An Easy Method of Steering The Front Axle For Your Home-Built Engine Cart
6 Williamson Lane, Chester, New Jersey 07930-2311
While attending the Blue Mountain Swap Meet in Bangor,
Pennsylvania, this year, I spotted the rear wheels of this
three-wheeled dolly. Thought to myself, 'Boy, that would make a
strong front axle for a cart project for my Witte engine.' I
said to the gent, 'How much for the dolly?' And he said,
'Make an offer. I don't want to drag that heavy thing home
again.' I said, 'Five bucks, if you have a cord that I can
drag it with.'
He said, 'Sold!' I gave him the fiver. As he attached
the rope and handed it to me he said, 'Don't put anything
valuable on it. It's a bear to steady and push at the same
time. It's tippy.' I said, 'How is it you didn't
say that at the same time you told me you didn't want to drag
it home again?' He shrugged his shoulders and said, 'Good
luck,' and let go of the rope and patted his pocket with the
fiver in it, all in one motion.
The dolly was in my barn and always in the way, so I decided to
take the rear wheels and axle off and scrap the metal. When I
turned it over and saw that strong swivel caster welded fast the
way it was, I studied it and started to think. What I came up with
was to use the same rear axle and wheels as the rear axle and
wheels, only raise them to the proper height.
I removed the caster wheel (see it hanging), and made a heavy
duty axle with a couple of other wheels. I cut two slots in the
axle for the ribs of the caster for more welding area. I used the
original wheel holes for the steering and pulling handle. It worked
out fine.
I saved the complete dolly and just added front axle wood. So,
now when you see heavy duty swivel casters at a show or swap meet
for a dollar or two, you now have a good strong steering mechanism
for the front axle of your home-built cart. The steering design is
always a problem. This will work fine on a smaller scale for models
also.