Not a mower but I needed a way to get my firewood from the front gates up to the wood shed up the back and if I go directly from the front I have to climb 6 steps. If I go around the back it is a lot further and uphill but I only have to climb 3 steps that way. I haven't tried it going up the 6 steps yet but that ramp is 2.4m long so it should drive up that no problems.
Your creativity and willingness to build simple yet effective domestic aids never ceases to amaze me. In other words you like to make sh#t and you're good at it. Keep it up Norm!
Hi BT, thanks for that I try to keep the grey matter turning and it is sort of mower relater because the rear wheels on the trolley are off a Greenfield Stallion ride on mower. Hi Ironbark, I had tossed around that sort of idea for years but the issue for me was where to store an elevator when it wasn't being used. MF, the rails would always be in the way and I'm not sure how I could drive it. As it is I lift the jockey wheel up and it then sits on the front casters and I can push it around like a normal trolley. When I need to climb the ramps I wind the dolley wheel down and lift the casters clear of the ground and then I can use the drive wheel. Traction is a slight issue at times but not a big problem, bit of pressure down on the wheel and it grabs no problems
I do really like the powered jockey wheel trolley idea. I’d adapt it to my setting if I thought it’d work.
The challenge here is to climb a couple of severe inclines with less than ideal surfaces. Another idea, given the shortage of suitable inexpensive tile elevators, was to build a couple of carts with a central pivot for a load bucket. That way the wood wouldn’t fall out.
Like you I thought to use some old ride-on wheels on a frame, in my case, so they’ll be less likely to get bogged. The trolleys could be winched in a train up to the house and then spooled out back downhill for refilling.
It’s great to see someone else working out a solution to a similar problem. If I can get the essentials done here it’ll serve as inspiration to get on with it for me.
Hi Ironbark, the powered jockey wheels have plenty of power it is getting the traction that might be a problem on uneven ground or loose gravel surfaces. Over the years I had thought of winching stuff up the stairs, sand,screenings,scoria etc up into the back yard but whinching and chainblocking are slow and tedious so I had never got around to going that path. The jockey wheel is slow but that is not an issue when it is climbing and once on flat ground I lower it back onto the casters and can push it around as a normal trolley
Was going to mention block and tackle or winches for hauling things up ramps Norm. Certainly slow but steady, only problem is getting a good anchor point. I have an ancient double row block and tackle (two lots of two pulleys) for getting quad bikes or similar up onto trailers and a 4 ton winch for really heavy stuff, but VERY slow. Was given a chain winch but even slower.
One thing about winches and B & T is you are uphill from the load, safer than being below a motorised trolley in case of slips.
