
Posts: 43231 From: Southern MN Registered: May 2007
change tire, sure I am broke right now and we can afford the hay but not a 100 + dollar tire and we just got another few inches of snow last night with another ft or more of snow coming wed. Steve
You should have taken the train....To college.
Sorry. I couldn't help but get on the bandwagon, mainly because you assumed things about the responders that aren't really accurate.
If you light the van on fire the heat will melt the ice around it, then you can lift it up and borrow the tire.
Brad
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09:46 AM
PFF
System Bot
84fiero123 Member
Posts: 29950 From: farmington, maine usa Registered: Oct 2004
200-300K in a good year, the ones who studied engineering, anyway, but who's counting?
At this point I really don't give a crap and am not going to let it bother me I can only hope that all of them someday end up in situations like me, and you where my entire retirement fund had to be spent on medical expenses after my stroke and then they almost lose their homes with only 2 years worth of payment left on a 15 year note that was paid off 3 years early.
sorry I am pissed all I asked for was help on how to arrange the bales in a 6' bed, because I am not sure I can stack them in a 6' bed the same way as an 8' bed, I don't want to start one way and then have to change it. sure I can try it that way you do the 8' bed but they may not fit. the guy helping me is another iron worker I worked with years ago, he ain't no farmer ether. the guy we buy our hay from never uses a pickup to transport anything but rolls and doesn't know ether, he is always in the barn when the people pick it up.
I am glad I was able to give everyone a good laugh at my expense I hope you all enjoy your credit card lives I don't and never have believed or used them. used tire is going to cost me 30 bucks at least and then have to have it put on the rim on the trailer as I have no spare rim for it that I can find,, its under 3' of snow out there somewhere. we try to live within our means here, always have and always did just fine, but lets see some of you have you pay get cut to 1/4 of what you made for the last 20 years and live on that.
Thanks again for the help.
Steve
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09:54 AM
84fiero123 Member
Posts: 29950 From: farmington, maine usa Registered: Oct 2004
Sorry. I couldn't help but get on the bandwagon, mainly because you assumed things about the responders that aren't really accurate.
If you light the van on fire the heat will melt the ice around it, then you can lift it up and borrow the tire.
Brad
I don't assume anything, well because you know when you assume you make an ass out of u and me.
but I help people on here with simple requests when asked by people I argue with all the time and expect the same in return. I guess they are right when they say the good guys always finish last.
I am considering taking that battery operated propane torpedo heater out there and using that to thaw the ground underneath though. my buddy and I got the bumper on the van jacked up about a ft so there is some tension on the axels that might actually get it to pop out of the ice if I could thaw the ground out. but in order to do that I need to call my buddy back yet one more time, I hate asking for help continually from this guy, actually I hate asking for help any time but I am kind of limited to what I can physically able to do.
But as I said we just got another couple of inches of snow last night and another 12'+ on the way in the next couple of days.
Steve
[This message has been edited by 84fiero123 (edited 03-11-2014).]
Agreed. I made the switch to big round bales several years ago. But, I didn't like all the waste the animals would leave with the outside big bale round feeders. Additionally, those feeders were meant to be used outside and I hate letting good hay get wet and go to waste. Used my noggin a bit and built an (inside/under roof) self feeder where the bale was placed in front of the feed trough on a angled (high end to low end) set of beams. As the animals ate and pulled on the hay bale, it was pulled closer to the trough. The second bale behind it was also pushing it forward due to the angle of the beams. I always put a block to limit how far the second bale would travel. Wanted to keep it out of reach until the first bale was depleted. Worked great, not nearly as much waste and when the animals ate the first bale, they would generally clean it up to the point that the second bale would roll into position once the block was removed. Took very little effort on my part. I would use my tilt bed trailer to transport the big bales and just let them roll off the trailer onto the angled beams. Made life a whole lot easier and greatly reduced back effort and strain.
Why did I do it that way? Probably because I'm lazy and would rather use my noggin than my back.
All that means, is you were understocked. Too few cows for the amt of hay available to them and they can be picky and wasteful. Done right, they should eat ever last bit of hay put out in winter. (I'm under stocked as well)
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10:06 AM
84fiero123 Member
Posts: 29950 From: farmington, maine usa Registered: Oct 2004
All that means, is you were understocked. Too few cows for the amt of hay available to them and they can be picky and wasteful. Done right, they should eat ever last bit of hay put out in winter. (I'm under stocked as well)
We have the same problem and have no cows, just goats now outside, we only have cows in the summer to raise for the freezer but once they step on the hay they won't eat it, cows and goats are the most wasteful animals we have ever raised. the square bales are for the barn.
Steve
[This message has been edited by 84fiero123 (edited 03-11-2014).]
I can only hope that all of them someday end up in situations like me, and you where my entire retirement fund had to be spent on medical expenses after my stroke and then they almost lose their homes with only 2 years worth of payment left on a 15 year note that was paid off 3 years early. Steve
Enjoy the rest of that bitter winter old man!
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10:19 AM
Purple86GT Member
Posts: 1592 From: Ontario, Canada Registered: Mar 2012
Holly crap, are you done playing the victim card? Everyone’s situation is based on their life decisions. You can make the best of it or you can whine about it.
For your hay situation, I don’t see the big deal. A trailer tire repair is pretty cheap or worse case you have to do two pickup loads of hay. But if it helps….
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10:20 AM
84fiero123 Member
Posts: 29950 From: farmington, maine usa Registered: Oct 2004
Holly crap, are you done playing the victim card? Everyone’s situation is based on their life decisions. You can make the best of it or you can whine about it.
For your hay situation, I don’t see the big deal. A trailer tire repair is pretty cheap or worse case you have to do two pickup loads of hay. But if it helps….
tire can not be repaired I got a flat on the way home from getting the last load of hay and didn't realize it until I got home, tore the tire to shreds. So a repair is out of the question.
I really don't understand why you think I am playing a victim card, I didn't ask for money, I didn't ask for anything but ideas on how to load a truck, but I guess everyone else thinks I am playing a victim, no just want ideas.
I am glad I was able to give everyone a good laugh at my expense . . .
Steve
I see several suggestions in this thread about loading the hay, which will end up with some trial and error experimenting no matter what. I also see a number of jokes pointed not at you personally, Steve, but at your constant suggestion that engineers are all idiots.
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11:55 AM
2.5 Member
Posts: 43231 From: Southern MN Registered: May 2007
Is this hay for horses? Do the horses provide income? If not it could be considered to sell them. The hay money saved may open up funds for things like tires.
Is this hay for horses? Do the horses provide income? If not it could be considered to sell them. The hay money saved may open up funds for things like tires.
Nice try, not going to happen, its for everything in the barn, horses, goats both make money except one horse, Sara who is my old horses last baby, sentimental as well as a certified therapy horse and special Olympics horse at Maine special Olympics equestrian several years running. one of the many things we do for others at no expense to the riders. we helped many kids and adults become blue ribbon winners as well as she helped me and others who have balance problems like I did after my stroke. so she is going no where.
Goats have babies we sell and we also drink the milk from them as well as sell it, 2 mini horses we breed every other years so we make money on them as well. So Sara is the only one who makes no money, just makes us feel better giving back to others less fortunate than many.
rabbits are for sale and meat, lower cholesterol meat I believe,
nice idea but not going to happen. We may be broke but we still have a heart. if it wasn't for how bad the winter was this tire wouldn't be a problem.
Steve
[This message has been edited by 84fiero123 (edited 03-11-2014).]
Cut out a bunch of squares, to the same scale, representing the bales and play with the arrangement on your scale truck.
that's literally what I do when I design mechanical rooms and boiler rooms.
Nolan
interesting and I do that as well with many projects, even had a cad program before Hal crashed a while back, now I just use graph paper, easier when I am in the shop anyway, I have to go water in a few min and drop more hay down the chute to the barn. I think it will go measure the bed of the truck and bales when I do that.
reason I posted is we do have some members who have animals and thought that maybe someone had used a 6' pickup at one time or another to pick up hay and would save me the time doing that.
Pickup was a 50 dollar deal that cost me half of last year to get in running condition to pass state inspection as well as many parts I had to buy and even some I had to make because those parts were not available.with all the problems it had, I never would have gotten a pickup with a 6' bed otherwise. a deal the wife made, I wanted to just part it out, she wanted me to fix it, we all know how well that kind of thing works out when the wife wants something now don't we.
interesting I don't even have to measure the bed.
Dodge Ram 1500/2500/3500 1994-2001 Short L 76.5 W at cab 65.5 W at tailgate62.875
I know what you mean about not eating it after they've stepped on it. We never threw our hay into the stalls or out on the ground. We built feed troughs into our fence line and also had small troughs on the wall in each stall of the barns. They were made of wood and were similar in style to this with the trough being outside the fence, or it could be inside the wall of a side shed. The ones in the fence line had a higher back on the trough. I don't know why but I always thought it was to keep cattle from trying to come all the way through. May not be in the picture to build one at the moment, but it could be something to consider. We had little trouble with waste.
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05:03 PM
MidEngineManiac Member
Posts: 29566 From: Some unacceptable view Registered: Feb 2007
I know what you mean about not eating it after they've stepped on it. We never threw our hay into the stalls or out on the ground. We built feed troughs into our fence line and also had small troughs on the wall in each stall of the barns. They were made of wood and were similar in style to this with the trough being outside the fence, or it could be inside the wall of a side shed. The ones in the fence line had a higher back on the trough. I don't know why but I always thought it was to keep cattle from trying to come all the way through. May not be in the picture to build one at the moment, but it could be something to consider. We had little trouble with waste.
in the stalls that works good I made different hay racks with similar troughs for the barn. outside I would have to make something similar to that but covered to keep the hay dry. I like the idea but we only give them hay outside in the winter so this winter is a waste to even think about it plus we use rolls in the winter so that wouldn't work unless we went back to square bales and used them. nice idea though I will have to look into that in the spring, if it ever gets here. we have at least another ft of snow predicted up here tomorrow into tomorrow night, maybe up to 18" to 20"