Wagon Deck Question

Bill VA

Well-known Member
Got my rough cut lumber for my next hay wagon decks. These will be stringers, 4x4 cross members and 1x6 lengthwise decking.

Attaching the 4x4?s to the stringers, how do you prefer to attach them? I am planning on using angle iron and bolts.

Decking - screws or nails? Any preference? Pre drill the decking for nails/screws to prevent splitting?

All material is white oak.

Thanks!
Bill
 
I used galvanized nails, and they pull out! I would suggest ring shank nails at minimum, if not screws! I drilled, but not full size of nails, maybe 1/2 diameter of nails. My decking and cross members were Red Oak on one wagon, and cross members of Red Oak and decking of Hemlock on another. I also used angle iron and bolts to attach cross members to stringers. Contrary to popular method, stringers are bolted to running gear on both front and rear, my belief being that if the deck does not deflect, the wheel of the running gear will just lift with the deck adding a maximum of 400 pounds load to that corner.
YMMV, HTH, Dave
 
All flat beds and hopper beds were bolted at all 4 corners and if unloaded would lift the one wheel, if loaded no mater if fastened any place or not the bed is going to twist because the weight is going to make all 4 wheels stay on the ground, you would have to have a very heavy enginered bed that would let it not flex and lift the load to ride on 3 places instead of 4 like it seems a lot of people think a fully loaded bed will do. What I would not do is ever use a heavy wood like oak on a wagon bed, use SYP instead and that was what the factorys were building beds out of when they were sold in the farm catalogs. AnOak or other heavy wood like that was called a horse killer and would not sell at auction because of the weight.
 
I inherited FIL's wagons and they had long, narrow U-bolts with cast iron plates between the crossmembers and stringers. The plates had spikes to bite into the wood and loops to take the U-bolts. Last one I built with red oak crossmembers, poplar 1X10s and self-drilling deck screws. They went in OK all at once but if I stopped part way they would not start again. No taking them out either.
 
Angle iron is better than thru bolts because it allows some flex. The thru bolts will break over time. I have done both ways, and both have worked though. For floor boards, ring shank nails. Screws seem better at first but as the bed flexes they will break. Nails are softer and will flex more before they break.
Josh
 
White oak? Your going to have to pre drill. I would use ring shank nails.. Screws don't take shifting very well. Next time try to find southern yellow pine. Utility companies give it away.. it's old power or telephone poles.
 
Thanks everyone for the replies.

With regard to oak vs southern yellow pine and the wagon construction.

A couple years ago, we put a new deck on our old wagon and used pine. Stringers bolted to all four corners and 2x6 pine perpendicular to the stringers for the deck with a 2x4 down each side. I like this design and would have built another one - however.....

I chose the stringer with 4x4 cross members and 1x6 deck boards running lengthwise - of white oak because I wanted these wagons to be potentially convertible to kicker wagons. The 4x4's give me a place to mount stake holders for future sides and the oak for strength.

Bill
 
You need to consult a structical engeeneer on strength but I don't think the oak is any stronger than the pine. Just heavier and harder to work with.
 
(quoted from post at 00:24:29 05/22/17) You need to consult a structical engeeneer on strength but I don't think the oak is any stronger than the pine. Just heavier and harder to work with.


I've got the books on that stuff. IIRC all the oaks are "stronger" by far than any of the pines. Some of the pines are more rot resistant than some of the oaks if left untreated. Some of the pines will take more deflection before breaking, but that's not the same as "strength" in the terms we're talking. As far as we're talking, a 2x6x16 (for example) in oak is going to be able to take a heavier load, be less resistant to tear out of fasteners, more resistant to compression and crushing of the wood fibers (think washers indenting into wood at attachment points), more resistant to nails/screws pulling loose, etc. But yes, it's going to be far heavier and more difficult to nail or screw into. It's a trade off. In the old days things like wagons, chairs, tables, bridges, etc were made up of several different varieties of wood. Each was used where it would give the best service. We don't do that anymore.
 
We have built wagons beds this same way for 30 years. The spikes are cheaper than bolts, they will not pull out, they allow wagon to flex, but you will never get them out. You have to cut them off if replacing crossmember.
 

We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today.

Back
Top