Yet another version of gauge wheels

BobReeves · Nov 13, 2005

All this gauge wheel talk got me motivated, the attached is the almost finished result of me trying to come up with something that can be transferred to my Box blade.

Had it all planed out thinking I could weld the receivers to the top of the channel with a small piece of channel welded to the front making a box for the receivers to sit on. Built the wheels then realized if I put the receivers on top of the channel I wouldn't be able to turn the rake around.

Plan B, involved the cutting torch and angling the receivers up in back slightly so my already fabricated wheels would work and I could still turn the rake all the way around. About all I have left is a little paint and adding two receivers to my Box blade.

The trailer stands adjust the height of the wheels but wished I had put the support tube lower. They will be fine on the Box Blade but real close to being too long for the rake.

RonR · Nov 13, 2005

Hi Bob,

Good looking project. I'd be a little concerned that the jack stand/wheels wouldn't stand up to much abuse, especially on the box blade. Maybe it will, and maybe it's not a bad deal even if you have to replace the jack stands occasionally. Seems an easy way to "get 'er done!"

Ron

BobReeves · Nov 13, 2005

Wheels are 10 inchers from Harbor Freight, bolted to the bottom of the Jack Stands. Figure if they don't hold up I can always get better wheels or even build completely new/better. One of the neat things about using receivers, I can always do it different later if this doesn't work out.

PineRidge · Nov 13, 2005

Bob thats a great looking idea. No height spacers to fumble with or lose and if one side is to low you just jack er up a bit. Ingenious stuff here on TBN! /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

RonR · Nov 13, 2005

THKS.

I'm sure your set up will work better than a normal wheeled jack stand.

ron

Barnboy · Nov 13, 2005

Thats a good idea. That makes it adjustable.

HomeBrew2 · Nov 14, 2005

Very nice Bob !!! Hurry up and get it done for your scraper! Soon you'll find that a box blade withOUT gauge wheels is ... just ballast /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
Cheers!

djradz · Nov 14, 2005

Bob, great ideas and nice job to boot! Now, can I offer a couple of concerns and hope you won't be offended?
1) You may have weakened the frame by cutting it as you have. Probably someone more familiar with cutting and welding structures should comment however. Looks like you did a nice job nonetheless.
2) I think those wheels will hold up fine, but you may need to keep them well greased or eventually replace the bearings with sealed.
3) Typically these caster spindles are fairly susceptible to dirt getting in the bearings. Some have zirks, but no way to keep the grease in or dirt out. I can see the ball bearings instantly filled with dirt the first time you move any kind of large load, and eventually, even if not. You might try to caulk/seal them with silicone or poly caulk, but by putting a film of oil (or other release agent) on one side and adhering the caulk to the other.
4) I couldn't tell from the photo, but is there any way the handle locks to keep the crank for slowly turning during use?

hobbyfarm · Nov 14, 2005

What a cool mod Bob!
Excellent idea to use those Bulldog implement stands.
Does your rake have parking stands or can you insert those wheels in reverse to act as parking stands? (just another idea)

BobReeves · Nov 14, 2005

Thanks for the encouragement,

What can't be seen in the picture is that I didn't cut the slot for the receivers all the way out, cut the sides and heated/bent the tab over then welded the receivers to both the tab and the channel on both sides. I would guess (even with my bird poop welding) it's probably stronger than the channel by itself.

Thought about putting silicon sealant on the wheel bearings, (saw this recommendation in the other thread) then thought these wheels are so cheap that if I have a problem I'll replace them and do it on the new ones.

Didn't do anything to make sure the handles won't turn, other than vibration I don't see anything that will cause them to turn, if it becomes a problem I can turn them down to the storage position and they will hit the mount which will keep them from going too far.

Didn't add a stand and didn't think about turning the wheels around, now I just use an old screw jack I had laying around. Turning the wheels around isn't a bad idea. If it gets warm enough this afternoon I am going to drop the box blade and hook up the rake to see how well it works. If turning the wheels around doesn't present a problem with getting it hooked to the tractor I may just do that.

Will report back on how they work if I get out this afternoon.

Bedlam · Nov 14, 2005

I sure look forward to seeing how they work. I have been looking at all the posts, and am concidering something similiar for my rake.I was wondering if the wheels come with the frame setup, or just the hub and tire. Maybe even post the harbor freight number.I know the jacks are inexpensive if you catch the right catalog.
Geeze, sounds like we are vultures, looking to steal your hard thought ideas.But I like this one, there doesnt seem to be alot of ring cutting and fabrications. And the ability to adjust is infinate.
Great idea and job.Im hoping your next post will have good reports.
Allan

BobReeves · Nov 14, 2005

Just came in from the big test, dressed up our 150 foot gravel drive, played in the big ditch I dug with the BB and the dirt I spread out from the ditch. Then went over to the property next door and helped fill a trench he dug for his shop electric but never filled back in...

Results....
1. Gauge wheels are a cool, wonderful, great, gotta have accessory.
2. Jack stands work great, no problems with the adjustment moving and it was really cool to be able to jack one side up when dressing the drive to emphasize the crown and pull the gravel in from the sides.
3. Should have put the jack stands on the end of the 2 inch tube instead of on the side.
4. The Harbor Freight wheels suck.

They actually work pretty well but tend to hunt due to the geometry of the side mount, the slop of the 2 inch tube in the receiver and the not-so-precise HF wheels. Didn't really effect the function but bugged me... Kinda like a grocery store shopping cart with a wobbly wheel. Neither wheel is truly centered under the bearing but one is noticeably canted to one side. Didn't notice it when I bought the wheels but like they say you get what you pay for. I think the only thing that saves the situation is the stabilizer bar on my 3 point that keeps it from flopping side to side.

The Bull Dog stands are going to be fine and will use the same one on the 2nd generation but will need to do something about better wheels. All-in-all they work well enough that I don't feel a need to rush into the 2nd version, a good time to build replacements will be when the bearings in the wheels go out .

Bedlam · Nov 15, 2005

Im curious as to the wheel problem. I made some gauge wheels, and the wheels sort of shimmied and spun , I was sure to make th brackets angled too. Do you think the wheels were possibly too narrow?At least the jacks worked good. I find that is well worth the investment. I plan to go that route with mine. Ill post mine when I get started on it.
Thanks for sharing your ideas , greatly appreciated. Im curious why you have concern for the placement on the side rather than the end of the tubing. Whats the thought there?
thanks ,AL
AL

RonR · Nov 15, 2005

Great News Bob!

My guess is that at some point in their gage wheel life, you are going to catch something with the wheel or bounce over a rock or something that will wipe out the jack and/or wheel. Or might cant the jack at an angle. Not an issue to rebuild.

My suggestion is not to watch it too closely--just enjoy!

Ron

HomeBrew2 · Nov 15, 2005

RonR, what you advise is easier said than done...
Though I agree with your point, once you see what gauge wheels do, it is almost impossible to "not watch closely". Once you see a rake capable of feathering in a newly dumped pile of gravel into an existing gravel surface, watching it again and again is addictive. And, watching a box scraper perform as we thought it always should (with gauge wheels, it will) is a tractorgasm. Watching a baby tractor like a BX23 pull a full box (48") of dirt and watching more dirt just run over the top has been beyond belief and I can't watch it enough. Without wheels the box would always want to dig deeper and deeper which made me and others think the tractor could only pull a full box ... nope, it was the fact that nothing limited the box from trying to dig to China that gave that impression. Untill you experience it, it defies description.
Another unforseen benefit is that after you pull a full box, the 3PH lever actually works as we had hoped it would ... you can actually feather the dumping of the box for a really extended distance. Unfreakingbelievable!!!
Cheers!

BobReeves · Nov 16, 2005

( Im curious as to the wheel problem. I made some gauge wheels, and the wheels sort of shimmied and spun , I was sure to make th brackets angled too. Do you think the wheels were possibly too narrow?At least the jacks worked good. I find that is well worth the investment. I plan to go that route with mine. Ill post mine when I get started on it.
Thanks for sharing your ideas , greatly appreciated. Im curious why you have concern for the placement on the side rather than the end of the tubing. Whats the thought there?
thanks ,AL
AL )

Hi AL,

$20.00 trailer stands are not the most precisely manufactured items in the world, throw Harbor Freight wheels in the mix and they need all the help they can get. In watching the wheels in action the offset centers made the wheels try to tilt to the inside rather than follow like they should. I think putting them on the end of the supports will improve the geometry and eliminate some of the side play which should help tracking.

3RRL · Nov 18, 2005

( What can't be seen in the picture is that I didn't cut the slot for the receivers all the way out, cut the sides and heated/bent the tab over then welded the receivers to both the tab and the channel on both sides. I would guess (even with my bird poop welding) it's probably stronger than the channel by itself.)

Bob,
With what you've described, I agree with you that it's stronger now instead of weaker. I
Especially on the boxblade, it will be in an area that probably sees the least amount of stress on the implement.
I really like the idea of those receivers!!
Nice work, thank your for sharing.

HomeBrew2 · Dec 16, 2005

Finally consumated my holy trinity of gauge wheels ... for the back blade this time. That makes gauge wheels for my 6' landscape rake, 4' box and 5' back blade. Yet again, sure sorry I didn't fab this setup long ago.
Cheers!