Wheelbarrow Repair

A wheelbarrow is a relatively simple machine with only a few parts.

The wheelbarrow is the workhorse of a job site. Its mobility and ease of use allow you to move more materials in less time with far less effort. There are very few parts on a wheelbarrow, but occasionally a tire, handle or its load bucket may fail. You can, however, fix these items and get back to work. Repairing your wheelbarrow takes only a few common job site materials and a bit of know-how.

Things You'll Need

• Duct tape
• 2 wooden stakes (2 inches by 2 inches by 24 inches)
• Drill with 1/2-inch bi-metal bit
• 4 galvanized lag bolts (3/8 inch by 6 inches) with washers and nuts
• Adjustable wrench
• Spray bottle filled with soapy water
• Tire plug kit (insertion tool, reamer and plug)
• Large scissors
• Air compressor
• Water hose
• Towel
• Empty soda can
• Tin snips
• Caulk gun with clear silicone caulk
• 3/8 inch bi-metal drill bit
• Rivet gun with 1/4-inch rivets

Instructions

Handle Repair

1. Lay the wheelbarrow on its side with the broken handle facing up. Slide the broken piece back into the section of the handle that's still attached to the main body. Wrap the seam of the break with duct tape to hold the two pieces of wood in place.

2. Lay a stake across the broken handle and hold another on the bottom of the break. Drill through the top stake, the handle and the bottom stake with the 1/2-inch bi-metal bit in two places on each side of the break, making a total of four holes through the pieces of wood. Hold the wood firmly while drilling.

3. Slip a bolt through each hole. Slide a washer onto each bolt and twist a nut onto each. Tighten the nuts by hand. Use your adjustable wrench to make them snug.

Tire Repair

1. Find the leak in your tire by inflating the tire and soaking it with soapy water from your spray bottle. Bubbles will pinpoint the leak.

2. Push the reaming tool into the hole. Slide it in and out to prepare the hole. Slide a tire plug into the insertion tool and push it into the hole. Yank the insertion tool free of the hole, leaving the plug in place.

3. Cut off the long ends of the plug with your scissors. Cut the plug ends even with the top of the existing tire tread. Fill the tire with air from your compressor.

Load Bucket Repair

1. Spray your load bucket with the water hose. Dry the bucket with the towel.

2. Cut off the top and bottom of the soda can with the tin snips. Cut a slit across the middle section of metal and stretch it out onto the damaged area of the inside of the load bucket. Drill through the piece of can and the wheelbarrow with the 3/8-inch bi-metal bit every 2 inches around the patch.

3. Lift your patch and coat the back of the piece of can with caulk. Press the patch into place and line it up the drill holes. Secure the patch to the load bucket by fastening rivets through each hole.

References

• Garden Gate Magazine: Repairing a Tubeless Wheelbarrow Tire