If you’re shopping for a hay bed for your pickup or cab chassis, two names come up again and again: Bradford Built and Norstar. Both are solid American-made brands with loyal followings across Texas and Louisiana, but they’re built for slightly different buyers — and choosing the wrong one can cost you time and money in the field.
At Star Truck Equipment in Wharton, TX, we carry both brands and help ranchers and farmers choose the right hay bed every week. Here’s our honest breakdown.
Bradford Built Hay Beds: Overview
Bradford Built is an Oklahoma-based manufacturer known for heavy-gauge steel construction and a wide range of hay hauling configurations. Their hay beds are built to handle serious farm work — we’re talking commercial-grade bale transport, not weekend ranch chores.
- Material: Heavy-gauge steel, powder-coat finish
- Popular Models: Hay Hauler series in 8 ft, 9 ft, and 10 ft lengths
- Key Feature: Higher stake sides, integrated headache racks available
- Best For: Operations hauling large round or square bales regularly
- Finish: Powder-coat (holds up well in South Texas heat and humidity)
Bradford Built hay beds are favored by buyers who want a working bed that will absorb the punishment of daily ranch use without flex or fatigue cracking. They are heavier than some competitors, which is actually a feature when you are stacking 1,500-lb round bales.
Norstar Hay Beds: Overview
Norstar is a Texas-born brand manufactured in Corsicana, TX, and they have built a strong reputation for well-designed beds at competitive price points. Their hay bed lineup is popular with ranchers who want reliable performance without overbuilding for lighter-duty needs.
- Material: Steel, powder-coat finish
- Popular Models: Norstar Hay Bed in multiple cab-to-axle configurations
- Key Feature: Cleaner lines, flush-mounted floor, easier to hose out
- Best For: Ranchers moving 2-4 bales regularly on 3/4-ton to 1-ton pickups
- Finish: Powder-coat standard
Norstar hay beds tend to be slightly lighter than Bradford Built, which matters when you are weight-conscious on an SRW truck. The floor design is also easier to clean, a small but appreciated detail when dealing with feed waste and manure daily.
Bradford Built vs Norstar: Head-to-Head Comparison
| Feature | Bradford Built | Norstar |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | Heavy-gauge steel | Standard-gauge steel |
| Weight | Heavier | Lighter |
| Stake Sides | Taller, sturdier | Shorter, sufficient for most use |
| Best Truck Match | DRW 1-ton, cab chassis | SRW 3/4-ton or 1-ton |
| Price Point | Higher | Mid-range |
| Texas Presence | Strong | Very strong (TX-made) |
| Availability at STE | In stock | In stock |
Which Hay Bed Is Right for Your Operation?
Choose Bradford Built if:
- You are hauling large round bales every day
- Your truck is a dually (DRW) cab chassis or 1-ton DRW pickup
- You run a commercial cattle or hay operation and need a bed built for hard daily use
- You want higher stake sides to stack more bales per load
Choose Norstar if:
- You are on an SRW F-350, Ram 3500, or Chevy 3500 and need to watch payload
- Your hay hauling is regular but not commercial-scale daily work
- You want a Texas-made product at a competitive price point
- Ease of cleaning is a priority
Hay Bed Installation at Star Truck Equipment
Both brands are installed at our Wharton, TX shop by experienced technicians who know how to properly mount hay beds on everything from Ford F-250s to Ram 5500 cab chassis trucks. We serve ranchers and farmers across South Texas and Southwest Louisiana. If you are within a few hours of Wharton, it is worth the drive for the quality of install you will get.
We also carry related products including flatbed truck bodies, hay beds for sale, and truck accessories to complete your work truck setup.
Talk to a Hay Bed Expert
Still not sure which hay bed fits your operation best? Give us a call at (979) 532-1486 or stop by 2507 County Rd 231, Wharton, TX 77488. We will ask the right questions about your truck make and model, bale size, frequency of use, and payload rating, and point you to the right bed for your work.
We have been helping Texas and Louisiana ranchers get the right truck setup for years. Browse our full truck bed inventory or explore Bradford Built options and Norstar options online today.
