anyone ever try making their own pier cart before? i have a couple designs in mind that shouldnt cost $150-$200 but wondering where to buy wheels and the axle at. anyone have any pointers or try it before?
harbor fright will have tires and axle.
Chad
Cobia 256 Express
Pulled by a Dodge Ram 3500
Got mine off craigslost $100
J-16 Carolina Skiff
Tires mounted on wheels at Northern Tool. Welcome to look at mine and take measurements.
Capt. Justin
“A foolish faith in authority is the worst enemy of truth”
Albert Einstein
You can get 8" inflatible tires at HF for around $4.00. I would be willing to bet there are tons of plans on the ineternet and that you could build one for way under $100 using PVC, etc… I made a kayak cart for around $25.
“Apathy is the Glove in Which Evil Slips It’s Hand”.
I agree Harbor Freight or Northern tool is a good place for tires.
Also, search using “cart” to find older posts from the surf fishing topic. You will see some ideas. I built one using scrap wood, an old push lawn mower handle, old metal bar for an axle, and riding lawn mower tires (that I got free from a cf.com member). The total cost was about $10. That was years ago and it is long gone now.
For the cost you metioned you could find a good used one here on cf.com. I bought a large surf cart from a member here for $80 a few years ago. (sold it a brother in law last winter for $120)
Now I use an old golf club pull cart. It works just fine.
j
Big difference in a surf cart and a pier (dock) cart. To start with dock carts have bicycle wheels, surf carts are smaller wheels.
Capt. Justin
“A foolish faith in authority is the worst enemy of truth”
Albert Einstein
I’m not trying to be a smarta$$, but what difference does the type wheels make, as long as they roll on the intended terrain? Seems to me, that one could make a cart and use it for either one. And why bicycle wheels for the pier/dock? Inquiring minds want to know.
Thanks.
Bob Van Gundy
Marine Designs,Inc.
Custom Aluminum Fabrication
803-727-4069
I found these on the world wide web.
http://www.floridagofishing.com/fishing-carts.html#.UtdiY-l3t9A
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVXGyw_Si1U
http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=PVC+Pier+Fishing+Cart+Plans&FORM=RESTAB
Bob Van Gundy
Marine Designs,Inc.
Custom Aluminum Fabrication
803-727-4069
Bob,
Dock carts in Charleston have large…
Never mind.
Capt. Justin
“A foolish faith in authority is the worst enemy of truth”
Albert Einstein
i was looking around at lowes and found several types of wheels. dont think id lean towards the thin steel cart wheels so much since as soon as id take it through the sand theyd sink in and be a royal pain. i also found wheelbarrow tires that were wider and would probably work and am strongly leaning towards those. probably close enough?
Harbor Freight. 8" inflatible wheelbarrow wheels. They’ll handle sand and rough terrain well and are less than $5 each. If you will only be on smooth surfaces then I’m with Bob, it doesn’t matter.
“Apathy is the Glove in Which Evil Slips It’s Hand”.
quote:
Originally posted by JustinTimeBob,
Dock carts in Charleston have large…
Never mind.Capt. Justin
“A foolish faith in authority is the worst enemy of truth”
Albert Einstein
Capt. Justin,
Why “Never mind”? 
I’m just curious.
There’s no need to be rude about it.
Thanks, Bob
Bob Van Gundy
Marine Designs,Inc.
Custom Aluminum Fabrication
803-727-4069
quote:Bob, you beat me to the wheel response. I pulled carts with "bike wheels" across miles and miles of beach for year after year. BEST wheels ever. :wink:
Originally posted by Happy Bobquote:
Originally posted by JustinTimeBob,
Dock carts in Charleston have large…
Never mind.Capt. Justin
“A foolish faith in authority is the worst enemy of truth”
Albert Einstein
Capt. Justin,
Why “Never mind”?
There’s no need to be rude about it.
Thanks, Bob
Bob Van Gundy
Marine Designs,Inc.
Custom Aluminum Fabrication
803-727-4069
I do like the ballon tires just for the novelty of the cart being able to float across the occasional low tide pool. But, the bike type wheels pull better on the beach.
if you want small, short tires, then it works better in sand if they are wider like wheelbarrow, or fatter, type tires. If you want thin tires then they should be tall like bicycle tires to roll over sand easier.
j
I made a kayak cart using pvc and a smooth metal rod with push mower wheels I bought from northern tool or tractor supply. The wheels have plastic rims and pneumatic tires. The wheels are 12-15" diameter roughly, were around $15 a piece and hold up a 70 lb kayak just fine. I don’t think it’d be bad making a cart.
I made my own pier cart out of a lawn wagon (mesh type), cost me about $80 plus the PVC rod holders. I didn’t really like it.
It did have fairly wide wheels, but when you had any weight in it, it was a PAIN to drag across sand. I did that once, and said “the heck with it”.
For actual piers, it was great.
I’d get wheels from Harbor Freight. The trick is, keeping it light enough to put in the truck, but big enough to carry all that tackle that you won’t really use, but would feel otherwise naked without.
Saying “I am offended” is telling everyone else that you cannot control your own emotions, and thus you need everyone else to do it for you.
quote:
Originally posted by Redfish_matt…The trick is, keeping it light enough to put in the truck, but big enough to carry all that tackle that you won’t really use, but would feel otherwise naked without.
</font id=“quote”></blockquote id=“quote”>The “trick” is… Figuring it out for yourself. The internet will not give you the answer.
From what you read on the WWW tell us what ultimately worked for YOU.
Let’s review the internet suggestions:
Keep it light but heavy.
Cheep but, high quality.
Ballon tires are better on sand except where narrow bicycle tire work better.
Small diameter wheels work best if you refer to them as “pier cart” wheels.
$150 means something important and $8.00 means something important too. Maybe the $158 .00 cart is the best?
If you don’t check the Harbor Freight web site weekly… WHY ARE YOU ON CHARLESTONFISHINGDOTCOM!!!
My internet suggestion, build or buy one of these.
thanks for all the input! got it mostly put together but still need some pvc for rod holders and gonna screw on a piece of 1x6 on the front foot to spread the weight out on the sand when not in use. the handle is a pretty simple mechanism…door hinge to attach the cart to a 2x4 handle piece with a piece of knotted 3/8" rope to grab. gonna put a coat of paint on it to protect it a bit from salt spray and overall the base is 16"x36". big enough for a 5 gallon bucket, small cooler, and tackle bag but not heavy to lift into the truck either. also have it built right so i can flip it upside down in the truck but put all rods in a holder. after i finish it of course im gonna have to field test it in a short amount of time
I refurbished an old wheelchair into a pier cart. I had worn the back seat pad out of it, the frame was still OK but a bit wobbly… It has 1&3/4 bike tires on it. I left the pushbars on the wheels to help picking it up, also left it where it can still be folded up for travel.