Anybody try these dollys from Harbor Freight?

I've got a few. 1,000 lbs, no way. They work fine with a small block engine for rolling around, but I've tried a 390 Ford and a 440 Mopar, and both were just too heavy for the hard rubber wheels. They flatten at the bottom and are almost impossible to roll. They would work OK with steel wheels, but HF doesn't sell those.

-KK

 

the problem with the HF car dollies (the black ones) is the cheap casters. you can get them to roll in one direction, but they have a hard time swiveling to change direction. I have 2 sets (8) under a couple of cars. they are cheap,, so you get what youpay for

I'm sure the wood ones are just as bad, and not really rated to hold a car.

 

I've got a set of these aluminum dollies. Nice quality, but they're a little pricey...

 

Definitely true. If you're on super smooth cement you're probably okay. if you're on anything with a surface to it the casters catch and then won't swivel. I had two under the font of my Merc and was pushing it around when all of a sudden "BANG" and the car was on the ground. The castor had snapped where the shaft is pressed into the base.

 

My experience as well...

 

I have one of those that has one wheel that refuses to swivel half the time. It's really annoying when you're pushing it and it refuses to turn where you want. If you get one, make sure all the wheels swivel easily.

 

Sheared off 4 casters out of 8 on a set of GRIP 1000# dollies on my 54 dodge. They will not handle a 3500# car in a set of 4 (should hold 4000#).

The casters are pressed together and they will topple before they turn. I contacted Grad Rapids Industrial Products the importers for them and they sent me 8 new casters. The same exact ones that sheared the first time. Looks like I now have 4 engine dollies cuz my car will NEVER go back on them and have me anywhere near it.

That would be the metal set... Not the wood.

 

Why would anyone expect a dolly made to move a china cabinet to hold up the truck you're putting the china cabinet in?

Grease all the rolling parts!
And you guys back East, don't roll them around on them salted roads...

I think they designed them for and expect you to only carry weight on the carpeted boards that will spread the weight as designed.

I use a skate board for an engine dolly sometimes.

If I was going to use one of those furniture dollies with weight mostly in the middle I think I'd put a double thickness of 1" plywood across the whole thing to spread out the weight over the carpeted boards and therefore the wheels and not put bending stress in the middle of those lower boards.

I have a stone carving table/cabinet I made out of 4 250lb capacityrated casters in 2x4 frame with a 1" ply floor and then 2x4 wood stud corners with waist high 1/4" plywood sides and a door cut in one of those, with double 1" ply on top of that. It's sorta like a miniature moble home... I've carved 1/4 ton Marble stones on it rolling it around, impact, etc.
Still using it going on 15 years now.
It works because the weight is evenly spread and all the stress is compressing, not flexing the wood frame.

I have a set of those HF steel pan cast wheel dollies and the no bearing wheels roll OK on smooth cement if you take them apart and pack them with grease and keep them clean and not outside rusting...

As far as breaking becasue they are not castering, use yer noggin... If one of the wheels isn't turning, wiggle it around a bit acrossways from where it is now, don't just shove harder when you know damn well it's stuck.
That's like trying to pedal away on a bicycle with the front wheel turned around 3/4s of the way backwards.
It ain't gonna work!

My Dad usta say, a poor mechanic always blames his tools.

 

I've been rolling my caddy around on the black metal ones for a few weeks. They're ok if you turn it slowly, and hand spin the casters if you're going to go the opposite direction. They were cheap, and I bought them know that they will break before too long. When they do, I'll probably make new dollies with wood and casters from home depot.

 

I'm just going to use them to get the car in place and then put it on jackstands then. I don't think that should be a problem. If I lose one, it's only $10, and I'll know where to shore up the others.

 

Has anyone had any luck tack welding the casters on the steel car dollies? I had the same problem with the casters pulling apart where they are "swaged" together. My thought was to put the three (out of sixteen) broken casters back together and then weld them where they were originally just swaged. Then the other thirteen that haven't broken yet...I thought maybe could just get about three good tack welds on the outside to keep them from flexing and breaking.

By the way, mine broke the first time I tried to use them. The car was about 2800 lbs (well below the rated 4000 lbs capacity) and the floor was nice smooth concrete. I have an older set of the same dollies that never gave any trouble, but I guess they cheapened up the casters recently.

 

I am moving into a new home here in St. Louis.
For $19.95 at Hopme depot i got a NICE furniture dolly. Great wheels hardwood frame. nice padding. WELL worht the extra $5.00.

 

Remember, Every time you buy from Harbor Freight a Chinaman gets another bowl of rice.

 

we had some like that but a pain to move the car and did not feel safe, we bougth the new dolly jack stand set-up from "backyard buddy corp" more money but it has all the extra's and wow i could not even dream of a set this good, best part it is almost impossable for the car to fall off even if i bumped it real hard.

 

I hope u r using a screwdriver or pry bar to move the casters, wouldn't use my fingers, too damn dangerous. BTW: Nice Caddy, is it a 53 and does it have dynaflow trans?

 

tron wouldn't like that!

 

Nor do I like the fact that those little fuckers are taking our (automotive industry)jobs!