Four wheel steer wagon

[wroughtn_harv]

Some time ago I needed a wagon. So I went to TSC and picked up some of their cheapo wheels.

I decided to go with four wheel steer, easy way.

Four wheel steer lets you hang a ninety degree turn, literally. The rear wheels will follow in t he path of the front ones.

Simple to do.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

turning

 

[OkeeDon]

Harv, very clever. Could you post a pic showing the detail of the attachment of the front/rear tie rod?

 

[markct]

looks nice but i gota wonder isnt it kinda tippy when turned sharp, seems like with both wheels so close together when turned that it could flop right over. but either way it sure looks like a very nice and ingenios setup

 

[DAP]

Harv, I guess they let you take things apart when you was toddler ...

ah, reverse engineering, tis a wonderful thing methinks. Does the load keep them wheels str8 when pushing?

 

[wroughtn_harv]

Don it's just a tab welded to each axle cradle with a rod running between them caddywampus across.

Yes it is tippy.

No I wasn't so much a tearer aparter as I was a tearer upper. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I believe Northern had or has a four wheel steer wagon that's done right. It has steering knuckles and tie rods so there isn't any tipping problem.

I have a bud who builds stock motors with the correct numbers for restorod people. He does a ton of swap meet and garage sale searching. He built a really trick four wheel steer wagon, again done right. I liked the idea.

The advantages of four wheel steer is the front wheels follow the rear ones exactly. So you just lead and the wagon follows. No running over other people's toes, no fights, no exchanges of bad words, no comments about genetic history, etc.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

I took a picture for you Don. I hope it's clear. What I used was clevis eyes on a rod.

 

[OkeeDon]

Yes, that clears it up nicely. We use spherical bearing rod ends in our race cars for various things, and I have a couple laying around when I get to that project -- number 129 on the list, I think. They're probably overkill, but I have them. Is it harder to back up?

 

[wroughtn_harv]

Heim Joints would be the way to go. I have some laying around too.

A way to make a self closing gates is to offset the hinges so the gate not only opens out. It opens up. I've driven more than one simple minded city inspector up a wall with that one. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif He doesn't see a spring so he assumes the gate isn't self closing. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

On nice gates that have to be self closing I use Heim Joints. They give a "Mercedes" feel to the gate when opening or closing.

It isn't harder to back up. This wagon has a three hundred amp Dialarc on it and a plasma. Not a problem moving it around on a gravel drive.