Dave.
I built two heavy duty carts with fixed casters on one end and
swivels on the other. On the steering end was a strong T-handle of
one and 1/2 inch pipe. The handle was hinged at wide spaced pivots
so it could go up and down but not sideways so it was a good steering
lever. On level concrete it could carry three tons without much
trouble.
If the swivel casters got confused, rowing on the T-handle would get
things going. The pivots were set low so the handle could be used
as a pry-bar to get over curbs with light loads and johnson bars
helping
in the back. The low pivots allowed storing the handle under the cart
when huge things were carried. The back wheels were 6 inch steel
that may have come from a bridge crane with no flanges. The front
casters were 4 and 1/2 inch with cushion tires. I think casters would
be much more maneuverable than an ackerman setup. The key point
with casters was to have a good steering handle. Since the handle did
not pivot sideways long beams could hang way out on both ends and
not bother the steering. The carts (2) were about two and 1/2 feet by
four.
For humongus loads the non-steering ends could be clamped together
to make one big cart that pivoted about the middle.

Best regards, Charlie


On Jan 10, 6:20*pm, dave wrote:
I hate swivel casters on one end of a dolly when the load is real
*heavy*. they're ok when the load is light but when the dolly is HEAVY,
it's OK going straight in one direction, but IMPOSSIBLE to get turned
around unless you either jack up one end of the cart and turn the
steering casters by hand OR you "have a spare mile or so" of room to
maneuver. and space availability in my garage is 'far less than optimal'

so I want to convert some 'normal' swivel casters (have tons of 'em) to
'ackerman steer' casters. I need two stout acker-dollies: one to hold my
dialarc (with other stuff piled on top of it) and another dolly for my
500 lb table saw.

-----------------------------
anybody here ever tried this?
-----------------------------

I'm pretty sure it can be done by welding 'ackerman ears' to the tops of
the forks of 'normal' swivel casters. a little bizarre, perhaps, but
workable. put it this way: the geometry seems to work in the mockup I
made (and illustrated) he

http://bubba.hostrator.com/ackerman_...rs_conversion/

comments invited :-)

thanks,

toolie dave

ps-I'm familiar with the 'running gear' miller sells for this welder,
with its' a
href="http://freemanracing.com/home/components/com_virtuemart/shop_image/pr...""kid's
wagon" type steering/a, and I think this ackerman-mod idea is better.
I realize having swivel casters with "no trail" would be better, but, I
might cut mine and reweld them "straight-forked", OR just "leave the
forks like they are now", but with their newly-attached ears. well, let
me know :-)

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