Hauling 3 string bales of hay

[jeniferkey]

I had to pick up my hay load this weekend. My old truck could handle 10 bales, so that's what I ordered. I think I could have gone with 12. I did have to leave the tailgate down, but still a success. I didn't have far to drive or I'd have also strapped down the top bale. These are around 140 lbs a bale. It did make me wish the upper area wasn't glass. On the old truck I'd sometimes extend things over the cab when needed and not worry. Cleaning all the nooks and crannies afterwards wasn't fun (there was hay everywhere). Old truck I never cleaned.

Sponsored

 

[AlmostHuman]

Wonder if you did some crossbars up high with some plates between them would allow you to get one or two bales up there?

 

[TickTock]

I had to pick up my hay load this weekend. My old truck could handle 10 bales, so that's what I ordered. I think I could have gone with 12. I did have to leave the tailgate down, but still a success. I didn't have far to drive or I'd have also strapped down the top bale. These are around 140 lbs a bale. It did make me wish the upper area wasn't glass. On the old truck I'd sometimes extend things over the cab when needed and not worry. Cleaning all the nooks and crannies afterwards wasn't fun (there was hay everywhere). Old truck I never cleaned.

DId you have to keep the tailgate down on your prior truck? (What was it?) My guess is you did the trick where you put six on the second level - extending over the sides like below (one disadvantage of the CT sloped rails). I have not yet had to get a new load and was wondering how it would go. Thanks for sharing your experience.

 

[jeniferkey]

DId you have to keep the tailgate down on your prior truck? (What was it?) My guess is you did the trick where you put six on the second level - extending over the sides like below (one disadvantage of the CT sloped rails).

I had a 2000 Chevy Silvarado 2500. I did leave the gate closed and they would extend them over the sides. That's one thing I liked about this load. I never liked when I couldn't use my mirrors because of how they extended the bales over the sides. I thought I'd have more length, but with the slope of the back wall these were just off the edge of the tailgate so we used the strap just in case.
I prefer the small bales like your picture, but they're getting more difficult to buy at a decent price. It seems anything shipped in is the 3 string variety.

 

[yohst]

I got 2 yard cubes of dirt. The stuff with the little pumice stones for water retention. Terrible clean up, tonneau wouldn't close well and was creaking a lot. But it's all prim and proper again. Next time I haul this stuff I'll put a liner in first to keep it out of the tonneau guides and storage.

 

[jeniferkey]

Terrible clean up, tonneau wouldn't close well and was creaking a lot. But it's all prim and proper again. Next time I haul this stuff I'll put a liner in first to keep it out of the tonneau guides and storage.

I hadn't thought how I could have put a tarp in first. And you're right about the tonneau guides and storage. I went with my little vacuum down both tracks and underneath to get the hay out.

 

[rtfitch]

I had to pick up my hay load this weekend. My old truck could handle 10 bales, so that's what I ordered. I think I could have gone with 12. I did have to leave the tailgate down, but still a success. I didn't have far to drive or I'd have also strapped down the top bale. These are around 140 lbs a bale. It did make me wish the upper area wasn't glass. On the old truck I'd sometimes extend things over the cab when needed and not worry. Cleaning all the nooks and crannies afterwards wasn't fun (there was hay everywhere). Old truck I never cleaned.

With horses, reindeer, dogs and cats we call our home "The House of Hay and Hair"...and that goes for the vehicles, too. To clean the bed, leave the cover housed, lower the tailgate and run like an old fart trying to outrun the Grim Reaper...works every time.

 

[Thunderstrike44]

Nice! I am curious did you strap those down using the T Rails or the bed floor Rings? Happy to see someone else use it as a truck!

 

[Jabman]

I hadn't thought how I could have put a tarp in first. And you're right about the tonneau guides and storage. I went with my little vacuum down both tracks and underneath to get the hay out.

I keep a tarp in the bed at all times just for this reason. Never know when I’m going to need to hall loose material. Also comes in handy with large items, like furniture, as it prevents scratches (for both the bed and the furniture)

 

[Lasttoy]

I don't see an issue here. It's a truck
Haul 2500 pounds

 

[dalton108]

I had to pick up my hay load this weekend. My old truck could handle 10 bales, so that's what I ordered. I think I could have gone with 12. I did have to leave the tailgate down, but still a success. I didn't have far to drive or I'd have also strapped down the top bale. These are around 140 lbs a bale. It did make me wish the upper area wasn't glass. On the old truck I'd sometimes extend things over the cab when needed and not worry. Cleaning all the nooks and crannies afterwards wasn't fun (there was hay everywhere). Old truck I never cleaned.

Any reason you couldn’t have rolled up the tonneau cover just high enough to cover the glass?

 

[mongo]

I don't see an issue here. It's a truck
Haul 2500 pounds

2500 for AWD on fully inflated (65psi) all terrain tires
2200 on all seasons

Beast:
2,270 on all terrains
2,000 on all seasons

 

[jeniferkey]

Any reason you couldn’t have rolled up the tonneau cover just high enough to cover the glass?

I did do that for the back glass. It's the roof glass that worried me. If a bale slipped or a loader stepped on it.

 

[jeniferkey]

Nice! I am curious did you strap those down using the T Rails or the bed floor Rings? Happy to see someone else use it as a truck!

The T Rails were easier to reach so we went there. Usually I connect to the lower rings that are on the side at the back. I didn't have far to go, and no highway speeds, so we didn't expect anything to try and move.

 

[jeniferkey]

I don't see an issue here. It's a truck
Haul 2500 pounds

I was more concerned with how much weight I could extend over the tailgate. After the first row we figured we had to stay over the bed.

Sponsored