Find the limiting bale count — floor/stack geometry versus payload pounds — so you do not overfill a hay wagon or trailer.
Use this before a field move or highway haul when you know deck length/width, how high you stack, bale dimensions and weight, and the wagon’s allowable payload (GVWR minus empty weight).
Geometry may allow more bales than weight lawfully or safely allows — the calculator reports both and takes the minimum.
Count how many bales fit along each axis (floor divide), multiply tiers, then cap by payload ÷ bale weight.
n_len = floor(deck_L_in ÷ bale_L_in)
n_wid = floor(deck_W_in ÷ bale_W_in)
n_hi = floor(stack_H_in ÷ bale_H_in)
geo_bales = n_len × n_wid × n_hi
wt_bales = floor(payload_lb ÷ bale_lb)
max_bales = min(geo_bales, wt_bales)
Orientation matters — try swapping length/width if your stack pattern differs.
Deck 16 × 7.5 ft, stack 8 ft, bales 36×18×14 in at 60 lb, payload 10,000 lb:
Fit ≈ 5 × 5 × 6 = 150 by geometry; weight allows floor(10000/60)=166 → limited to 150 bales (~9,000 lb).
Assumptions: axis-aligned rectangular stacking with no overhang; no binder/void spaces.
Limits: round bales need diameter×width orientation; straps and hayracks change effective deck. Highway height/width laws not checked.
Responsibility: respect GVWR, axle ratings, and securement rules — this is packing math only.
Enter diameter as length and width (or length and height) to match how you set them, and the bale’s width as the third dimension. Geometry will be approximate.
Usually GVWR minus empty (curb) wagon/trailer weight. If unknown, use a conservative load you have weighed before.
Gaps for tie-downs, pyramid stacks, or sticking under legal height cut the theoretical brick count.