Lucked out again

Harold Hubbard · Sep 6, 2023

I have only tipped over one kicker wagon in my life. I had another close call today. Turning from the town road into my barn driveway, hit a water bar and the crosspin at the end of the wagon tongue sheared off. Wagon backed itself down the road, hung a U turn and backed into the ditch.

Only broke to side rails, near as I can tell. Of course it had to be my neighbors wagon that I borrowed

This is the second time that pin has sheared in the three times I have used that wagon this summer.
The pin was made from a piece of power line hardware, and is pretty soft. I am going to try to bore everything out and use a 3/4 inch grade eight bolt as a replacement.

Im glad I didnt decide to deliver hay fifteen miles down the state road with that one.

flying belgian · Sep 6, 2023

I guess I don't know what a water bar is and I don't know what a crosspin is.

Leroy · Sep 6, 2023

Not the only one.

Pete in MD · Sep 6, 2023

Add me to that list. From the description it sounded like the tongue came off the wagon but it's hooked up in the pics.

Harold Hubbard · Sep 6, 2023

Water bar: a cross ditch or structure to divert runoff from the road surface. To prevent erosion and damage to the travelled lanes. Mostly for logging roads, trails, and low use roads. They also work well as speed bumps.

Harold Hubbard · Sep 6, 2023

Crosspin goes through the back end of the wagon tongue to allow it to pivot up and down. The tongue has been re-attached in the pictures.

TimV · Sep 6, 2023

That was what had me also, though now that he says it's hooked back up, the cross pin is indeed what I thought it was. What I don't understand is why anyone would use a poor grade of bolt on such a critical piece in anything other than a dire emergency, which it doesn't sound like it was as it's already broken before.

On the subject of water bars, I've seen a few on woods roads and steep trails to prevent washouts and erosion, but I also saw one at a high-end Florida resort once!

Pete in MD · Sep 6, 2023

Thanks for the clarification. Try to learn something everyday... water bar is it for today.

gene bender · Sep 7, 2023

they are too stupid to lead the water off the road instead let water run down the road so then they make a water bar to stop water from running down the road

Harold Hubbard · Sep 7, 2023

Borrowed wagon, first time it broke, my helper just stuck in whatever was handy to get going again. Then, out of sight, out of mind.

We are in kind if a Whack-A-Mole mode here, first dry weather all summer, and people screaming for hay, any kind of hay. But now, Im waiting,with two wagons in the barn, and one under a tarp, for a couple people to get their act together so I can deliver hay. Doesnt look good weather wise for several days, so I guess Ill just have to wait.

Im not nineteen years old any more, my part time help has health issues, my son is working off the farm, and not really committed to it anyway, and my wife went back to work full time last week. Hope this doesnt come across as whining, just saying what is happening.

Harold Hubbard · Sep 7, 2023

i dont understand your comment here.

Rain falls on the road and runs downhill. In the best case, the road surface is crowned, and the water runs immediately into the ditch. That is only possible with a well constructed asphalt or concrete pavement. With any dirt, stone or gravel surface, traffic tears up the wheel tracks, leaving a depression, where the water runs, eroding the surface and eventually creating a gully. Properly constructed and spaced water bars reduce but dont totally prevent this from happening.

showcrop · Sep 7, 2023

(quoted from post at 03:14:26 09/07/23) i dont understand your comment here.

Rain falls on the road and runs downhill. In the best case, the road surface is crowned, and the water runs immediately into the ditch. That is only possible with a well constructed asphalt or concrete pavement. With any dirt, stone or gravel surface, traffic tears up the wheel tracks, leaving a depression, where the water runs, eroding the surface and eventually creating a gully. Properly constructed and spaced water bars reduce but dont totally prevent this from happening.

Some people just have poor reading comprehension skills, LOL. I have three water bars on my driveway to keep the water from running down it and washing it out. I have put a bunch on field access roads that had been allowed to wash out pretty bad. It is much easier to maintain a few water bars than the whole length of road.

Geo-TH,In · Sep 7, 2023

It is a real PITA maintaining a gravel road with a hill.

PJH · Sep 7, 2023

Very good explanation Harold!

Your ''water bar'' is called a ''dead man'' in our neighborhood.

TimV · Sep 7, 2023

Understood, Harold, and I also didn't intend my reply as a condemnation--anyone who's ever put in hay knows that you have to make it while the sun shines, and that can mean borrowing equipment, running equipment with known problems, skimping on maintenance in the interest of saving time, and all sorts of things we might not normally do. I'm just glad that no one was behind you when the pin let loose--a load of hay is pretty unforgiving and doesn't much care what it hits.

RedMF40 · Sep 7, 2023

Would have made for an exciting hayride. Glad it all worked out.
Gerrit

paul · Sep 7, 2023

I wouldnt have known to call it a cross pin but knew what you meant, but then in the pic the tongue was attached so wasnt sure. Thanks for the clarification.

Ive never heard of a water bar again thanks for explaining that. Different regions have different names for such things, really helps to explain stuff. Thanks.

I hauled a 230bu load of corn to the elevator, turned into the elevator and the wagon didnt turn much, looked like it was trying to pass me. Thank goodness one ear of the cross pin was holding some yet, I coasted down and the tire of the wagon rubbed on the tongue and came to a stop. It was a big wide turning area but the village well house was in front of me when I got stopped.

Scary stuff.

I drove home with the tongue, pressed the bent ear flat, grabbed any bolt that fit was a soft #2 in the bin, hooked back up and carefully went through the elevator and home. The elevator guy said he happened to see it happen, he was impressed I kept things under control he said most would slam on the brakes and make a real mess, also that I got repaired so quick.

Only lost a half hour. Did not use the wagon until I got a proper bolt to put in.

Paul

Bonnan · Sep 7, 2023

Be careful throwing darts like too stupid. For someone that knows the situation and lives year round with the flow dynamics, water bars are appropriate and very common in hilly country. (I'm not going to explain it; let you figure it out yourself)
Jim B

David Snipes · Sep 7, 2023

A water bar is a joint that waters down their drinks.

oldwrencher · Sep 7, 2023

I always heard the bolt or pin at the rear of a wagon tongue was called the queen bolt..

Lucked out again

Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Member

Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Member

Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Member

Member

Member

Similar threads