Trolleys for garden use

[Hobden]

Apologies (once again) for posting this sort of question here. I did try to post it on the GardenClickers forum, but that won't let me include links, despite having a facility to do just that. The error message it gives when I try is somewhat crypic. So I'm coming back to the tried-n-tested PPUK

Has anybody got any experience of trolleys for garden use? I'm looking at things like -

http://www.mowermagic.co.uk/acatalog/Handy-Multi-Purpose-Trolley-Cart-THMPC.html#SID=1483

and

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/XL-Garden...rrow-Trailer-Heavy-Duty-550kg-/301692173673?"

but don't really know what to look for in a trolley. I'd want to use it for moving hedge trimmings, lawn trimmings, bags of compost, bags of sand, that sort of thing around the garden. I'd hope to tow it behind my sit-on mower.

 

[Feltwell]

My Mum has one similar to the first one you posted, hers is maybe a little smaller, she swears by it. She doesn't get on with wheelbarrows any more - but then she is only 5' tall (or she was in her younger days!), and has health problems that means she gets tired easily from physical work.

As for towing with a mower - I don't see why not, that advert says the handle converts to a towing eye. A short 4-wheel trailer with a steering front axle will be very difficult to reverse with though! You may find it's forward only and you need to unhitch to go backwards.

 

[Me!]

I have a small trailer for the car, and I intend to fit a standard tow-ball hitch onto my ride around mower so I can tow the trailer around the garden and fill it up with hedge trimmings etc., then transfer the trailer to the car to tow it too the dump. Also I hope to be able to buy slabs, bags of sand, heavy plants etc. in the trailer behind the car, and then transfer the whole trailer to the mower at home to tow around the garden to where I need the stuff.

I know this is not quite the same thing that you are asking about, but it may be worth you considering it depending on your exact needs.

 

[Hobden]

My Mum has one similar to the first one you posted, hers is maybe a little smaller, she swears by it.

This is the one I prefer. Though smaller than the eBay one it looks a more solid job? Having it tippable sems a good idea too.

A short 4-wheel trailer with a steering front axle will be very difficult to reverse with though! You may find it's forward only and you need to unhitch to go backwards.

A good point, I hadn't thought of that, thanks!

 

[Hobden]

I have a small trailer for the car, and I intend to fit a standard tow-ball hitch onto my ride around mower so I can tow the trailer around the garden and fill it up with hedge trimmings etc., then transfer the trailer to the car to tow it too the dump.

An interesting idea, I hadn't thought of that. Though I would have to fit a tow-bar hitch to both my mower and my car! Or convert the trolley hitch to something that could hook to my mower. Food for thought anyway ...

 

[skier-hughes]

My friend says you should have been able to post that on Garden Clickers. They do not allow advertising, but this sort of question, in the gardening questions forum should have allowed you to post links.
She's off out now so will look into it later. Are you Hobden on there as well?

 

[CliffordPope]

The 4-wheel trailers are very unstable, with narrow wheel track, and very easily turn over on the slightest slope or bump. The steering axle reduces the stability even further.
Useless in my experience.
You need a 2-wheel trolley with centre axle and two handles, a bit like a traditional hand-cart. Much more manoeuvrable, and you can control the stability with the handles.

 

[Hobden]

You need a 2-wheel trolley with centre axle and two handles, a bit like a traditional hand-cart. Much more manoeuvrable, and you can control the stability with the handles.

I really need one I can tow behind my ride-on mower.

 

[Hobden]

Would this fit the "four wheels bad, two wheels good" bill a little better -

http://www.mowersandspares.co.uk/products/the-handy-650lb-poly-body-towed-dump-cart/

At first glance one might think that four wheels would be more stable than two???

 

[skier-hughes]

We have one of these.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Large-Garden-Carts-Truck-Trolley-4-Wheel-Wheelbarrow-Trailer-Heavy-Duty-300kg-/302065605333
I can't stand it, s it isn't stable at a fast walking pace over slightly uneven ground. My wife loves it, but she is much slower walking round.

We have one of these for behind the mower
http://www.homeandcountry.com/the-handy-225kg-500lb-towed-trailer-16650-p.asp?gclid=Cj0KEQjwhMjKBRDjxb31j-aesI4BEiQA7ivN-DzfbSHe2vZVkpwwBqC4G2rZqy5C9zNmCInadiZ2fV4aAqnX8P8HAQ
Works well.

To be honest though, I still do most of my moving with a wheelbarrow, as it's there, ready to use and holds lots, don't have to get the mower out, then the trailer etc....... In fact if you were closer, or if you want to travel or pay for postage I'd sell you my mower trailer, had it about 6 years, used it about 6 times!!!

 

[CliffordPope]

http://www.mowersandspares.co.uk/produc ... dump-cart/

That looks good. It's hard to tell from the picture angle, but it looks as if the wheels are partly outside the width of the bodywork, at least under the tapered section.
Steered wheels have to clear the bodywork, so the whole cart is higher off the ground. Then when you turn a sharp angle the front is liable to become unstable and do a nosedive - a bit like Top Gear testing a Robin Reliant. It's made worse on a slope or if a wheel hits a rock or a rut.

We have one of these.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Large-Garden- ... 2065605333
I can't stand it, s it isn't stable at a fast walking pace over slightly uneven ground. My wife loves it, but she is much slower walking round.


I agree. That's just my point - awful. I've wasted so much time stopping to right it and rake up all the leaves again. Fortunately they rust quickly so we had to scrap it anyway. Now I've got a sort of 2-wheel wheelbarrow with the axle in the middle, but with a box the same size as the other cart, rescued from a dump.
It's very stable and much easier to pull or push

 

[Flyfisher]

For an authentic period solution, how about one of these?


We inherited it from my Mother-in-Law, who used it as a motorised wheelbarrow for all her gardening. These sort of 'autotrucks' were widely used in industry and horticulture in the early/mid last century. It's powered by a Villiers engine driving the front wheel and has two speeds. Reverse is accomplished by simply turning the front wheel/engine assembly through 180 degrees. It's another project on my renovation list

 

[Hobden]

For an authentic period solution, how about one of these?

Brilliant! I love the pragmatic approach to providing a reverse

 

[Hobden]

We have one of these for behind the mower
http://www.homeandcountry.com/the-handy-225kg-500lb-towed-trailer-16650-p.asp?gclid=Cj0KEQjwhMjKBRDjxb31j-aesI4BEiQA7ivN-DzfbSHe2vZVkpwwBqC4G2rZqy5C9zNmCInadiZ2fV4aAqnX8P8HAQ
Works well.

I'm now pondering two-wheel carts ... the metal one you have seems useful as I could easily attach some bigger sides for moving light but bulky material (I'm currently clearing an acre or so of brambles). But a plastic one would be lighter and easier for Mrs H to move around (she refuses to drive the mower).

 

[Hobden]

Well, we bought one of these -

https://www.homeandcountry.com/the-...vzvkpwwbqc4g2rzqy5c9znmcinadiz2fv4aaqnx8p8haq

as recommended by Skier-Hughes and CliffordPope.

All working very well indeed, so thanks very much to all who responded to my rather off-topic question. PPUK comes up trumps again!

 

[88v8]

Here's one
http://barnfinds.com/feel-need-need-speed/?utm_campaign=Newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Newsletter+(Daily)&utm_content=morelink

Actually, it says that it 'has difficulty moving on grass' which would give you a perfect excuse to put your feet up and quaff a bevy while you contemplate what to do about it.

Ivor

 

[Hobden]

Not sure I'd get it up the "drive"