roll-off roof wheels

[Thommy]

Hi,

I have to replace the existing rubber-tyre wheels as they turned out to be of poor quality. They are not quite circular any more. In the summertime it is possible to push off the roof, but my back doesn't appreciate it. In the winter it's hopeless ...

I want to install steel wheels of the V-groove type instead. I'm not sure hov to fix the angel iron rails to the timber posts - any ideas? Any other good/bad experience that you would share with me (and others) are wellcome!

/Thommy

[r3i]

2 options I can think of:

1 - Drill and countersink holes in the angle iron then it would be screwed to the timber with the screws at 45 degrees. Probably you'd want to alternate the holes on each side of the angle iron.

2 - If you have access to welding equipment, weld the angle iron to a flat metal plate and screw this metal plate to the timber

[tony]

http://www.fhbrundle.co.uk/groups/13SWV200__200_kgs_Weight

[Carbon]

I took the easiest approach and used stainless wood screws held along the rail edge, similar in fashion to how railway rails are spiked. No problem with this approach.

[Thommy]

Thanks! Tony, the V-groove track with mounting plate seems promising. I tried to find something similar in Denmark, but unfortunately without succes. Ordering from UK is a possibility, though.

Mike - I don´t have access to welding equipment (and wouln´t know how to use it anyway ). Drilling and countersinking might prove difficult in hard steel, but could be worth a test. Well, of course I could contact the local blacksmith, but if there is some sort of easy method, I would go for that first.

Carbon - I really like your KISS method. I think this will be my choice.

/Thommy

[Carbon]

Carbon - I really like your KISS method. I think this will be my choice.

It is so simple and effective I wouldn't change anything.

[r3i]

Great idea Carbon - simple and effective. We do tend to look for over-engineered solutions at times.

[Thommy]

Thanks Carbon,

great idea! I might add washers, but that's minor. From the picture it seems that the V-track is mounted directly onto the wooden post - don't you think the steel will work itself into the wood with time? By the way, what thickness did you use for the steel track?

Anyway, I will post some pictures when I've installed the new wheels.

/Thommy

[Carbon]

Thommy.......the angle iron I used was 1/8" in thickness. They were also available in 3/16" thickness as well.

As far a the tracks "digging" into the beams, I see no evidence of that happening. And my 8'x12' roof with its plywood subroof and fiberglass shingles weighs quite a bit and the 4" casters (4 total) provide nearly effortless opening and closing.

[twintin]

Hi Carbon can I ask where you got your wheels as they look like they are in frame like a std castor. All the ones I've looked at are wheels only.

Cheers

Mark

[Carbon]

Hi Carbon can I ask where you got your wheels as they look like they are in frame like a std castor. All the ones I've looked at are wheels only.

Cheers

Mark

I ordered them through these guys:

http://www.castercity.com/eshop/10Expand.asp?ProductCode=9VS4x2-R&ReturnTo=../cm9.htm

Shipping to the UK will be very costly I presume.

[Thommy]

Dear all,

Finally I managed to replace the existing rubber tyre wheels running directly on wooden beams with new V-groove steel Wheels running on angle iron. I used Carbons method for fastening the angle iron

Before:

After:

Wow - what a difference!! Now I can move the 300 kg roof easily with just one finger. V-groove Wheels are highly recommendable. Now I really look forward to do some imaging - I just need to install my new CGEM Mount.

/Thommy

[Gina]

Looks good   I'm going to modify my obsy to this method   Except that I'm going to use aluminium angle and wheels.  Not sure yet how big the wheels will be but the angle will be 3/4" x 3/4" x 1/8".  My present wheels are 100mm rubber tyred running on timber rails.  That's alright except for the sideways guiding which involves separate guide wheels and I'm not happy with it.

[sharkmelley]

Thommy - one quick question - is it noisier to open the roof now?  I can imagine that metal on metal might squeal.  But I might be completely wrong!

I've got rubber wheels running along angle iron track at the moment but I do like the look of your solution.

Mark

[ollypenrice]

This system has a lot to be said for it, espcecially in the snow.

Olly

[Macavity]

An excellent idea. Mine (A.O.) came with four simple hard casters running in a wide-ish Aluminium U-Channel. Fair play, surprisingly and still effective - But I do worry. Anything that "channels" invariably retains muck-of-ages, "dead bodies", and potentially allows water ingress. Larger end holes to "shutter" too. Yet to imagine how I will "jack" the whole structure.

Far easier during construction, without a whole load of OSB / Felt etc.

More accurate construction? Wouldn't fancy a de-railment!

[Thommy]

Gina, the old wheels were guided by an L-shaped groove cut into the Wood beams. I thought this would create less friction than by using an U-shape. I was wrong! In autumn/Winter the Wood absorbed so much moisture that the wheels were kinda squeezed. Some nights I had to give up moving the roof at all. The angle iron is 3.0 x 3.0 x 0.3 cm so similar to your planned "angle alu". By the way, the opening in the wheels is 93^o to avoid any tension between rail and Wheel.

Mark, it is a little noisier, but it is not squealing at all, rather it is a rumbling sound. No problem.

Chris, It didn't fancy me neither. However, I got the idea to use a combination of a wooden post and a car jack to elevate the roof. I had to be careful that the roof didn't turn over, but actually it turned out to be piece of cake to replace the wheels and install the rails, although I had to do the Work alone!! 

/Thommy

[Gina]

Gina, the old wheels were guided by an L-shaped groove cut into the Wood beams. I thought this would create less friction than by using an U-shape. I was wrong! In autumn/Winter the Wood absorbed so much moisture that the wheels were kinda squeezed. Some nights I had to give up moving the roof at all. The angle iron is 3.0 x 3.0 x 0.3 cm so similar to your planned "angle alu". By the way, the opening in the wheels is 93^o to avoid any tension between rail and Wheel.

Mark, it is a little noisier, but it is not squealing at all, rather it is a rumbling sound. No problem.

Chris, It didn't fancy me neither. However, I got the idea to use a combination of a wooden post and a car jack to elevate the roof. I had to be careful that the roof didn't turn over, but actually it turned out to be piece of cake to replace the wheels and install the rails, although I had to do the Work alone!! 

/Thommy

Thank you   Interesting about the wheel  angle - I'll bear that in mind - I would have turned them with a 90 degree angle, but I guess that would cause rubbing.  I'm planning to make my own wheels.