Wheels- Share your info please

[tinyscrafts]

I have started my coop. It's seriously heavy.
I was thinking of adding some wheels (I know I did this backwards) If I put a wheel on each corner post....

Here are my questions...
Do I add up the wt rating x4 and hope my coop weighs less than that? like 4 wheels rated at 60 lbs should support 240 lbs right?


How do I attach them? I have two wheels with 5/8 " holes in the centers already from my old hand lawnmower I don't have any idea the pound rating on them... but I have them ,, they're free. If i get really sturdy ones the same size for the other two would that work?

I saw someone mentioned carriage bolts... I'm off to go look for those but don't know how they work... do I need some sort of lock washer thingy?

Do I need to put a wheel on each side of each post like Dualie wheels? it seems like the post will be off kilter if I only use one on each.. but two is getting expensive...

I tried a long threaded rod to be like an axle and that did not work...

ARG!!
Thank you!

 

[~*Sweet Cheeks*~]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=179114

http://www.buggyridge.com/chicken_tractor.html

http://stefrobrts.blogspot.com/2009/04/wheels-for-chicken-tractor.html

See the above links regarding tractor wheels.

Good luck.

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
Yes, except that a) that assumes an even distribution of weight, which there may not be; and b) it does not allow room for extra stresses when you go over bumps etc. So I'd try to get wheels that are rated for *comfortably* more than their share of the coop weight.

Large-diameter wheels are much, much, much better than small ones -- I wouldn't use anything smaller than a lawnmower wheel -- because they don't dig into the ground as much and don't hang up on every stupid little bump and molehill in the lawn.

I have two wheels with 5/8 " holes in the centers already from my old hand lawnmower I don't have any idea the pound rating on them... but I have them ,, they're free. If i get really sturdy ones the same size for the other two would that work?

Sure, use 'em. Worst that can happen is they crack and you say "Oh, Pooh!" and go buy new ones. They'll prolly be fine tho

I saw someone mentioned carriage bolts... I'm off to go look for those but don't know how they work... do I need some sort of lock washer thingy?

No different than any other bolt would, on the nut end. The difference with carriage bolts is that the head is rounded on the exposed part, but has a square part that's against the wood, so that theoretically it mashes/locks into teh wood when tightened down so it won't spin. Personally I dislike them because if something happens that causes the square part to round-out its hole, it can be REAL HARD to get the nut back off the bolt. Better to use hex-head bolts IMO, or anything else like that, that lets you put a tool on that end to help tighten.

Do I need to put a wheel on each side of each post like Dualie wheels?

Probably not highly pointful, as the unevenness of ground makes it unlikely that both will be bearing well at any given moment.

Most people put the wheel through the *bottom frame* not the post, but it depends on the construction of your particular coop.

I *think* that my tractor page has a pic of how the wheels are (removeably) attached, you could take a look if that helps any.

If all else fails you might have to strip your coop back down a bit and rebuild lighter.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat​

 

[mightieskeeper]

I want to use a pair of wheels off an tractor and a big solid steel axle. To make mine roll. It is heavy too. Ryan