Threaded Rod As A Wheelbarrow Axle?

[DerbyDad03]

What would happen if I used 5/8? threaded rod as a wheelbarrow axle?

I need to replace the wheel on my wheelbarrow. The wheelbarrow is used for light duty homeowner tasks, like yard work, not for hauling concrete or bricks.

All of the new wheels have a 5/8? ID for the bearing, but my original axle is just over 5/8? and doesn't fit into the bearing. I can get a 3 foot piece of 5/8? solid rod for $8-$9 or I can get a 1" piece of 5/8? threaded rod for $1.50. Since both of them need to be cut, that's a wash, so I'm really just trying to save a few bucks as well as being curious.

Will the threaded rod chew up the bearing casing? The wheel I plan to use has a built-in grease fitting if that makes any difference.

My other option is to grind down my original axle on my bench grinder. It won't be as rough as the threaded rod, but it sure won't be as smooth as new solid rod. As a test, I ground down about a half inch on one end and it will fit if I keep going. Obviously, that's free, other than my time.

I'm still curious about using the threaded rod though.

[Vic Smith]

The threaded rod might chew it up a bit over time. More likely the bearing bushing will chew up the allthread. You could tape it to slow that down, or epoxy the threads where they're in the bushing to fill them. The allthread will be weaker than solid rod. It's made for different stresses, and has a smaller solid diameter. For a buck and a half, I'd just try it out. If it gives you any problem, go buy the solid rod. You might find a free piece of solid rod in the interim. .

[notbob]

You might take a look at what's available in a grade 8 partially threaded bolt.

nb

[dpb]

It'll likely last _a_long_time_ (tm) at those uses but certainly the threaded rod will gradually eat up the bearing. Less of an issue if the bearing has a collar and set screw to lock it; more if it is just a friction fit to prevent the axle from turning in the bearing because the threaded rod will likely be small.

How far off is the axle shaft you've got to go? Just a smidge or a full

32-nd or more? If you can chuck it up somehow and use a piece of coarse emery then polish it a little you can probably get it to be as good as need be...

Surely there's an ironmonger or salvage yard around that you could bum a short chunk of rod off of rather than pay the exorbitant prices at the hardware bins I'd think???

[DerbyDad03]

I'm taking a un-researched, SWAG here...

A 10? long 5/8" grade 8 partially threaded bolt is going to cost almost as much, if not more, than the 5/8" solid rod.

[dpb]

And you don't need Grade 8 anyways, by any stretch...

[DerbyDad03]

I'm going to try and grind my current one down. No cost so it's worth a try.

Do I want the axle to be tight in the bearing or do I want it to spin? When I removed the axle from the original wheel it was so rusted in that it busted the bearing and popped the collar out of the wheel. I had to use an open end wrench and hammer to slide the collar off of the axle. The axle was definitely not spinning freely within the bearing.

BTW...The bearings weren't the problem with the old wheel. The rim rusted out so badly that the tube was beginning to protrude. Eventually it would have popped. The tire has dry rot also so it's time for a replacement.

[DerbyDad03]

Yeah, I knew that...wasn't worth mentioning because the price made no sense since I'm trying to go cheap, not over build the axle.

[dpb]

On 9/18/2013 2:41 PM, DerbyDad03 wrote: ...

Sure, was just trying to give some ideas on how to try to get/keep it nearly round w/o an actual lathe...

You want the axle to be snug-enough in the bearing that it doesn't turn but causes the bearing to turn instead.

You can grind the shaft down a little extra up to the point at which the bearing actually runs so it's not a press fit the whole way then work on the bearing area surface in more detail to try to get a decent fit there.

[Nate Nagel]

If it were a trailer or a wheel bearing on a car I'd definitely say you want a tight fit between the axle and the inner race of the bearing. But is a wheelbarrow actually going to get over 2 MPH?

nate

[nestork]

Depending on the kind of wheel it is, you may be able to replace the bearings in it.

I'd look in your Yellow Pages phone directory under "Wheels" and you should find some places in town that sell small wheels and casters for everything from furniture to trailers. Those places will sell bearings for both solid and pneumatic wheels that just hammer in to each side of the wheel. They should also sell 1/2, 5/8 and 3/4 inch round steel stock for use as axles.

I'd just take your axle and wheel down to any of those places and see if they can cut and drill a new axle to fit your new wheel or replace the bearings in your wheel so it fits the old axle.

[DerbyDad03]

I'll let you know how it works out.

[DerbyDad03]

...snip...

Obviously you've never seen me do yard work. ;-)

[dpb]

Good point; this isn't going to be a real hard one to make work...if get a little loose in the grinding phase, a dimple or two with a punch and then drive it into place and you'll be good to go.

It just needs enough friction as said earlier to make it the bearing that turns instead of the axle in the bearing.

[DerbyDad03]

Thanks for the suggestions but remember, this is just a wheelbarrow.

I'm not trying to make this a major project, running all over town trying to find parts. I can easily solve the whole issue for $9 and have 2 feet of

5/8" solid rod left over. I was really just curious about how threaded rod would work as a really cheap solution. ($1.50)

As I said earlier, I'll try grinding my original axle down (free!) and see what happens.

[clare]

But a grade 8 bolt is massive overkill - since a threaded rod is about a grade 2?

[Stormin Mormon]

I'd say spin. I've seen wheelbarrow wheels with zerk fittings. Which made sense, to me.

. Christ>

[Stormin Mormon]

Do I remember a thread about ground hornets nests?

. Christ>> If it were a trailer or a wheel bearing on a car I'd definitely say you

[Dean Hoffman]

Some cut due to quotation limits. Is there room to put a couple locknuts against the bearings to make the insides of them turn? I think some of the old farm equipment made due without any bearings in the wheels. They used just wooden bushings and lots of grease. I think even my dad's old tractors moved a bit faster pulling farm equipment than you pushing a wheelbarrow. It seemed like forever plus a day elapsed between rounds at times though.

[Anonymouse]

Just give it a shot of WD-40 every 3000 miles.