HF mover's dollies

[NUTTSGT]

First of all let me get this out of the way, I try to avoid buying made in china **** and buy US made when I can. Some have had good luck with HF stuff and others had nothing but trouble with it. Let's leave that right there and enjoy a thread.

I have picked up more than a few of HF mover dollies. I generally prefer the smaller ones and bought them on sale for $8. I nowhere load them to their so called 1000 lb rating and don't think I would try. I've taken all mine and added a small piece of plywood or OSB in the center to make it flat on top.

My spare SBF engine blocks and shortblocks are at home on them. The two empty ones are for use elsewhere.

This is elsewhere, under the blast cabinet. No reason to drag the extra sand out when it easily rolls out.

On the right is a bucket of used bolts, middle bucket of oil dry ( I know you can read) and the left is a tote with small steel short pieces. The left one is a modified larger dolley.

Anybody use these on a regular basis ?

 

[Az Scooter]

I used two tonight to move an old, VERY heavy piano. Yeah, they didn't make it anywhere but back to the store, because the ones I had were destroyed.

 

[Cobra6]

They are one thing that HF sells that is worth the money. ($7.99)
I have moved twice with them - including a heavy upright piano. Mine are so old that the carpet is starting to disintigrate.
I have let several people borrow them - the last guy who used them tacked some new indoor/outdoor carpet on them.

I have seen more than one post on here where people have their cars on 4 of these. (maybe the more expensive HF ones - $16.99)

 

[56rpm]

Other than having to use Loctite or nylock nuts to keep the casters from falling off, they are swell. Couldn't make them for twice the price.

 

[sselander]

The best part when getting them cheap is to re-purpose the casters and chuck the wooden part. I have already made a larger dolly to fit under a filing cabinet and made a jack stand cart using the casters. To buy four similar ones would cost more than the dolly.

homemade jack stand cart using casters from the dolly:

 

[n2ocamaro]

I have used mine alot. From moving furniture around the house to moving things around the garage while I work on it. My 2 year old loves them. He plays with them when they are not in use. I like the idea of putting plywood on top to make them level. A few of the nuts have came loose on my casters. Need to get some locktite on them.

 

[Cryptic1911]

We have a pile of them.. the casters kinda ****, but if you oil the bearings, as well as the wheels themselves, they will roll ok. They will hold 1000lbs like they say, we had two of rolling around our 4post lift when it was still all packaged up, and that was like 2200lbs. Last weekend, we had a 1400lb lathe on two of them, and they survived

 

[Boost Creep]

i put em under the wheels of my dune buggy and bug to shove em around into odd spaces or corners of my barn. do the same with one under the jack on my 18' car trailer to move that around out of the way. been holding up great

 

[kald]

The best part when getting them cheap is to re-purpose the casters and chuck the wooden part. I have already made a larger dolly to fit under a filing cabinet and made a jack stand cart using the casters. To buy four similar ones would cost more than the dolly.

homemade jack stand cart using casters from the dolly:

^ This! I swung by Lowes yesterday because I need 1-3" swivel and they are $9.00 there. That place is absolutely crazy anymore.

 

[darkk]

We have a pile of them.. the casters kinda ****, but if you oil the bearings, as well as the wheels themselves, they will roll ok. They will hold 1000lbs like they say, we had two of rolling around our 4post lift when it was still all packaged up, and that was like 2200lbs. Last weekend, we had a 1400lb lathe on two of them, and they survived

Yeah we sure stretched the limit on those babies. I really think it's time to move up to something heavier duty. Those that we have aren't looking so good anymore. Those casters are starting to show the abuse we've given them. Really good for stuff under 500 lbs though!

 

[mr.speaker]

I've dropped LT1's and LS1's out of F body's through the bottom on these dollies and they're still fine today. I've also dropped ******'s and rear ends on these things.

 

[coolreed]

I like what you did with those HF dollies. Very clever, very handy.
I have a few HF dollies and I have been very pleased with them. They are and should be an integral part of every home.
I will buy more now.

 

[NUTTSGT]

The best part when getting them cheap is to re-purpose the casters and chuck the wooden part. I have already made a larger dolly to fit under a filing cabinet and made a jack stand cart using the casters. To buy four similar ones would cost more than the dolly.

homemade jack stand cart using casters from the dolly:

Forgot about that one. I robbed the caster from one to make the mobile base for my bandsaw.

 

[NUTTSGT]

i put em under the wheels of my dune buggy and bug to shove em around into odd spaces or corners of my barn. do the same with one under the jack on my 18' car trailer to move that around out of the way. been holding up great

I first saw them under the neighbors King Midget, his unfinished never ending project.

 

[2manytoyz]

I put my Ridgid Tri-Stack air compressor on one. I put a piece of plywood on the cart first, so the compressor would sit level. Makes it easy to move and clean behind the compressor, or even roll it outside to empty the water out of the tanks.

I need to pick up another one or two. Cheap enough to use for projects like this.

 

[eldirector]

I need to get a few more of these! Right now, two are being used as a mobile axle stand. I've used 4 of them as vehicle dollies to move the Jeep. Handy little buggers.

I should keep at least 2 clean, though. Can't use them in the house after rolling through grease/oil in the shop.

 

[James E]

I agree. I broke down and bought two of the plastic ones from HF about a year ago. I have used them several times and now I wonder why I didn't buy them years ago.

Plus, my kids love to sling eachother around on them in the driveway with a piece of rope and a skateboarding helmet.

 

[Falcon67]

They are one thing that HF sells that is worth the money. ($7.99)
I have moved twice with them - including a heavy upright piano. Mine are so old that the carpet is starting to disintigrate.
I have let several people borrow them - the last guy who used them tacked some new indoor/outdoor carpet on them.

I have seen more than one post on here where people have their cars on 4 of these. (maybe the more expensive HF ones - $16.99)

I went to look at the small dollies to put under the Falcon so I could move it sideways in the shop to make room for a project. No way in hell would 4 of those support a 3000 lb car and let it roll. I passed. I'll just buy casters and bolt them to 2x4s and plywood. More money by far but I'll bet the car would actually move when I pushed on it. Moving it with floor jacks would be better than trying those "1000 lb" dollies.

 

[kbs2244]

I have 4 or 5 stock ones against the wall for an as needed tool.
But I have a bunch of modified ones under tool boxes, power tools, etc.
I have narrowed them, widened them, fill in the gap, added and taken off the padding.
Yeah I like them.

One thing I often do is put a loop of rope around one end.
Then I use and old broom handle with a hook bolted on one end to grab the rope and pull it around.
It saves my back from bending and pushing.

 

[Wingnut65]

Wow, Eric, I didn't know I had been using them wrong for so long. I just have one of each and I've had to scratch my name in them because so many friends know I have them and borrow them. So, right now, they are leaning against something in the garage waiting for the next need. Now I'll have to see what would be easier to move if I had one under it... And I don't think it would help move my daughters off the couch while watching TV...

 

[richtersrodz]

I got mine from HomeDepot, because HF was too far to drive to get one. Next time I'm in HF, I will be picking up some though. I'm constantly needing that "1" for other stuff, and have to always unload something off of it, to use it.

I like the engine dolley idea. I've got three engines that need one of those..

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

I have one larger one and four of the smaller ones. They all work great. Ive not needed to lube them (yet) or do anything. A solid value as far as I'm concerned.

 

[Dustoff 35]

I have two in my garage, one large and one small. Very handy indeed.

 

[J66442]

I have purchased around a dozen over a few years. A couple were stripped for their castors and combined with the 2X4 4 ft packing from my metal building to build large 4 foot X 4 foot carts to go under a jeep tub and frame. The left over carpeted wood was used as a shelf that has a box of rags hanging out the open middle.

Others are under transmissions and transfer cases to slide under shelves easy.

I have tried them as car dollys and didn't notice a major difference between that and the silver harbor freight dolly, neither rolled real well.

 

[IONH]

Other than having to use Loctite or nylock nuts to keep the casters from falling off, they are swell. Couldn't make them for twice the price.

I've got 8 or 10 of the dolleys and have never had a caster fall off.

They are so inexpensive and awesome that I use them for long term items. I used a large one for my welder that had no cart for 3 or 4 years without issue. Was just big enough for the welder and the small bottle which was strapped to the welder.

I also just recently put one under the parts washer. The large one was the perfect size and now I don't have to empty it to move it around.

I like the ideas I'm seeing here though. I might make a frame from angle iron for my sand blasting cabinet and repurpose a couple of casters so I can roll that around too.

 

[Joe Reed]

I keep a few around the garage as well. One holds an extra short block for my MGB. One holds an MGB transmission - standing on the bellhousing. Others sit waiting for the next time I need to move something bulky and/or heavy - like the box I store the above ground pool in during the winter...

 

[Twiggss]

^ This! I swung by Lowes yesterday because I need 1-3" swivel and they are $9.00 there. That place is absolutely crazy anymore.

and they were prob made in china too

 

[SCWOOD]

I have my large round kerosene heater on one.Easy to roll around where needed with out causing it to shut off! I like the other ideas i have seen.

 

[BD1]

$7.99 ! I could not buy the wheels for that as stated. Made numerous angle
iron frames with their wheels on them. I got my powermatic sander, band saw
drill press, and roll a round 24" fans on them. You gotta check the wheels before buying. I even use one for a scrap steel bucket. Can't be beat for $8.00

 

[turbowoodworker]

Sorry if I'm the turd in the punchbowl on this thread but my HF dollies went in the #@%*can after two failed attempts to use them. They were the small ones on sale for $7.99 that I thought for the price they were no brainers. Not one wheel on the two dollies would turn on the axle consistantly and the rotating caster portion was no better. All the oil (several types) couldn't help them. Made in China clearly appers on the caster. What is frustrating in retrospect is my regular size dollies from HD (i think) only cost a few dollars more on sale. So my vote on these is two thumbs down.

 

[cheechi]

Other than having to use Loctite or nylock nuts to keep the casters from falling off, they are swell. Couldn't make them for twice the price.

That's what I was thinking, I try to use Locktite on anything that I get from HF. Some things probably don't really need it but I get it out of the way before finding out what I should have...

Is the HF Loctite any good, does anyone know?

 

[jamesemery728]

I have about 10 of these with various things on them. Have not had one problem with any of them. I keep a couple of clean ones for when my wife thinks the furniture needs to be moved around. For $8 there is not a better bargain.

 

[2JZGTESC300]

The bigger ones are good for moving RWD transmissions. I had a Toyota 4Runner 4WD Transmission on 2 of the bigger HF dollies and it didn't break.

I've also placed a 1992 Nissan 300ZX Twin Turbo Engine on a single big HF dolly and it held up as well.

Those are probably the heaviest parts I've ever put on those HF dollies.

 

[southalabama]

I've got several of both sizes. I've moved tons of office furniture with them. I bought them expecting them to last for the one move, but they held up fine. Never thought about putting them to use in the shop, what was I thinking.

 

[2JZGTESC300]

I still used them today as we speak to move 4 Cylinder Engines and V6 Engines. I have a V6 Engine sitting on the big HF dolly at the shop waiting for LKQ to come pick up the core. It's a great way to move V6 engines around the shop because the Oil Pan dips right into the inner opening. Sits very well, sometimes you need to use a 2x4 wood block to keep the V6 engine from tilting.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Glad to see that I'm not the only one using them in the garage.

 

[56rpm]

I keep a couple of clean ones for when my wife thinks the furniture needs to be moved around.

Classic line! Key word is "thinks".

 

[petee_c]

I used one to make a oil drain platform for my maxjax. See
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=155941&highlight=OiL+drain

I want to get another one to make a 8-10" high rolling creeper stool to use under the car. I am always hitting my head with the standard height creeper seat. As was mentioned earlier u can't get the casters for that price

 

[gsport]

i've got about 1/2 a dozen of them.... no picture, but i use one of the large ones for a roll around engine stand. i've got a complete 350 sitting on a engine stand i made that sits perfectly on the larger dolly.... then i've used the smaller ones to move around my project 50'...

 

[Krusty]

I've chopped them apart and then fitted them with 2x4's to serve as rolling platforms for my drill press, table saw, RA saw, band saw. When I need to make the "stationary tools", stationary again, I put 2x4s underneath. Not pretty, but it works.

Krusty