Shopping trolley wheels

[Steve Maskery]

I live in a very salubrious area.

Not.

Yesterday I discovered that someone had dumped a supermarket trolley just along from my house so I did the decent neighbourhood thing and cleared it away. It's seen better days...

The handlebar is missing and in fact it looks as if it's been used in a ram raid.

But I fancy trying to re-use the wheels. They must be pretty good quality to take the sort of use trolleys are subjected to. The problem is how to get them off. They appear to be bolted in place, but there is no access for a spanner:

I cannot believe that they are made by bolting in the castor without the wheel, then riveting in the wheel axle, that sounds daft, but what kind of spanner would get in there? I think it is 19mm.

Any ideas, chaps?

 

[Spindle]

Hi

My guess is that the bolt is acting as the axle for the castoring action. I'd saw the legs off and have a look at how the castor is mounted from the inside / top.

Regards Mick

 

[Higon]

Looks like the wheel is fitted after the castor part is fitted.
Remove the axle and the wheel, remove bolt with socket, replace 'axle' with a bolt!

 

[Steve Maskery]

Both good ideas, thank you.
I've been having another look at it. I'm wondering if the wheel unit is assembled separately and then simply welded on.

But you'd think that, given the propensity of trolleys to get "wonky wheel syndrome" that they would be made in a way that made servicing them straightforward.
S

 

[Paul Chapman]

But you'd think that, given the propensity of trolleys to get "wonky wheel syndrome" that they would be made in a way that made servicing them straightforward.

They probably find it less expensive to get new ones rather than repair damaged ones.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[powertools]

A ring spanner with a deep crank will undo that.

 

[Steve Maskery]

The community workshop re-opens tomorrow. I think I'll take it along there. I'm not sure if we have any deep cranks there (well, not spanners, anyway), but certainly my ring spanners won't go in.
I'll keep you posted.

 

[ChrisR]

But you'd think that, given the propensity of trolleys to get "wonky wheel syndrome" that they would be made in a way that made servicing them straightforward.

They probably find it less expensive to get new ones rather than repair damaged ones.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

I know there is at least one company where their main stock in trade is, servicing and repairing as necessary supermarket stock movement trollies, and customer shopping trollies, considering the hundreds of thousands that must be in use throughout the country, there must be more than one company involved in this service.

The one that I have seen in operation, have vans/mobile workshops completely fitted out for the job, with the necessary spares stock, hand tools, machine tools, including electric welding equipment.

Chris R.

 

[lanemaux]

Hi Steve . My only thought is that a basin wrench might work (not sure if thats a proper name for it) . Sort of an off-set box wrench with the box bit of it on a rod set at 90 degrees and the rod secured to a handle at another 90 degrees. Invaluable for reaching near impossible fittings in tight quarters under sinks.

 

[kostello]

Don't forget to take the leftover to the scrapyard and get it weighed in

 

[Baldhead]

Steve why remove the wheels? You could cut the two cross members, attach a timber base and you have a ready made cart with side supports.

Baldhead

 

[nanscombe]

... all assuming that the owners don't want it back. :twisted:

 

[Baldhead]

... all assuming that the owners don't want it back. :twisted:

That was my original thought but who are the owners? The shopping trolleys I have seen have the stores name in the handle, but as you see from the picture and in Steve's description, there is no handle!

Baldhead

 

[rafezetter]

I'd either drill/ grind out the metal so the axle comes out and replace with bolt after unscrewing, or as baldhead says make a timber cart of sorts.

 

[Stu_2]

Looks like the wheel is fitted after the castor part is fitted.
Remove the axle and the wheel, remove bolt with socket, replace 'axle' with a bolt!

+1

 

[Bod]

A ring spanner with a deep crank will undo that.

+1
I've fitted many, not on shopping trollies, but on mobile machines, of greater weight.

Bod

 

[Steve Maskery]

Indeed it does.

I found some scrap sheet in the welding area and drilled a few holes and I how have a set of heavy-duty castors that have cost me a few hours time but zero expenditure.

However, that might change. I went to weigh in the scrap. They won't take it because it's a shopping trolley. Not without "the paperwork", whatever that is. I suppose it's a good thing to stop people just walking off with them from the supermarkets.

So then I took it to the local tip. They won't take it as it is trade waste. They suggested I rang the council to come and take it away or cut it up into bits and bin it a bit at a time. So I rang the council, sat on hold for ten minutes and gave up. It's no wonder people tip stuff if it is this difficult to dispose of responsibly.

Not sure what to do now. I might just ask at the local supermarket. I certainly don't want to have to pay for the disposal of trade waste!

 

[RogerS]

Steve, bend it, crush it, sit on it. Compress it into an unrecognisable shape and take it to a different recycling place and just chuck it in.

Or angle grind it up and stick it in a black sack.

 

[dc_ni]

Steve, bend it, crush it, sit on it. Compress it into an unrecognisable shape and take it to a different recycling place and just chuck it in.

Or angle grind it up and stick it in a black sack.

Are you trying to say Steve should stop eating those lovely cakes he makes?

 

[Steve Maskery]

Have you tried to bend solid stainless steel? Even my considerable bulk doesn't touch it, it's indestructible.