Raber
New member
I want to post here a few comments about utility carts, based on the two I owned so far.
The first one was the John Deere 10P (for 10 cf) which I bought at Home Depot for 269$CAN + tx in 2012. It was intended to be used with the new Kubota T2080 ride on mower I acquired that year.
This inexpensive piece of equipment proved to be well built, sturdy and capable of performing what its owner manual stated, namely to carry 650 pounds of cargo. I used it to move dirt and firewood around, as well as tools I wanted to carry here and there. Very well suited to use with a small ride on mower. On rough terrain, you would however notice the low ground clearance, as well as a tendancy of the towing bar to bend when loaded as the wheels had to roll over obstacles. But no major problem encountered and no damage. Poly cargo box was small but, all in all, it was adequate for the tractor.
Wheels were on low speed metal bushings and, on assembly, I noticed that the grease zerks were mainly decoy since they would not lubricate anything on the friction surfaces. I thus packed the space between the two bushings of each wheel with a mixture of grease and oil, which would slowly seep through between the bushings and the axle, thus keeping the assembly well lubricated. Assembled early in 2012 and used until early in 2014, when I sold it, this system proved effective since wheels would turn smoothly on the axle, as if on ball bearings.
After I sold the T2080 and bought the Kubota GR2120 in 2013, a larger and more capable ride on mower, I gradually felt the need for a bigger utility cart to move things around. I thus got hold of a Swisher 16 cf ATV trailer at Canadian Tire for 599$CAN + tx this very Spring. Two weeks later, there was a 100$ discount on it, but anyway... I had special ordered it not assembled, so as to check parts and their functionning, as well as assembling it my own way. Like applying a fine coat of grease on all metal parts, paying attention where such parts are bolted together so as to prevent early onset of rust. I noticed that the wheels grease zerks would inadequately lubricate the ball bearings, which would be of no consequence for my intended use (low speed, short distances, no exposure to water). However, an ATV user must get into preventive maintenance on this part of the trailer. It rolls on large tires and ground clearance makes it suited for uneven terrain. Metal parts are sturdy and it will easily carry around the 750 pounds (I'd risk 50 pounds more) of cargo weight mentionned in the owner manual. Poly cargo box is larger but does not exceed the actual width of my tractor, thus enabling the cart to creep into narrow areas.
The cargo box, however, would flex and sag when fully loaded with dirt and that made me worry about long term deterioration. So I bought and bolted on the metal frame, under the cargo box, a piece of 3/4 of an inch exterior use plywood which provides for more rigidity. I now consider it a well adapted tool for my needs and would, unhesitatingly recommend both carts, depending on the intended use.
The first one was the John Deere 10P (for 10 cf) which I bought at Home Depot for 269$CAN + tx in 2012. It was intended to be used with the new Kubota T2080 ride on mower I acquired that year.
This inexpensive piece of equipment proved to be well built, sturdy and capable of performing what its owner manual stated, namely to carry 650 pounds of cargo. I used it to move dirt and firewood around, as well as tools I wanted to carry here and there. Very well suited to use with a small ride on mower. On rough terrain, you would however notice the low ground clearance, as well as a tendancy of the towing bar to bend when loaded as the wheels had to roll over obstacles. But no major problem encountered and no damage. Poly cargo box was small but, all in all, it was adequate for the tractor.
Wheels were on low speed metal bushings and, on assembly, I noticed that the grease zerks were mainly decoy since they would not lubricate anything on the friction surfaces. I thus packed the space between the two bushings of each wheel with a mixture of grease and oil, which would slowly seep through between the bushings and the axle, thus keeping the assembly well lubricated. Assembled early in 2012 and used until early in 2014, when I sold it, this system proved effective since wheels would turn smoothly on the axle, as if on ball bearings.
After I sold the T2080 and bought the Kubota GR2120 in 2013, a larger and more capable ride on mower, I gradually felt the need for a bigger utility cart to move things around. I thus got hold of a Swisher 16 cf ATV trailer at Canadian Tire for 599$CAN + tx this very Spring. Two weeks later, there was a 100$ discount on it, but anyway... I had special ordered it not assembled, so as to check parts and their functionning, as well as assembling it my own way. Like applying a fine coat of grease on all metal parts, paying attention where such parts are bolted together so as to prevent early onset of rust. I noticed that the wheels grease zerks would inadequately lubricate the ball bearings, which would be of no consequence for my intended use (low speed, short distances, no exposure to water). However, an ATV user must get into preventive maintenance on this part of the trailer. It rolls on large tires and ground clearance makes it suited for uneven terrain. Metal parts are sturdy and it will easily carry around the 750 pounds (I'd risk 50 pounds more) of cargo weight mentionned in the owner manual. Poly cargo box is larger but does not exceed the actual width of my tractor, thus enabling the cart to creep into narrow areas.
The cargo box, however, would flex and sag when fully loaded with dirt and that made me worry about long term deterioration. So I bought and bolted on the metal frame, under the cargo box, a piece of 3/4 of an inch exterior use plywood which provides for more rigidity. I now consider it a well adapted tool for my needs and would, unhesitatingly recommend both carts, depending on the intended use.