hay wagon frame

GregtheDC · Feb 17, 2019

I am building a wooden floor for a wagon running gear, and am not sure how to secure the 4x4 cross members to the 2 frame members running length ways. Can anyone provide ideas?
Thanks in advance

M Nut · Feb 18, 2019

If your two main stringers are wood (mine are 5?x6?), I use heavy duty lag screws and drive them in with an impact wrench. My main stringers are made of treated timbers from the local lumber yard, and one wagon has treated 4x4s and the other has rough sawn oak 4x4s. The oak I predrilled, the treated I did not. I have two 20ft wagons made this way, and in 10 years of use, hauling 11 round bales on each, I have yet to break any of the lag screws. Has worked well for me.

MoMike · Feb 18, 2019

On mine, I made the main stringers double 2 X 8 glued and screwed together, then drilled and bolted the cross members down. In order to keep the deck boards level I countersunk the bolt head. I figured if I ever need to tighten the bolts just unscrew the deck board and do what I need to do. I did use a 2 X 8 deck board over the stringers, so they are covered in order to keep chaff and dirt off them.

showcrop · Feb 18, 2019

I use 3/8 bolts all the way through. NOW, the most important thing: how to keep those 4x4 cross members and the boards or planks on top of them from rotting. Answer: cut aluminum flashing lengthwise and bend it down over the sides a couple inches before putting the boards on.

steve terplak · Feb 18, 2019

2nd on the lag bolt.

Have also toenailed good sized nails in, used short strips of angle iron nailed/bolted

Nails can work themselves out over time.

For wagon stuff we have found the best (for us) in terms of time, cost and durability, galvanized ?twist? nails. The twist helps them hold in whether it is floor boards or framed stuff

It also helps that we bought 150 lbs of various sizes of these nails for kind $15 a few years ago. So, it is a pretty unlimited supply.

Part Time Pete · Feb 18, 2019

I use 2"x2"x1/4" angle iron, bolted to the cross members and stringers with 3/8" carriage bolts
Pete

GregtheDC · Feb 18, 2019

Thanks for the help, several great ideas, and I appreciate everyone taking the time to help me out
Greg

Farmallb · Feb 18, 2019

I built mine out of 2 X 12 X 20ft. I made a slanting front board so as to stack corn stalks for fodder through the husker shredder, and I made the back boards 3ft high to allow the loose hay loader to be pulled behind it. The running gear was a set of old JD threshing wheels and axles that had been used for hauling logs.

Bill VA · Feb 21, 2019

Per a recommendation here on YT, I used these big spike nails - one per side to ?nail? the 4x4 cross beams to 2 of my hay wagons. Predrilled so as not to split. These are oak wagons and I?ve been surprised at how well it has worked. Got the spikes at Lowe?s.

ASG · Feb 25, 2019

None of our wagons have cross members. We just screw the deck boards to the stringers (i.e. 8'x16' wagon has 16 8' deck boards). This lets you use a taller stringer that is a lot stronger (we use 3"x10" plank which is over 3x stronger than 6x6s). Just another way of building a flat wagon.

hay wagon frame

GregtheDC

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M Nut

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MoMike

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showcrop

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steve terplak

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Part Time Pete

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GregtheDC

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Farmallb

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Bill VA

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ASG

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