Next Project: Gauge Wheels for Rake & Blade

[SkunkWerX]

Hey SkunkWerX,

How do those solid rubber wheels hold up in cold weather? I had solid rubber wheels on mine and the "broke" when it got cold. Had to go with these steel wheels. I think I got them at TSC. Ball bearings.

Bigdad, I guess I will find out, come winter time.

I'm gonna use them on the RB and Rake, but, I have a paved driveway, so i won't be using them for snow, which may save them.

At $2.99 a piece, if I have to buy a new set, it won't be too bad.

Here are the 2" square tubes, cut to 36" , and clamped as if ready to be welded.
Wheel Arm Assembly

I am not welding them yet, as i want to drill my Pin Holes once i get the receiver tube, which is 2.5" x 2.5" x 1/4" , giving a sleeve for these to slide into. I am going to drill several holes in the "arms" , so they can be extended fully, or brought up closer to the blade/rake as needed.
Notice that I decided to ditch the pivoting mechanism off of the trailer jacks. I hope for a more rigid assembly by welding directly to the jack flanges.

 

[SkunkWerX]

Status Update:

Received the proper square tube for the 2" ID sleeves yesterday, ahts off to Metal Depot, they rushed it right out, called Monday, had it at the house Wednesday, not too shabby.

Cut 2 of pieces at 6" long, to receive the 36" long, 2" OD, wheel assembly arms. (I don't know what else to call them, but arms? extension tubes?)

Drilled pin holes in the sleeves, as well as the arms that slide into the sleeves. Drilled 3 sets of holes in each arm, for short, medium , long extension (even though 36" isn't that long, I opted away from making lengthy arms, though some people say that longer length is better).
The shorter settings will work with blade or rake turned around 180ｰ, or, with asemblies slid into the reciever backwards, putting the wheels in front of the rake or blade. Trying to make it as universal/flexible as possible.

Still sticking to my goal of being able to use these Wheel assemblies for multiple attachments, right now RB and Rake, but, in the future any other application that may arise.

Welded permanent, the Wheel/Jack/Extension-arm assemblies to the 36" square tube arms. I removed the stock jack flange that allows it to rotate up and out of the way to reduce any slop or rattling

That's where it stands as of last night. Sorry no pics, will upload some, maybe tonight.

Next step is to fabricate and weld the sleeve fixtures to receive the gauge wheel-arm assemblies. Already have a bracket/flange welded and bolted to the Rake frame, so, really, just need to attach and weld the 2" receivers to that bracket.

I know, I know...it's jibberish without pics.

 

[Berniep]

Ok I have a question.
How do they swivel? Is the bolt that holds the yokes to the jack feet loose enough to alow them to swivel or is there something I can't see?
I have been wanting to build a set for my BB for a while now.

 

[SkunkWerX]

Ok I have a question.
How do they swivel? Is the bolt that holds the yokes to the jack feet loose enough to alow them to swivel or is there something I can't see?
I have been wanting to build a set for my BB for a while now.

Bernie,

Exactly. 3/4" bolts to secure the yoketo the jack-foot and is capped with a Nylok Nut. I tightened it just like you would tighten a wheel bearing, up snug, until It was difficult to swivel, then back off a very little until it swivelled fairly freely.

I made sure I used a 3/4" bolt with some smooth shank near the head, so the threads wouldn't interfere with swivelling.

Dirty little trick: I cut a 3/4" ID washer out of a plastic one gallon milk jug.
smeared it, both sides, with anti-sieze grease, and it sandwiches between the top of the yoke and the jack-foot. It's like a poor-mans teflon washer.

pics soon.

 

[Berniep]

That will work but I think the hole in the jack foot and the yoke might get worn open fairly quickly. Welding the bolt to the yoke and maybe a sleeve or bushing to the jack foot might make them longer lived. But then you might need to strenthen the jack foot plate and then... well you might just end up with a 3 year project when what you have will work fine.

 

[SkunkWerX]

That will work but I think the hole in the jack foot and the yoke might get worn open fairly quickly. Welding the bolt to the yoke and maybe a sleeve or bushing to the jack foot might make them longer lived. But then you might need to strenthen the jack foot plate and then... well you might just end up with a 3 year project when what you have will work fine.

Bernie,

I did take some of the things into consideration that you speak of.

I think it will take a long time for the hole to elongate, if at all. If it does, no biggie, Like you say a sleeve can be inserted. Unlike a swivel on a mower or cutter, most of the indexed grading/raking I'll do will be in straight lines at relatively slow speeds. I don't see the wheel assembly taking the same type of beating as the swivel on a Rotary Cutter.
For rough grading and raking I won't use them, or will set them so they don't engage. I see them more as a precision tool, for the final couple of inches of grading.


I've dragged jack-feet on loaded trailers and they haven't bent, so, again, I don't expect a ton of down force to be exerted, certainly not enough to bend the foot. But, again, if it does bend , welding a couple of flanges of angle iron to the foot would most likely fix it.

I guess if someone were using this set-up on a 40 or 50HP tractor, with larger implements, the strength issues would play a much greater part and would have to be factored into the fabrication.

Perhaps my project is only to serve as a "what not to do" exercise?

If anything breaks, I'll take pics and post, to help the next guy avoid my mistakes.

 

[SkunkWerX]

OK fellas.

The pictures are long overdue.

Close-up of one of the wheel assemblies

Side View

Front View

 

[hench861]

very nice work,i hope you dont mind if i use your idea,i like the frame design it looks much stronger than what i was going to do

 

[SkunkWerX]

very nice work,i hope you dont mind if i use your idea,i like the frame design it looks much stronger than what i was going to do

Hench,
Sure thing...go for it!! PM me if you need measurements, detailed photos, or thoughts.

I did a small test run today, on a woods trail, set it to barely dig in. It removed no more than an inch. Ran it out about 50 feet, was dragging a small debris pile, the trail behind was level, nice and groomed.
My dad is visiting, so he watched for flexing, torqueing and said it appeared to be stable.

Next phase will be make it attach to grader blade.

usage pics will follow.

 

[SkunkWerX]

I tested the Gauge Wheels on an 60' x 30' area I had cleared and rough graded and they works great!!! No gouging, no digging ruts. Each pass is measured and makes it just that much more smooth as you cut high spots and fill low spots.

Raked some small piles of dirt, with wheels adjusted no more than an inch or so of engagement. After mounding up a pile of dirt, with wheels adjusted for "barely touching ground" , dragged the pile of loose stuff over the entire area which helped fill in the low spots. nice.

The gauge wheels take all the guess work out of final grading/levelling.

There is some "fine control" for depth to be had by lowering or raising the 3PH from the position you have dialed in using the wheels. For every 4" you move the 3PH up or down, you change your engagement height about 1".

I give gauge wheels a big "thumbs up"!! They work great!
Even got my grass seed spread and covered with straw.