Welding Tips and Tricks

About a year ago I fabbed up another nice cart for my shop. 3" castors on the front and 10" solid rubber wheels on a fixed axle in back. The back wheels were cheapies and when loaded up took on a bit of a wobble which caused bad words to come out of my mouth. So I decided to change them out.
Thought I'd be smart about the back wheels, I liked the idea of pneumatic wheels but didn't want to risk one going flat over a weekend and finding my expensive blue box toppled on the floor Monday. So I fitted the puncture proof style wheel, tyres filled with foam doesn't need inflating and can't go flat. Sounds great don't it? Big mistake.
They get a flat spot under the weight of the fully loaded cart which doesn't fill out as the wheel turns so you get the ol flaboom flaboom which caused even badder words to fall out of my mouth. Also the tyre sag caused the cart to tilt backwards which made it look odd.

So this time not taking any chances, went whole hog. Cut out the rear axle and front foot plates. Welded in new footplates and fitted 6" front castors and fixed wheels, industrial quality with big load rating. they work great, run over wire, leads on the floor etc. no problem. Nice and smooth. Cart is level. So here's the lesson: don't use puncture proof wheels on carts that have weight on them all the time.

Thought I was the only one cursing the foam filled ones. I was going to get nylon coated steel ones too. But it’s too cold to redo mine for now. Maybe next month.

Welcome to the forum.

Thanks Mike.
Some may say a little late but I’ll take it and appreciate the sentiment.


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That is a good looking cart


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I recently bought a pair of solid tires from HF I hate to admit, I despise going in that place...but it said they were steel hub and 1100 lbs. each...when I got there I looked at them and the entire hub was plastic, there's a small steel bushing in the center to act kind of like a bearing. I decided to get them anyway and will see how they do. These are not filled, but solid.

8 inch solid puncture proof wheel

I haven't mounted them yet, but they say 1100 lbs. each. Not sure if that's believable or not as most of the other wheels are only 100-125 lbs.

Alan