Car dollies - which set is good?

[72BlckButy]

Does anyone have any experience with Harbor Freight's car dollies? I'm considering purchasing a set to throw under the truck this winter to make moving it a little easier to move in the garage, and warmer than opening the door.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=32052

I'm looking for a cheap (but efficient) set, so several hundred dollars is out of the question.

So what are you guy's using?

[ChiefRocka]

I too was interested in a set. I wanted the racheting type, but those are quite expensive.

Thats a good price for those...or some scrap steel and some caster would do the trip...although the price is right.

Anyone have a lead on an inexpensive ractheting set ?

[cdowns]

those dollies are rated at 1`000lbs each for a total weight of 4000 for 4 how much does your truck weigh? i'd think you'd be just about at the limit on the front ones//something to consider is they wont work well over expansion joints if you have them in your floor

[fastwillie 696969]

i got snap on dollies they work great i can roll the gt around the shop without opening the roll up door and
you dont have to push and get exhausted from pushing it and turn the steering wheel back and forth
i can use my big leg and roll this car easy

[Sub-versive]

Originally Posted by 72BlckButy

Does anyone have any experience with Harbor Freight's car dollies? I'm considering purchasing a set to throw under the truck this winter to make moving it a little easier to move in the garage, and warmer than opening the door.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=32052

I'm looking for a cheap (but efficient) set, so several hundred dollars is out of the question.

So what are you guy's using?

They will work. I have a set of 4 of those, got them on sale and with coupon for around ?$70? , I can't remember how much exactly.
But I can tell you to grease them up well and they will work fine. I have moved a '75 C10 with 4 flats and crap in the back just fine, you can make it over the expansion joints fine with momentum, or more people. I've moved an old Saab, old Olds, potted plants, and misc. other junk.

The ones with the pump look real nice, but very spendy.

[lks dcvn]

I have a set of those - spotted them on the local CL earlier in the summer - got them for $40 - they were lightly used - I will be using them in about 2 weeks so I can let you know how they work...

[BarryB]

I had a set, one thing that will make aworld of difference, before you put them together, take the wheels apart and put some good grease in there. The grease that is in there is junk.
OH check out your truck magizines, hot rod and such, they have been putting 20% off coupons in them. I have a stack of those coupons waiting on me to go to the store.

[cableguy0]

if you want ratcheting dollies. DO not buy those from harbor freight. they dont ratchet they are hydraulic and do not last at all. if you want something that ratchets look at go jak brand. they are expensive but you get what you pay for. we use the go jaks every day in bad conditions always in a hurry. the steel ones that are just a cradle should be fine just for moving stuff around the garage its no biggie to jack the truck or car up to put them under the tires.

[rwolf9653]

I got a set from LMC, I think 2000 lbs each. They work great if the tires are fully inflated and your floor is smooth and clean. They were not cheap by any means, but reasonable compared to some others I saw.

[Sillyoldman]

I'm holding out for some pump type dollies.

[72BlckButy]

Thank you for all the response guy's, I'm still considering purchasing these dollies because I would like to be able to slide the truck from one side, to the middle, or all the way over in the garage this winter.

I hope to make a trip to our local store this weekend and check them out first hand.

[piecesparts]

I have a set in my garage and right now, I don't have a fully buuilt truck on them, but in the past they were used for my black 84 and it worked real well. For the money they stand up real well and even if they fail, the truck is only 3"-4" above the ground, so it would not be catastrophic. I have seen guys use these for many years in their shops, so they do stand up reasonably well.

[72BlckButy]

I can't recall from the pics on the link, and now I'm at work and can't open the link (Rrrr...) are there locks on these so they don't roll?

[Sub-versive]

No locks.

[Sub-versive]

If you need more pics, I'll go out to the garage and take them.

[Richard H.]

Originally Posted by Sub-versive

No locks.

Those are under my 71 rolling chassis shown in my build thread.
New floor and clean and they ,well , suck! All 16 wheels have to be in agreement with each other before you can budge it. Unless you hit it with another truck you don't need locks. I'm a big boy and I have to use a 2x6 board to pinch mine around. Real nice on a painted frame.

[Sub-versive]

Originally Posted by Richard H.

Those are under my 71 rolling chassis shown in my build thread.
New floor and clean and they ,well , suck! All 16 wheels have to be in agreement with each other before you can budge it. Unless you hit it with another truck you don't need locks. I'm a big boy and I have to use a 2x6 board to pinch mine around. Real nice on a painted frame.

Hence, my recommendation in my first post about them, GREASE THEM WELL, and the will work fine. Not perfect, but fine. For the money, they do ok.
I have to agree, unless your concrete is sloped, no need for locks.

[MacAttack]

Got a set - just like the photo. Great sheet metal and welded cross-bars.

Biggest P.O.S. cast iron wheels on the planet - 3rd. World Crap! Moving my Chevelle across the shop floor required steering these wheels with an F'ing Pipe Wrench to twist all the wheels in the same general direction, shove the car three feet, and start the whole process over again!

NEVER AGAIN!

Now, for the next project, I will go to a machine shop surplus store and buy a high class set of heavy duty nylon casters. All the grease in the city of Detroit wouldn't have helped the original casters.

The wheel sets are key!

[piecesparts]

I haven't had issues with mine, but I can see where the wheels could be better. That is a matter of purchasing some new wheels or as said before, buying a higher priced set of rollers. For what we use them for, the price of these are justifiable to me.

[Rack Man]

Originally Posted by Richard H.

Those are under my 71 rolling chassis shown in my build thread.
New floor and clean and they ,well , suck! All 16 wheels have to be in agreement with each other before you can budge it. Unless you hit it with another truck you don't need locks. I'm a big boy and I have to use a 2x6 board to pinch mine around. Real nice on a painted frame.

I agree!

I bought em....and returned them 20 mins. after assembling them....Garbage.....I could not budge my truck by myself!...The expensive ones with the larger diameter casters work way better!




RM

[68C15]

I think I saw in the tool flyer from our local parts store that ATD has a knock-off version of the Go-Jack ones. they were about half the price too.

[MrBeast]

Coming from my area of expertise being a wrecker driver who uses GO-JACKS often, I wouldnt touch those harbor freight jobs.

If your floor is perfectly flat you might get by with using them, but if you have to move your truck on a sloped surface it isnt hard for 2 tons to go running away from you. Belive me.

This is why you want the ratcheting go jacks, they are self loading, and if the vehicle runs away all you have to do is kick the pedal and it will set down stopping it.

They also make a hydraulic set that iw worth looking at.

You can get a good set of go jacks for less than 200.00

if you go the cheap route and your truck gets away from you, that 200.00 will seem pretty damn cheap compared to what all gets wrecked.

[ChiefRocka]

We spent this ThanksGiving up north, and spotted a HarborFreight store...nver been so we stopped. As I walked in, you can just smell the 'china' in that place. "Wow, look at all those orange power-tools !"

Anyway, I thought about the dollys and knew about their quality, so I bought four of them anyway.

Gave them a try yesterday under the Vette:
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After a short push (evident by the coolant tracks) I realized they were not the best, but they'll work:
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Here came the real test:
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They couldn't budge it...the floor is pretty smooth too. I could move it pretty easily.

The problem I see with these, is if the plate starts to bend ever-so-slightly , that will throw the axis of the caster off, and they will not turn....so homemade tube style would probalby be the answer....

[72BlckButy]

Thanks for the info John, first hand experience. At least you won't have to worry about the kids accidently pushing the Vette into something.

Sorry to hear they aren't the best...

[ChiefRocka]

Originally Posted by 72BlckButy

Thanks for the info John, first hand experience. At least you won't have to worry about the kids accidently pushing the Vette into something.

Sorry to hear they aren't the best...

Your welcome.....I think they will be 'ok'