Roller made from forklift wheels?

[aczlan]

I have access to (through work) a bunch of press on solid rubber forklift 'tires' that have been worn pretty much smooth.
They are about two feet in diameter, 8-10" wide and are probably 40 or 50 lb a piece with a steel rim attached to the rubber that is probably a quarter inch thick.
Wondering at the feasibility of putting a bunch of them together with short (2-3") welds in four places around the outside of the rim, then using pieces of angle iron or flat stock to make cross bars to run a piece of pipe through to make an axle.
Once it was all together, I would probably put it on end and then fill it full of cement.
Tentatively thinking of making 4 ft sections, these would mostly be to roll out the lawn or parts of the lane way when they get rutted up from the mud in the spring and fall.
Thinking if I made three 4ft sections, one with a hitch in the center, one with a hitch on the right and one with the hitch on the left they could be pulled together as a gang of three to cover approximately 10 feet.

Aaron Z

 

[Big Barn]

I think the rubber casings might be a hindrance with mud sticking to it in some conditions.

 

[Leejohn]

I like the ideal. Big barn has a good point, but maybe put a adjustable scraper on it. I don't know about the gang because you might need to backup or make a sharp turn. Go for it.

 

[TractorGuy]

How large is the center hole? I would look for a better way to sandwich them besides welding.

I have a homemade metal roller that works pretty good but if I drag it through mud it gets caked. I plan to add a scraper one of these days.

 

[countrybumpkin]

Do a internet search for wheeled towed compactors, you should come up with a lot of pics that may give you some ideas.

 

[aczlan]

How large is the center hole? I would look for a better way to sandwich them besides welding.

I have a homemade metal roller that works pretty good but if I drag it through mud it gets caked. I plan to add a scraper one of these days.

The center hole is probably 20-22" in diameter, they look like this when new:

The ones I can get have the tread worn smooth, but they still have the metal ring (like a piece of heavy metal pipe) on the inside.
The rubber is between 1" and 1.5" thick when worn smooth.
Thinking of welding because that would seem to be the simplest way to attach them together.

Aaron Z

 

[Big Barn]

The center hole is probably 20-22" in diameter, they look like this when new:
View attachment 640523
The ones I can get have the tread worn smooth, but they still have the metal ring (like a piece of heavy metal pipe) on the inside.
The rubber is between 1" and 1.5" thick when worn smooth.
Thinking of welding because that would seem to be the simplest way to attach them together.

Aaron Z

Welding them together is the easiest Aaron, but manufactured ones will have a floating axle to allow individual segments to work independently to be more effective.

 

[aczlan]

Welding them together is the easiest Aaron, but manufactured ones will have a floating axle to allow individual segments to work independently to be more effective.

I agree and if I can round up a bunch of pieces of pipe that just slide inside of each other, I might go that direction. Otherwise, I am thinking of welding 2 or 3 wheels together and making sections that can spin independently.

Aaron Z

 

[4570Man]

It’s not the spinning but they need to be able to float up and down a little bit to better conform to uneven ground.

 

[Big Barn]

I agree and if I can round up a bunch of pieces of pipe that just slide inside of each other, I might go that direction. Otherwise, I am thinking of welding 2 or 3 wheels together and making sections that can spin independently.

Aaron Z

That a good option. I like it

 

[TractorGuy]

I don't think you will get the desired effect of a roller with these.

 

[the old grind]

Itç—´ not the spinning but they need to be able to float up and down a little bit to better conform to uneven ground.

Floating over bumps vs flattening them .. so we're rolling lawn or pasture to entertain drone fliers with the cross-hatched look?

I don't recall ever seeing a 22" coulter, but, find a Yugo, mower, yard cart, etc wheel size that can be welded inside the rims you have. Looking for something whose center hole is also convenient. Find more at a __ boneyard or scrap yard that sells for 2x scrap price.

Maybe coil sheet metal inside a stack of them and caulk the bottom to be watertight when you stand it on end? Plan for bearings in each end of a suitable iron pipe, and center it up in the form. Pour. While it cures gather and assemble rails to get it hitched to your drawbar.

 

[4570Man]

Floating over bumps vs flattening them .. so we're rolling lawn or pasture to entertain drone fliers with the cross-hatched look?

.

A yard roller is real close to useless. You aren’t going to flatten out any meaningful bump plus it’s the holes that are far worse to hit on a mower anyway. I was under the impression that a compactor was the goal.

 

[TractorGuy]

A yard roller is real close to useless. You aren’t going to flatten out any meaningful bump plus it’s the holes that are far worse to hit on a mower anyway. I was under the impression that a compactor was the goal.

I had good results leveling out wild hog damage with mine as long as the damage was fresh and the ground was damp.

 

[the old grind]

4570Man, third paragraph in post #12. Holes don't launch my ZTR's front wheels into the air like mole activity can. I don't pattern like I'm using a drop spreader either. Isn't weight a good thing?

I filled my 24" x 4" roller with sand, not the sand I live on, btw. (sand/gravel pit ~'70 - ~'92) I bought 'play sand' (rinsed, that is .. less biomass than screening mine, too) and dumped a few quarts of clean motor oil in there 'with'. (much heavier than water fill) Hasn't frozen up yet. (3rd Winter) Now the EZ-GO [22] only ever pulls the "80 lb" spreader. (40lb of 12-12-12 fills it )

The DX 26 won't budge it, 'cept in low range at ~4 mph. The two NH FELs that it'd fit into won't lift/carry it, so no loan-outs. The Mechron 2200 (w/top & windshield = full cab tractor) can swing it L to R behind like I'm pulling a slalom skier. Can be a joy ride with up to two local grandkids safely belted in for multiple laps at 10 mph.

 

[Big Barn]

. Can be a joy ride with up to two local grandkids safely belted in for multiple laps at 10 mph.

I love to hear that stuff.

 

[aczlan]

4570Man, third paragraph in post #12. Holes don't launch my ZTR's front wheels into the air like mole activity can. I don't pattern like I'm using a drop spreader either. Isn't weight a good thing?

I filled my 24" x 4" roller with sand, not the sand I live on, btw. (sand/gravel pit ~'70 - ~'92) I bought 'play sand' (rinsed, that is .. less biomass than screening mine, too) and dumped a few quarts of clean motor oil in there 'with'. (much heavier than water fill) Hasn't frozen up yet. (3rd Winter) Now the EZ-GO [22] only ever pulls the "80 lb" spreader. (40lb of 12-12-12 fills it )

The DX 26 won't budge it, 'cept in low range at ~4 mph. The two NH FELs that it'd fit into won't lift/carry it, so no loan-outs. The Mechron 2200 (w/top & windshield = full cab tractor) can swing it L to R behind like I'm pulling a slalom skier. Can be a joy ride with up to two local grandkids safely belted in for multiple laps at 10 mph.

I plan for it to be more of a roller than a cultipacker.
Perhaps I will just fill the existing 48' wide steel roller (which leaks water around the shaft at one end) with sand and "roll with that" (pun intended).

Aaron Z