So now that Im done with the fly rod holder..............next is
some wheels for my tube. I looked in TDs book (CD) and
I seen some great ideas.
I really like the plastic wide wheels from a golf cart. Where can I get two of those wheels???? I know that a garage sale would be great, but that will take some time to get lucky and run into a golf cart for couple of bucks.
Any help or ideas with this project would be great.
Thank you
Peter
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I got two 7" wheels at Harbor freight for $5 each. They had several different sizes and styles. Here is a photo of mine. Have fun building! Next for me is a tool rack.[
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[cool][#0000ff]I am just getting ready to put together my "ultimate" tube cart...using only the wheels from one of those golf carts. I have all the materials, but have been busy on other things. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I have not tried it but if you check with some golf outlets you can ask if they sell replacement wheels for golf carts. I suspect that they will probably cost more to buy like that than if you find a cheap used cart complete. I have scored two between $10 to $15. Look in the sports equipment or golf sections of your local classifieds...or any local online free selling service. We have a couple in the Salt Lake area.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]You want to find the wheels that are held onto their shaft with a little wing nut arrangement. The bearings are built right into the wheels. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]You can loosen the nuts and pull off the wheels and then reinstall them on a small piece of rod inserted in some PVC. I got a 3' length of threaded 3/8" steel bar and enough nuts and bolts for two tube setups for less than $5. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I will get that done and do a pictorial within the next few days.[/#0000ff]
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[quote albinotrout]I got two 7" wheels at Harbor freight for $5 each. They had several different sizes and styles. Here is a photo of mine. Have fun building! Next for me is a tool rack.[
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Ok, looking good[
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Thank you
Peter
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I CANT wait to see your "ultimate tube cart"
I need to built something that I can fold or brake down
so it will fit in the front comp. of the SFC. Im planing
on doing some "long" mile or two trips where I will not
be able to kick back to my car (wind will p/u the wrong
way ofcourse)but there is a service road that I can
use to roll my stuff back to my car.
Peter
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That sounds like a fun project. It will be neat to see what you come up with.
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If you are building for a smooth firm surface road only, the design would most likely be different than with rough terrain. Simple two wheels on straight axle principle works well with smooth and you can focus on keeping the weight down. The wheels can be smaller, thinner and lighter than golf cart wheels and they will be cheap and available anywhere. If you will going through sand, swamp or mush, on your road, then fatter tires work better. Water will get into the wheel bearings, so bushings might last longer especially around salt or murky water because of the grit left behind when evaporation occurs. Balance is important- you want the wheels to carry most of the weight if possible, especially over long distances. With rougher terrain as I have, straight axles do not work well. That's why I like TD's previous design with a golf cart. Can't wait to see what TDs come up with next.
Pon
[quote peter805]I CANT wait to see your "ultimate tube cart"
I need to built something that I can fold or brake down
so it will fit in the front comp. of the SFC. Im planing
on doing some "long" mile or two trips where I will not
be able to kick back to my car (wind will p/u the wrong
way ofcourse)but there is a service road that I can
use to roll my stuff back to my car.
Peter[/quote]
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[cool][#0000ff]Well, I had a lot of projects I had to get done over the weekend, but I had all the stuff for the tube cart and it is a simple assembly. So, I did some quick cutting and fitting...and GOT 'ER DONE.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I have a couple of tweaks I want to do on it and I want to drive it around the block a couple of times with a full load. Actually, I just do that to drive the neighbors crazy. You can see them looking out their windows and hear them calling in the kids and dogs before I come by. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]So far it seems to be the answer. Wider wheel base, good clearance, wide wheels for soft surfaces, Easy on and off with the wheels if needed, etc. And, I weighed the whole thing after I had all the parts together and it weighs barely 2.5 pounds.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I will be putting together a step by step with more pictures and measurements. But here are a couple to give you the idea.[/#0000ff]
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Interesting design.
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Where are the spinners and the bling. Maybe a hydraulic lift[sly]
Ron
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thank you for your input Pon.
The service road Im talking about is nice, clean, smooth so that is no problem. But as I know my self, sence I will
have "rolling powers" with the wheel cart- I will be going
to all kinda places. So never know............................
Peter
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Looks GREAT TD. I gone bilt something just like that.
All I need now is the wheels.
Also I see that you dont use glue anymore, just screws.
How is that working out ?
Peter
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[quote peter805]Looks GREAT TD. I gone bilt something just like that.
All I need now is the wheels.
Also I see that you dont use glue anymore, just screws.
How is that working out ?
Peter[/quote]
[cool][#0000ff]I DO still use PVC cement, but not on my prototypes and experiments. Once the design is proven I may take it apart and glue the connections as well as using the little 1/2" machine screws. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I started using the machine screws as reinforcements after gluing. Some of my cart designs have experienced joint separations during "extreme" tests. I sometimes take them down long rocky trails to a lake...or down long rough ATV trails along the shorelines. That subjects them to a a lot of torque and twisting. If they can survive the hardest tests I put them through I feel comfortable using them strictly for getting from point A to point B on decent terrain.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Of all the wheels and designs I have tried, the golf cart wheels have worked the best. They are light but strong, and they have a wide "footprint" to reduce sinking in sand and mud. And, by having internal bearings it saves on having to rig an axel for them to roll on. Just twist down the nut onto a rigid bar and you are good to go. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Now I have to test the strength and durability of the single vertical shaft to hold the wheels during a punishing test. That may not come for a week or so. So far the results are encouraging. The 1" schedule 40 PVC is tough, but the longer the shaft the more vulnerable it is to torque on rough surfaces. We will see.[/#0000ff]
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Good job, I like your no straight axle designs, TD! What kind of weight will you be pulling? I find that rolling over uneven rocky sections stress the structure at several "G"s. One of your previous pictures showed a sloping rocky launch area, and that might be a good road test....
How's the stow aboard capability-looks better than the modified golf cart design.... Weight at 2.5 # is fabulous, you have a winner!
Thanks.
Pon
[quote TubeDude][cool][#0000ff]Well, I had a lot of projects I had to get done over the weekend, but I had all the stuff for the tube cart and it is a simple assembly. So, I did some quick cutting and fitting...and GOT 'ER DONE.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I have a couple of tweaks I want to do on it and I want to drive it around the block a couple of times with a full load. Actually, I just do that to drive the neighbors crazy. You can see them looking out their windows and hear them calling in the kids and dogs before I come by. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]So far it seems to be the answer. Wider wheel base, good clearance, wide wheels for soft surfaces, Easy on and off with the wheels if needed, etc. And, I weighed the whole thing after I had all the parts together and it weighs barely 2.5 pounds.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I will be putting together a step by step with more pictures and measurements. But here are a couple to give you the idea.[/#0000ff][/quote]
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[cool][#0000ff]Thanks. I will probably add about 15 to 20 pounds of bulky weight. But, I usually bungee it down over the seat area to balance the weight load and keep the center of gravity between the wheels. I have had few problems with tipping...with the exception of the modified golf cart. That had the center of gravity quite a bit higher and the wheel base was narrower.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I am optimistic about the tests over rugged terrain. There are a couple of steep rocky trails I use to put my new models to the test. I usually do a walk down first, to move any major obstacles. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]There are two potential modifications I can foresee. First is to double reinforce the vertical strut of the wheels by putting them inside a piece of 1 1/4" PVC...or by filling the interior of the 1" PVC with expanding foam and putting a cap on the end. We will see how it holds up without reinforcing.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The second potential modification will be a small single wheel at the front of the frame...to create a tripod and to reduce the potential for bouncing the front of the tube and frame off uneven ground or rocks. There have been a couple of trips where that has been an issue and it would not add much weight or bulk. I can even make it a "snap on" addition for the times when it is needed.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The single big advantage of this latest design is that it is simple and compact...fitting right under the seat part of the tube without having to support the air chambers. Since that is where most of the weight is centered, it works well.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Stay tuned for further developments.[/#0000ff]
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I will definitely stay tuned, I hope everything works out the way you planned!
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I can wait for your final test.
I went to the store today and purchased pvc parts, pipe
all 1'' and some temp. wheels from harbor frate.I have
to keep my eyes open for some of those cool
golf cart wheels.
I will start working on my cart (copy most of yours) and
I will stay tuned for any further developments.Keep up
the good work my friend.
Im like you TD. I like to play with pvc and stuff.
Peter
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"Im like you TD. I like to play with pvc and stuff."
[cool][#0000ff]Some folks think I don't really like to make stuff from PVC...that I just like to get high on the fumes from the PVC glue.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Let them think what they want. The fumes have not affected me at all. But the extra arm helps in landing fish and that third eye in the middle of my forehead really makes it easier when I night fish. I guess I probably should do something about the long fangs though. It scares women and children when I go shopping at Walmart.[/#0000ff]
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hahhahahaahhhahh you too funny TD. If you and I go fishing one day...........................well lets just say that we would laugh a lot.[
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Heres a picture of the temp. wheels a got just for now.
Peter
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[cool][#0000ff]Those should work very well. I briefly tried some of those, by running a long steel rod across as an axle. It tended to hang up a lot on rocks, etc. However, if you rig it with a short rod, like I have for the golf cart wheels on a straight shaft, they will work better. I did try that on one model (no pics) and drilled holes through the shaft and used cotter pins to hold it in place. Okay, but a bit wobbly...even with washers. The nut and bolt setup works much better. Only problem is that the rough surface on that rod will wear out the nylon surface on the wheel.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Good luck.[/#0000ff]
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