[Mike 108]

I want to design a 'lightweight' carriage/trolley that I can get in/out of my van without pulling any muscles!

How do you guys transport your trolleys and get 'em in and out of your vehicles?

Do you need to be built like a Superman?

Thanks

[Paul Coleman]

I want to design a 'lightweight' carriage/trolley that I can get in/out of my van without pulling any muscles!

How do you guys transport your trolleys and get 'em in and out of your vehicles?

Do you need to be built like a Superman?

Thanks

When I used a trolley regularly, I just had a cut down lump of thick 8' x 4' to run it in and out.  You can get ramps though which are much easier to handle.  I know Omnipole do some.  Maybe others do too.

[Mike 108]

Shiner

Was it hard work pulling the trolley up the ramp while it still had water in it?

Mike

[Nathanael Jones]

The biggest weight in a trolley is the pump box. You can get a smaller battery (Or 2,.. its good to have a spare with the smaller ones!) and make your own pump box out of thin plywood or something similar. I made one and put it on an aluminum collapsible sack truck (A draper one, very lightweight). Just hold the water drums on top of the pump box with bungee cords tied to the trolley.
The other option is just a backpack on the trolley,.. maybe an extra water drum too.
Not pretty, but as lightweight as I've managed so far.

[groundhog]

A van mount would solve all your problems!!! 

[Paul Coleman]

Shiner

Was it hard work pulling the trolley up the ramp while it still had water in it?

Mike

No, it was fine.  Bear in mind that it would never be full though.  It was a 50 litre trolley.

[Nathanael Jones]

A van mount would solve all your problems!!! 

I'll second that,..  it was the best move I ever made after going WFP. It all depends on your round though. Some rounds do suit trolleys better.

[M & C Window Cleaning]

I havn't found that I've needed ramps with my Freedom trolley. Once there's no water on it the wieght is easily manageable with the built in handles. I think the key is positionong the handles in the right place on the trolley. If there are no handles or if they're positioned in the wrong place then even a lighter wieght trolley may cause you back problems.

I suffer with back problems but so far, in five months of using it my Freedom trolley has caused me no serious problems getting it in and out if my car.

Try to design your trolley so that it can be lifted keeping you back as straight as possible and bending only your knees.

[NWH]

Vanmount,a bit of hose is a lot lighter than a bulky metal trolley beleive me.

[Mike 108]

I intend the setup to be van mounted BUT ALSO be dismountable.

But because I can not stand upright in my van, I can't visualise myself doing anything but struggle to get a trolley in or out!

Mike

[matt]

the only wieght is in the barrels of water 25 L = 25 KG ( its not that heavy )

use a sack truck with a box for the pump and battery, we are not taking that much weight, my wife can lift my cart ina dn out of the van

[d s windowcleaning]

you can get some decent fishing tackle tolleys that are ideal and imo i dont think you would struggle with one .

[Mike 108]

Matt

But can she lift the 25kg barrels of water?

What I am trying to do is make a carriage/trolley holding 2 x 11 litre Di bottles that I can use either in the van (in conjunction with my water tank) OR that I can take out, and onto customers premises, so that I can connect to their water supply.

Thanks for the replies so far.

Mike

[matt]

Matt

But can she lift the 25kg barrels of water?

she can pick them up, i doubt she would do it all day though

[gary999]

just leave your trolley and barrels in car i run 50 mtrs of micro bore of it the only
time i lift the barrels is when i have to refill .i run my pipe out through boot close boot down so lock catches but not completely shut and away i go.

hopefully though will get a more suitable vehicle sooner rather than later

[jikwan]

lifting and setting down the trolley is a piece of cake
when lifting into car squat a little till you can get some part of the
trolley frame resting on your thigh and lift a little so that
the whole weight is on thigh
only someone who is crazy would use the back and arm muscles
the thigh muscle is very very strong      can hardly damage it

[Mike 108]

Gary999

Do you take any precautions to prevent people walking/tripping on the microbore?

Jikwan

Thanks. I've also come up with the idea of putting small wheels on the handles so that the handles can be tilted onto the van floor and the whole thing part-lifted/part-wheeled into the van.

Off to work now.

Thanks everyone.

[gary999]

i put down caution trailing cable signs. same as everyone else  i expect?

[Paul Coleman]

Gary999

Do you take any precautions to prevent people walking/tripping on the microbore?

Jikwan

Thanks. I've also come up with the idea of putting small wheels on the handles so that the handles can be tilted onto the van floor and the whole thing part-lifted/part-wheeled into the van.

Off to work now.

Thanks everyone.

I use a piuece of hose to bridge the gap between van and hosereel.  I lay a rubber mat over it.

[gary999]

i have a 6ft piece of 1/2 inch hose running from freedom trolley to microbore reel
and i place reel directly behind car in road.then i put my signs out