hay wagon weaves bad!

I went to use my new - to - me wagon yesterday. I had a load of light trash from a house we're renovating on it. Took it to the dump (5 miles). The sucker weaved very bad. Couldn't go above 15 mph without bad weave. I know the reach is bent - was that way when I got it. I've read other posts about straightening the reach out - or I could get a new length of pipe. In another post, the things that are like king pins, bushings, linkage etc. were considered the cause of the weaving. I'm not about to replace all that stuff, as I usually won't use the wagon off the farm. There has been some welding done to the front end steering mechanisms. It looks like someone bent something, tried to straighten it and added some rebar welded on to make it stronger. They may not have gotten everything back to the right length with the correct toe in (I read on another post that front wheels should toe in 1/8 to 1/4 inch). If this is the real problem, I can have little brother (a welder by trade) fix the basic allignment.

Here's the big question. Will replacing or straightening the reach fix some, most or all of the weave? How much, if any of the weave is caused by a bent reach as compared to the front end slop/out of allignment? For my use, I don't care that the wagon tracks a little crooked. I do care about the weave if I can fairly simply fix some or most of it. Thanks!

Your problem is either no toe in, or all the loose bushings. Sorry - my money is on worn out bushings/ pins/ linkage.

--->Paul

The steering aparatus is your culprits. The tonge and all its related parts through the king pins. combine all the slack in each part and that will add up to all your play.

Sadly some steering gears are better designed than others and will last longer. Also some steering gears are more easily repaired.

Si be prepaire dto replace all the tie rod ends and rebush year whole mechanizem
Sorry
Fernan

Spindle pivots tend to be rusted nearly fast.

One of my racks towed at 45 unloaded but not over 18 when loaded. So I hauled hay slowly but could return empty at speed.

Its hard to bush bolts tightly enough to eliminate sway and still be loose enough to turn. Everything in the front (but the reach) leads to sway. Every pivot, every bit of linkage, plus the wheel bearings. You can get rid of the sway by buying new, but used is going to wander.

Hitched to the truck with a pin leads to sway even with tight steering linkage because the hitch pin has to rattle in the holes to keep from being broken when the relative altitude of truck and wagon change. You have to replace the hitch pin with a ball hitch, and put real tie rod ends and a ball pivot for the tongue to really make the wagon track. Being patient and driving slow is at least as profitable.

Gerald J.

This year I converted my planter from pin hitch to ball hitch and bolted the tractor drawbar down to cut down on planter wandering hoping for straighter rows. I did get a good straight marker path, but the corn's not up yet to prove the straight rows. That's not a new idea, AC did that a long time ago.

Hitch wander can be significant. Maybe 7/8" pin in 1" hole, maybe 3/4" pin in a 1" + hole.

Gerald J.

Forget the stretch; it isn't causing the problem.

Also, another thing, even if all of the steering components are tight as a new fiddle string, are you hitched in an "uphill fashion"?

Seems like they will always want to do the "swing" thing when the 'hitch-point' is lower than the 'pull-point' on the wagon/implement/towed vehicle.

Allan

Maybe I got up on the wrong side of the bed but it's an old flat rack. Either buy a road trailer or SLOW DOWN! I have one rack that weaves and I just leave it on the field.

Yep, hear ya on that one. :>)

Allan