Pulling or pushing a wheelbarrow?

When going over rough ground or up steps, even shallow ones, pulling is so much easier than pushing. But on flat ground, paths etc. push it.

Pulling is always more efficient. If you push, the force will generally have a downwards component which contributes nothing to the forward movement of the barrow.

Not always. On rough ground pushing can allow you to pick a smoother route. That can outweigh the better force vectors.

Andy

I wouldn't have thought it made much difference in that respect. Arguably, pulling the barrow allows you to pick a route more easily because you can see where you're going, rather than having the barrow in your sight-line.

For those too short to see over the top.

OTOH it a bugger to turn round and see where to tip the contents.

Only when you encounter steps up, Its normally far easier to pull it up a step than to push it up and that goes for one or two wheels. Its the angle of the handles to the centre of the wheel that causes this. Brian

As an aside - why does a Dyson (and possibly other uprights) seem to leave the carpet looking better when pulled across.

And why are carper shampoo machines designed to be pulled when pushing may be more intuitive?

Depends on the ground, the load & the wheel type. Try it & see.

NT

The brush roller flings stuff towards the chute which is at the rear of the moulding, so cleaning is better when pulled. Also the carpet isn't then run over by the rear ball or wheels, so the pile is laid more evenly.

The main suck-up bit is at the front. It needs to be to get close to walls. So when putting down solution you push it forward to avoid the fresh laid solution being removed immediately, and when sucking the liquid out you pull so it scrubs before sucking.

NT

With our barrow, over deep 1/2" gravel and over slightly bumpy grass, pulling is definitely easier.

As for wheely bins, any attempt to push the bin over the gravel causes its wheels to dig themselves deeper and deeper into the gravel. Likewise for the lawnmower, which either needs to be pushed on its rear wheels, with the front ones in the air, or else pulled.

The gravel is a confounded nuisance. It was already there when we bought the house, put there by the previous owners. I've learned where the shallower bits are, and that's where I try to take the mower when getting it from the garage to the front grass verge.

Buy a quad bike and do it the fun way :-)

Why don't you ask Dyson.

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Last time I was using a really heavy barrow on really rough ground it was up a narrow path, and the ideal route was often only a few inches wide. I needed to see exactly where the wheel was in relation to the roots and stumps.

Andy