Rebuilt Antique Hay Wagon

Rebuilt Antique Hay Wagon AG WORLD Ag World John Bodenhamer turned a junked antique hay wagon into a parade worthy attention-getter When he bought the wagon that once belonged to his grandfather at an estate auction it was buried under a collapsed barn roof The folks bidding against me just wanted it for the wheels recalls Bodenhamer My wife Jane talked me into buying it It was pretty dilapidated The wheels and axles were the only things worth having Bodenhamer brought the wagon home and went to work rebuilding it He had some home-sawn oak that had been drying in the barn for a few years I had to build a new frame bed and sides he says I went with picket sides instead of the original horizontal boards and added a double latched rear gate that hinges at the bottom When you drop it people can use it like steps to get on or off With large wheels in the back Bodenhamer had to build modified wheel wells under the rear bed He also had to reinforce the original tapered wood axle ends that fit into the front wheel hubs However the rear axle was in good shape The turning mechanism was still in good shape as was the pole that I figure my grandfather modified for pulling with a tractor says Bodenhamer All I had to do with the wheels was pull them off and go over them with a steel brush before greasing and putting them back together Bodenhamer also reinforced the axle/bed connections with steel braces What didn t change was the old wagon s suspension It has none The Bodenhamers use it largely for family or community hayrides or other events There is only one change he would like to make I may try to figure out a way to put some rubber on the old steel wheels he says I don t want to drill holes in them but it would be easier on the road and on the riders if it had rubber wheels Contact: FARM SHOW Followup John Bodenhamer 776 Cook Rd Rural Hall N C 27045 ph 336 969-1880

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