DIY Beach Wheels (on the cheap)

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laneends
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Re: DIY Beach Wheels (on the cheap)

Post by laneends »

A nut just inside tube? Pad out with tape wrapped around or piece of hose if necc?

Wheels rotates around threaded rod. Rod itself doesn't rotate
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4liters
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Re: DIY Beach Wheels (on the cheap)

Post by 4liters »

Awesome, I got a couple of spare nuts so that'll work perfectly
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Re: DIY Beach Wheels (on the cheap)

Post by laneends »

4liters wrote:Awesome, I got a couple of spare nuts so that'll work perfectly
If alternately you go the route of spinning axle rather than spinning independent wheels, then drill out thread on spacer nuts, so axle can spin inside nuts, then just epoxy, or similar, outside of nut so they stay put in tubes.

Spinning axle with locked wheels is same as having a locked diff, and so can make maneuvering hard /impossible

Often garden hose can make good packing bushes if sizes happen to be right
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Re: DIY Beach Wheels (on the cheap)

Post by 4liters »

I think the tape around the nuts has done the job. I haven't glued it all togather yet because the yak lives at my parents place and I want make sure it fits first, but it looks like it should work
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Re: DIY Beach Wheels (on the cheap)

Post by laneends »

4liters wrote:I think the tape around the nuts has done the job. I haven't glued it all togather yet because the yak lives at my parents place and I want make sure it fits first, but it looks like it should work
Keep in mind those nuts will take full weight of kayak, so you can spread the load with multiple nuts if you wish to spread the load on bottom tube
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Re: DIY Beach Wheels (on the cheap)

Post by JägerMarty »

Anthony wrote:I lost my cart last week so I made a new one, similar to my first one but I used aluminium tube instead of the dowel reinforced PVC pipe this time. I had everything but the foam and the wheels already but the total cost would be about $60 if you had to go out and buy everything. The construction was pretty straightforward but I took down all the measurements as it should be the same for any other hobie kayak. Although the dowel reinforced PVC pipe cart held up fine but the aluminium one definitely feels more sturdy. It took about an hour to make and can be done with a handful of basic tools. All that is needed is a hacksaw, drill, 19mm spanner and some pliers or vice grips.
IMG_0392.JPG
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The materials used were:

- 2x 1 meter lengths of 25mm aluminium tube ($12)
- 1 meter of M12 galvanised threaded rod ($10)
- 6x M12 stainless steel nuts ($4.50)
- 6 meter roll of 150mmx10mm expansion joint foam ($17)
- 2x Kmart slider wheels ($16)

Start by cutting two pieces of aluminium tubes at 525mm and two pieces at 270mm. I then used a file to rough out a half circle at either of the smaller lengths and wrapped a piece of the tube in sandpaper to smooth it out so the the horizontal bars mated up with the vertical bars nicely. Be careful when doing this to make sure both ends match up. I then used a 31/64" drill bit (any bit slightly over 12mm will work) to drill a hole 20mm up from the bottom of the longer aluminium tubes the another hole 230mm up from the bottom of either tube and use some sandpaper to clean up any burr. Again be careful to ensure all the holes will align properly. Now use the same drill to ream out the axle holes in the wheels as they are slightly to small for the threaded rod. Cut a 330mm length of the threaded rod for the top cross bar as well as a 590mm length for the bottom cross bar and axle.

Cut the foam into two 3 meter lengths and and use a sharp knife to create a bevel at one end of each piece. The use a contact adhesive to glue the foam down to the wheels making three wraps. Cut the excess off at a bevel at the same point you started so that the wheel remains round. Now all that's left is to assemble everything. Take the longer piece of threaded rod and thread a nut about 150mm down from one end. Then slide one of the longer tubes on then one of the cross bars then the other longer tube and thread another nut on from the other side but don't tighten it down yet. Put the top cross bar in place and slide the shorter length threaded rod into place and thread a nut onto either end and then snug up all the nuts. Put the wheels in place and use the last two nuts to secure them making sure to not over tighten them as you want the wheels to rotate easily. Finally cut some pool noodle down to length and secure it to the cross bar.

I'm gonna have a go at this soon.
Apart from the wheels are all the bits available at Bunnings?
And what area at Kmart has the wheels?
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Re: DIY Beach Wheels (on the cheap)

Post by nebben838 »

I got some of the wheels from Kmart in frankston yesterday
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Re: DIY Beach Wheels (on the cheap)

Post by laneends »

JägerMarty wrote: And what area at Kmart has the wheels?
Toy department
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Re: DIY Beach Wheels (on the cheap)

Post by JägerMarty »

Thanks :up:
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Re: DIY Beach Wheels (on the cheap)

Post by peatop »

When i remade my wheels for the new yak the only thing i couldn't get from bunnings was the 12mm allthread, however i hade enough to weld a couple of pieces together. I used green machine wheels from k mart someone else also mentioned wheel of store brand im no sure but they could have been B.W. ones. Hint: after using the pvc glue store upside-down so it doesn't dry out (same as paint, glue anything stored in a bottle or can).
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