Okay folks, lookin' for advice / suggestions /recomendations. I'm working alone, space is limited, need some wheel skates to move projects around as needed. Hat a set years ago, but they ranaway from home. What's the best thing out there?
I have a set of Harbor Freights. Work great. I use them as dollies for all kinds of stuff. https://www.harborfreight.com/1000-lb-capacity-vehicle-dollies-2-pc-61283.html
Gojack come in two sizes for tire width . Expensive but worth it. I buy a lot from harbor freight, but there is no comparison for moving your vehicle. Will save you dents in the vehicle.
I bought a set form the Hot Rod magazine classified ads years ago, it was money well spent. I inherited a set of HF dollies and gave them away, the swivel casters were junk...
I have 2 sets as well. They work fine under something like a Model A. Something bigger i would spring for the better ones.
Go Jacks seem to be the standard for vehicle movers but they are very costly. I purchased a set of these: https://titanlifts.com/ez-mover-vehicle-positioning-jacks Which are good or better than the Go Jacks. The cost was about $100 each which is not inexpensive but less than half the cost of the GJ brand. The first thing I did was to lubricate the pivots and wheel axles with silicone grease. I can move the car in my avatar 360 in very little space by myself. Well worth the investment. Jim
I have these: https://www.harborfreight.com/autom...e-1500-lb-capacity-vehicle-dollies-67338.html . My brother, the 1000# mentioned above. He has a CJ2 on his and say the tires are a little soft. Once you are moving they are ok. I moved 6 cars on mine and they were great. Look for the sales. They are $55 on the website, mine were $40 a pair when I got them. I want the ones that jack the car up. ( https://www.harborfreight.com/autom...ht-ultra-mobile-self-loading-dolly-64601.html $400 a set, on sale). If you are moving cars, the part that sucks is getting them on and off of the dollies.
buy the ones you can crank up like the gojacks . the ones you have to use a floor jack to put them on sucks.. I have both sets.
If I had a business or really cranked out a lot of cars, no question I would spring for the GoJacks, etc. However for the typical hobbiest who will do serious work on a car once a decade or so, the HFs are the way to go. Safe to say, without HF, etc. quality tools, I couldn't afford to be in this hobby.
@Black_Sheep I have the same set I bought off Hemings long ago and they work great. I wish I could find another set. The harbor freight ones are junk and good for 1000 pounds and dangerous with a heavy car or truck. I had them buckle up under a car and do damage to the vehicle. I also have a set of gojacks but they take up room when using as well as storage when not. The gojacks work great and fastest of all the dollies.
Bought the most expensive skates at Speedway and had issues. Returned them and bought their cheapest skates and still using them. Go figure!
I also have two sets of HF dollies and rarely use them for their intended purpose, usually to move something to heavy to pick up my hand. HRP
Borrowed a set from a freind w nice casters that would roll like a dream, said he paid alot for them before HF was around everywhere. I went and bought my own set from HF and they work but dont roll nearly as smooth as the previous set. Damn near dented a quarter panel trying to move an ot Camaro. The steel wheels seem to be the factor, they want do "dig in" more than roll. The better dollies had hard rubber type wheels that rolled much easier.
This has been my experience as well. I put all of my "I'm going to use that some day" engines on them.
I made a set a few years ago. You have to use a floor jack to position but they work great. Use a good set of wheels that rotate easily. I recycled some off heavy test equipment we were throwing away at work.
I used Harbor Freight skates on my Model A and they worked but wasn't overly impressed with the casters. They didn't swivel very well when I was changing direction.
I bought 4 of them from Harbor Freight. Got the ones that jack up the car when you step on the lever. They did the job for me. Rolled all 4 cars around my old garage, over uneven concrete with no issues. Everything from a t-bucket to a 4 door ‘56 Chevy wagon. Your mileage may vary.
I have a set of the HF skates and changed the casters right away.....they were crap. Much better now.
Have had a set of Go jacks for years--work very well. Wife bought them as a present--we have moved cars a lot with them--no issues
I've got the HF rollers under a Mopar b-body and they can be stubborn but if I rock the car to get it going the way I want eventually the wheels line up and it takes off. I've turned it completely around inside my loaded 26x30 2 bay garage.
HF and make sure they have steel wheels. My set are 30+ years old, blow the floor sweepings out of the castors once in a while and you'll be fine.
I'm a geezer so the Go Jaks were a must for me. The last time I tried to push my '55 Chevy truck, in neutral, across the shop, I couldn't budge. it. I put it on Go Jaks and, to my surprise, was able to push it where I wanted it.
I recently bought a set from Harbor Freight. They have a single stud mounting on each wheel. Small axles and out of round plastic wheels. That being said they are okay on my light vehicles. I also have a set bought there about 10 years ago. Steel wheels, 4 bolt mounting on each wheel, as well as larger axles. Also nearly a foot longer. The thing is the price was nearly equal. This seems to indicate that in order to keep prices low they just reduce quality. Of course when shopping at such outlets one can do alright if he is familiar with the difference in whether a cheap tool can be effect as compared to a quality tool. I buy quite a few items from there, but choose selectively.
I have a set of the HF ones in the Fly. No engine, model a sedan, no fenders. Maybe 1300# and it don’t roll for crap.....steel wheels. I’m not impressed. Have tried to oil and grease the wheel axles, no bueno.
The Jalopy Journal
