What are folks using for push-bar "Rollers"?

[SteveM]

I'm about to fab a push-bar for the rear of my Rampage, to be pushed by my 3/4 ton Dodge pickup.

I'm planning to use a 2x12 or 2x14 piece of wood mounted to the front of the 3/4T pickup as the push surface.

I know most folks use a wheel of some kind mounted on the back of the race vehicle's push bar.  What are you guys using as a wheel?  A skateboard wheel seems too "light duty" for my taste, but I'm having trouble bringing a simple solution to mind.

Any help would be appreciated.

Steve.

[donpearsall]

I have never built one but it seems to me that you need a roller ball that will allow the push bar to slide up, down left, right with no friction. Kind of like a ball point pen does. Here is an image of what I mean. These are available in lots of places, ever Harbor Freight.

[handyguy]

AUSTIN / Austin is using plastic type wheel off of a large roll around , about 3" to 4" round mounted sideways.. The cars tend to move back and forth,  side to side more than up / down ..Had 4 of them ,not the one that pivots..

[Milwaukee Midget]

I see a lot of heavy duty rubber casters used.  A bit of shock absorption, lateral movement seems to be the predominant concern, as most cars are pretty heavily sprung.  I'd avoid ball bearings in case the wheel were crushed - less clean-up.

I'd buy two and keep one as a spare -

http://www.mcmaster.com/#casters/=11yw8h3

[Dynoroom]

Many people use a wheel or a ball BUT the "KISS" method is still what we use.
Either a bar or pin on the race car with a board on the push vehicle. Simple & cheap.

[Seldom Seen Slim]

I've never had the pleasure of being a car builder/racer -- but it has looked to me, most of the time, that a horizontal bar on the push truck and a vertical one on the car -- is about as simple but workable as it gets.

Is this the case?

[Dynoroom]

I've never had the pleasure of being a car builder/racer -- but it has looked to me, most of the time, that a horizontal bar on the push truck and a vertical one on the car -- is about as simple but workable as it gets.

Is this the case?

Yep, or vise versa with the vertical bar on the push truck & the horizontal bar on the race car...

[Milwaukee Midget]

I was pretty fortunate in that I found a set of 74 1/2 bumper overriders that just bolted right on to the existing bumper -

before . . .



after . . .



I know Chrysler used a similar overrider in '74 to put their cars into compliance with federal impact standards.

Keep it all MOPAR?  Just a thought.

[gkabbt]

This pic is of one that Joe Timney did for a customer and I have done something similar.
The wheel I'm using on mine is a 4" hard rubber one from Tractor Supply.

I think I remember you saying that you would eventually be going to a parachute so this design covers both bases.
Since you have the square tube trailer hitch, should be easy peasy!

HTH,
Gregg

[ronnieroadster]

I built my push bar with a wheel similar to the photo Greg posted on how Joe Timney build them. Using a section of 2 inch square tubing we just opened up an area on the end to allow a wheel to fit. For a wheel I used aluminum round stock which I cut to a thickness that just sits inside the tubing and rolls freely I then drilled a 3/8 inch hole into the aluminum wheel and the tubing the bolt I use is a grade eight it works perfectly for the axle I used a nylock nut to hold the bolt in place.
   The square stock I used has a 1/4 inch wall thickness from experience we have found anything lighter in thickness will have a tendency to bend if the push gets a bit off center at speed.

[kiwi belly tank]

You're going to get up's n down's n sideway's so anything that won't grab pretty much works even a horizontal tow ball on the back of the race car works well. I like to have the push bar on the push vehicle centered to the driver not the center of the vehicle, that way you are not angle guessing the sweet spot.
  Sid.

[Joe Timney]

Steve,
I tried one of the balls before with poor results. We had to add a steel plate to the push plate so the ball didn't dug in to the delrin surface. 'Wendover Locktight' (Salt) finished it off. Then we tried an aluminum machined wheel but it also dug into the push plate so we settled on a hard rubber wheel with good results.

[SteveM]

A hard rubber wheel sounds like a simple and effective solution that has been well proven.

I'm convinced enough to start looking for the right wheel!

Steve.

[Glen]

Just google casters, you will find tons of them.

[SPARKY]

I found mine at the Devils Tool Bin---HF