Wheel Dolly that Works!

C

Colonel

Senior Member
I bought a set of 4 wheel dollies from one of the Model A Parts suppliers to use under my AA truck. They are rated for 1500 lb per wheel so I thought it should handle it fine. My floor is nice smooth concrete. But.... after putting them under the truck it is extremely difficult to move with two people pushing. There is nothing wrong with the dollies, but obviously they cannot handle the weight. The supplier says he has sold many of them and none have been returned so they must work. I presume they would be well oversized for a car but the AA truck is quite different.

With limited space, I need to be able to move this truck around by myself. Often times there is no help available so I need something that really works well for an old man to move a car EASILY. Anybody have any recommendations that would work for my situation? What do you use?

Thanks
 
Do you have any pictures of the dollies? Do they have steel wheels? I have some cheap HF dollies, and they work fine. The only thing that I might recommend is using a lever of some kind to help get them moving, like a 2x4 between the floor and dollie or a steel bar of some kind; which might help to get them rolling.
 
I bought the best wheel dollies from Speedway and they were worthless! They issued a UPS pickup tag and I bought their cheap set that work just fine.
 
There has been some negative discussion about some of these dollies on other forums, especially the ones from HF; which others have reported that the steel wheels sometimes break. A Model A doesn't weigh that much and they've worked well for me. I haven't had any problems with them. I probably wouldn't use them with a heavier car though.
 
I have a set of GoJacks and they are the best. They are not cheap but each one straddles a wheel and you pump the jack on the dolly to raise the tire. No need to try and get a floor jack under the car. I used them to move my 4 post lift across the floor of the barn and pushed it with one hand. The type I have is a mechanical jack, I have seen cheaper versions with hydraulic jacks.
 
Before you purchase, Check the Wheels. Look at my Avatar, I first used Front wheels off a Lawn Tractor with Bushings in them, very hard to Push. I went to estate Auction and bought 4 wheels with Bearings in them. That was the Problem, it Guides across the floor with Ease.
 
I bought some 1500lb steel wheel dollies at a swap meet, thinking the same thing - no problem for an 'A', and they were a bear to get started rolling, but would do Ok after you got started. Then one day I got mad and sprayed them down with penetrant - now the roll SUPER easy - I was ready to junk them until I did this, apparently they never lubed anything when the casters were assembled. now I just occasionally lube them with a dust resistant penetrating grease.
I bought a second set after that !
 
I too have a cheap set from Harbor Freight, have had them for about five years with no problems at all.
-Tim
 
Angle iron, gas pipe, and Casters from Tractor Supply.

caster.jpg


The gas pipe helps against wheels and I made them large enough to insert a jackstand.

I have about $50 in these, My A is on them now. I roll it all over the shop without issue.

Not my idea, Picked it up from one of the car shows on spike TV. I only copied it.

I couldn't see spending the bucks for store bought when I could 'millermatic' them together.
 
thebanjoman said:
Angle iron, gas pipe, and Casters from Tractor Supply.

caster.jpg


The gas pipe helps against wheels and I made them large enough to insert a jackstand.

I have about $50 in these, My A is on them now. I roll it all over the shop without issue.

Not my idea, Picked it up from one of the car shows on spike TV. I only copied it.

I couldn't see spending the bucks for store bought when I could 'millermatic' them together.
Click to expand...

Excellent idea! I like those. Now, I have more tools to make. :)
 
Tom Wesenberg said:
Excellent idea! I like those. Now, I have more tools to make. :)
Click to expand...

I probably went overboard on the 300lb metal casters but wanted to fit more than the A. I've had our Dodge Durango on them too.

I'm sure they could be made cheaper with different casters but I like the overkill.
 
Nice! I like the ability to insert the jack stand. How much is each caster from TS? Every time I thought about making some, the price of 16 casters approached the cost of a ready-made set.

Doug

thebanjoman said:
Angle iron, gas pipe, and Casters from Tractor
Supply.

I have about $50 in these, My A is on them now. I roll it all over the shop without issue.
Click to expand...
 
Doug in NJ said:
Nice! I like the ability to insert the jack stand. How much is each caster from TS? Every time I thought about making some, the price of 16 casters approached the cost of a ready-made set.

Doug
Click to expand...

You could go to the store and swipe one castor off 16 shopping carts to make your set.

Most times they way those shopping carts track down the aisles most people wouldn't know the difference :D

I can't remember the price, I got them on sale and I had the angle iron by cutting up the shipping supports off my Bend Pak lift when it came. It was 1/4" angle and had a 'cheater pipe' I cut up to make the rest. Its just plain old sched 40 pipe. The prices on the Tractor Supply website are usually correct.

You might be able to get away with 3 300lb casters(triangle spaced) per if you make them wide enough that it can't tip and they would probably support an A without issue. I wanted the extra support. I'll eventually have to fit the A, a Suzuki Samurai and keep the lift bay open all in a 900sq ft shop so something will always be on those dollys.
 
The problem I found with the larger dollys is that they would pivot between the tire and the dolly when I tried to move them. I had to bolt on a piece of angle iron parallel with the side of the tires on each side so they wouldn't move. These irons could then be spaced apart to whatever width tire was on the car.
 
My son and I bought 4 of these at 10.00 each at HF. We put in a peice of plywood across the bare wood in center of the short dolly and put the jack stand on it. One the wheels were on the car, we removed the plywood and the wheel sits in the opening against the carpet.
 

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