Compact wagon running gear.

[tnichols]

Very nice compact setups fellas. You’re all handy at fabrication too. The OP mentioned backing up a wagon. I have hitch pin hole in the scraper blade of my loader tractor bucket so I turn the tractor around and push the wagon when I have to get in a tight spot. It’s cheating but works slick and keeps my blood pressure down

 

[CaseyForrest]

So Ive been itching for a wagon for awhile... Not a huge selection in the used market and even less below 6 ton...

I called Heartland Fabrication (Kory) today and they are still at $1100 for just the running gear... No bed, no wood.

Stumbled across the Ez Trail 246 wagon... 2 ton, 46" wide at the wheels.... And the 260, 2 ton 60" wide at the wheels...

https://www.e-ztrail.com/products/compact_wagons.php

The 260 comes as a wagon much like Cranes setup, but 6x10 rather than 4x8. Cheapest Ive found it online is $1400 and about a 5 hour drive.

Ive found the 246 online for $695 and about a 3 hour drive.

I put in an offer on the 246.... I can fabricate a bed and be into it less than the Kory or the EZ trail JR flat rack...

 

[Sandhill Crane]

Casey:
That looks like a great buy.
I use mine as a mobile tool bench since eliminating the cut rounds staging benches. Kind of high dollar for thats how it worked out, and it frees up the other trailer for other things.
I pulled the ball coupler off the four wheel SuperSplit and pin it to the back of the Kory wagon. Need to make an adapter to mount a ball on the rear of the wagon, and retain the coupler on the splitter for when needed.

 

[CaseyForrest]

Its going to be so much handier than using the trailer for yard duties.... Ive got a couple ideas in mind I want to flesh out and this will give me the platform.

 

[milkman]

Nice wagons, I'm still using mine mostly for wood. Sometimes I cut the logs to 8' and cut them off the back as I crank them back. Works well for rounds or splits, that load handler makes it a lot easier, just back up to the splitter and work off the end of the wagon as I crank them back. Here's a shot with a load of dirt.

 

[rancher2]

Another good source for smaller wagon running gears are old airport baggage carts. A friend of mine pickup a couple years ago for scrap price and I turned them into nice wagons for use on his acreage.

 

[CaseyForrest]

Well... I found a wagon just about an hour from me that has a 12x7 hay bed on it. Looks to be a compact gear and the seller said its only been used once since he bought it 7 years ago. Looks good in the pictures and Im headed up tomorrow morning to take a look.

 

[CaseyForrest]

Here she is. It's the 260 model, 60" wide.

Paid less than buying a new 246 gear and the deck on this is oak in perfect condition.

sent from a field

 

[CaseyForrest]

All stripped down and wood denailed. I think the only pieces I'm going to replace are the 2x10s. They aren't straight at all and then I can cut those down and use on the ends.

sent from a field

 

[CaseyForrest]

Ended up putting some money into the bed. There just wasnt enough meat in some of the existing oak to make up a deck to carry weight. Not without cutting and ripping and squaring.

I also cut the length down to 10'. 12' was just too much and likely would have encouraged overloading.

Overall size ended up at 6x10. I used 2 4x6 for the main runners and 5 4x4x6' for the crossmembers and then 13 2x6 for the deck. I did reuse some of the oak decking for the sides.

Need to pick up a few bolt on stake pockets and some shorter lags to finish it off...

sent from a field

 

[sirbuildalot]

Looks great! Nice job! I’ve always wanted a small running gear wagon, but used gears around here typically sell for $800-$1200. More than I want to pay. Maybe someday.

 

[CaseyForrest]

I paid 650 for the wagon with the hay bed.

There are larger wagons around for less, but usually need tires or have been sitting in a field for who knows how long. And they are just to big for what I have here.

This was my second best craigslist score ever. The tires still have the nubs on them. Even with the $150 in lumber I'm better than half of what it would cost new.

sent from a field

 

[CaseyForrest]

Got her all wrapped up today. Took one of the 2x7 oak boards and cut and ripped it down into 16 - 3x1.5" stakes for the sides. Stake pockets, corner hardware and replaced the pin hitch with a 2" coupler.

sent from a field

 

[rancher2]

Nice trailer that will be a handy sized trailer. I like that three point trailer hitch. I run them on a couple tractors and have one for my skid loader sure makes moving trailers or splitters real handy.

 

[CaseyForrest]

Putting it to good use. Weather is finally decent and the ground has dried up a bit. Supposed to snow tonight, though. 4".

Unintended consequence of the deck height... With the back sideboards off, it slips just under the table of the SS. Ill snap a pic after lunch.

 

[CaseyForrest]

Progress.

sent from a field