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Don, that is much like dad made decades ago, & I just rebuilt one 2 weeks ago. I used 5/4 treated deck boards for the floor. Those side 2x8 (what I used) go on the bottom, not on top like yours. I understand on top holds the load on, but under gives better support, and we nail a lathe down each side on top, holds the load on & is easier to pull the bales off over the thin lathe. Frankly I stack a pretty solid load, hay doesn't move - straw is so light & slippery need the lathes. Across the front & back is an 8 foot angle iron, helps support the rack from sagging with my thinner cross boards. The iron is sandwitched between the stringer & the floor, front one angle is down, back one the angle is up for a small lip. As well makes a metal bumper, doesn't chip the wood up so bad when tapping into things. As well dad made 2 angle irons that bolt to the bottom of the stringer, and angle up to both side 2x8s. This also keeps the sides from drooping down. So, there are 4 angle irons supporting the side rals, keeps the deck real level even with actual 1 inch planks (dad used home-sawef actual 1 inch). Makes for a sturdy but lighter rack. We do the rear rack like you do, slips right off when not needed. Dad nailed the boards down, on the 2x edges used long nails & clinched them over. That musta been 30 years ago, or more, lasted until this year. He put tin over the stringers, they were perfect yet when I pulled the old planks off, I bought new tin & did the same. Keeps the bit of hay that piles into the cracks from rotting the stringers. I used my air framing nailer, nailed planks down. Figure stainless screws if any planks want to work loose. I cut an inch off each side after putting it together, so it _could_ fit in the 8 foot wide doors here if it _had_ to. Also mine are 14 feet 2 inches long, neither of us felt like walking that extra 2 feet with every bale. :) :) :) --->Paul
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