Garden tractor trailer wheel and parts needed...

[Hard-Drive]

I've acquired* a trailer for a garden tractor, very similar to this, but quite old and very solid, even though the wood has long since rotted away!



However one of the wheels is rusted beyond repair, and I'm trying to source a new one for it. The dimensions are pretty critical as the wheels run on really large needle roller bearings...this thing really is nicely engineered.

-The tyre size is the standard wheelbarrow 4.8/4.0
-OD of the metal part of the wheel is 225mm
-The bore of the wheel is 34.5mm
-The bore depth is 62mm

Can anyone point me in the right direction for one of these? Also, in the top picture, what are the latch things called that latch the drop sides in position as I need some of these too?

Thanks!

• acquired. Well, I was out for a run and saw it outside someone's house waiting for the local scrap man. I knocked on the door and politely offered to give it a home towing my young son around behind my Countax tractor instead of the scrap man weighing it in. The old guy who owned it was only too happy.

[foggy]

Dunno about the wheels, but the side latches are commonly known as 'anti luce'.

[Cold]

If you have no luck with the wheels then I doubt it would be much of a job to sleeve or replace the axle to a size that allows to you to use more easily sourced rims and bearings.

[hidetheelephants]

They're just wheelbarrow wheels; you can get them on a popular online auction site.

[Hard-Drive]

hidetheelephants said:

They're just wheelbarrow wheels; you can get them on a popular online auction site.

Thanks but I don't think they are. I can find wheels with the correct bore diameter, however the bore length/bearing length is too long. My wheels also have grease nipples...would be good if I could find one with one fitted.

[Jonesy23]

Are the wheels expensive? Otherwise it's probably easier to just replace all four at which point an exact match to the originals doesn't matter.

Or at least the two on that axle.

[andy43]

I reckon they're wheelbarrow wheels too. Try a cheap plastic one - if the bearing/wheel centre is too wide, I'd gently attack the centre with a router to narrow it. Or use the milling machine any self respecting PHer would have in his garage...

[roofer]

Try looking through here.

http://www.rosscastors.co.uk/wheels/pneumatic-rubb...

[Hard-Drive]

Thanks for the advice all. On further inspection those wider wheelbarrow wheels will be fine...there's a spacer that sits inboard of the wheel, so I can put those wider wheels on and just cut the spacer down a bit to suit...job jobbed.

[hidetheelephants]

[Hard-Drive]

Might as well post a few pics in case anyone is remotely interested...

Fully stripped down and wire brushed with an angle grinder...



A few gallons of Plusgas and much ttting with a monscrobulator (a large hammer accompanied by large swearing) the brake mechanism freed off...



Bit of an issue with the hinge brackets due to corrosion...



Grinder and a bit of scraping required...



I'm in IT sales. I can't weld, here's the evidence. Nothing that a grinder can't tidy up...



I'll do the other side over the next few days and get some red oxide on it. Was thinking of having it sandblasted but that's quite a bit of effort for something that was basically scrap...

[hidetheelephants]

Pigeon-poo tastic! Rest assured your welding is at least as good as the poor effort by whoever stuck the thing together.

[Hard-Drive]

Ha! I admire your tact and encouargement, but really, no, it isn't. By the looks of things my pigeon had weapons grade constipation followed a nanosecond later with explosive diarrhea...

Must get on YouTube and look at "how to weld"...

[andy43]

Hard-Drive said:

A few gallons of Plusgas and much ttting with a monscrobulator (a large hammer accompanied by large swearing) the brake mechanism freed off...

/Writes down 'monscrobulator' for use at some point today...

[S6PNJ]

Hard-Drive said:

Might as well post a few pics in case anyone is remotely interested...

Yes please! I bought a knackered old sit on mower for the pneumatic wheels with the intention of building my own chassis but am looking for plans or something similar to copy and your one looks ideal. As many pics as you can muster of the gubbins please! With a bit of luck, I may even get some time to fabricate it over the summer (other garden jobs permitting!).

[Hard-Drive]

Primed in red oxide...

[S6PNJ]

Does the steering arm boss simply sit on/in the chassis boss or is there a bearing of some kind? If they are simply a slide over fit, were the metal plates greased to make it turn easily?

[roofer]

"monscrobulator"

[Hard-Drive]

S6PNJ said:

Does the steering arm boss simply sit on/in the chassis boss or is there a bearing of some kind? If they are simply a slide over fit, were the metal plates greased to make it turn easily?

There's a metal disc (actually two together) with about 8 ball bearings which run between them which take the loads. Makes it turn very smoothly.

Anyway, I've made some good progress, not taken many pics as it's hardly the most exciting rebuild, but it's looking pretty good now. Waiting for some new split pins to hold the wheels on properly.



Drawbar folds up and locks in place...



Brakes off...



Brakes on...



Even some of my welding turned out OK with a bit of TLC...



I'm just going to do the load bed and sides in 20mm exterior ply rather than faff about planking it. Can't decide whether to varnish it or use woodstain. Anyway, I think it was well worth saving and should be useful for pulling stuff of the little fella behind the garden tractor!

[S6PNJ]

Thanks! That's great! Just need to make mine now! Interesting to see the brake actuation mechanism - just an 'over centre' lock but clearly effective.