Replacement of wheelbarrow handles
Wheelbarrows can be used for gardening, landscaping, and construction sites. Here are the materials and steps you will need to replace the wheelbarrow handle. To make the work easy, there are 10 steps. The following are discussed.
Table of Contents
1.Remove the Old Wheelbarrow Handles
A number of nuts and bolts located on the underside of the bucket are used for connecting the handles to the wheelbarrow bucket. Handle is sandwiched between bucket and wheel assembly on the wheelbarrow. Using a socket or crescent wrench, remove the old wheelbarrow handles and set them aside for recycling or disposal. Remove the wheel assembly and set it aside.
2.Replacement handles for wheelbarrows
Take note of the problems after it has been disassembled. We purchased only one handle, as the other one is still usable for now, and it cost about $10 to $15 at Lowes. The cracked tray also needed some epoxy to be repaired. We also needed four large washers and some new carriage bolts. Having tried a few different brands of epoxy, I recommend Loctite or Gorilla Glue 5-minute epoxy. The following is a list of the supplies we bought.
- Handle for wheelbarrow
- 3 Inch Carriage Bolts & Nuts
- Large Washers
- Epoxy
- Rust preventative spray paint
- Boiled linseed oil,
- sandpaper (coarse grit and medium grit),
- Axle grease, steel brush,
- Socket set and or wrenches
A home improvement store can provide you with replacement handles, wheels, or bolts. Purchasing a flat-free tire now will save you time and money in the future.
3.Debris Removal and Cleaning
Using a steel brush, remove all loose rust from the tray before painting. To remove residue and dust from the tray, use a damp rag to wipe it down. Once the tray has been cleaned, paint it inside and out, and any other metal parts except the nuts and bolts. Two coats of paint are recommended. When rusted bolts need to be removed, apply penetrating lubricant before removing.
Attach a grease gun to the grease fittings on the wheels and pour grease into the wheels’ bearings if they have grease fittings. If an axle doesn’t have a fitting, grease it directly. Before reassembling the wheelbarrow, grease the bolts. So that future maintenance will be minimized.
4.Set the table saw to the proper height
In order to cut the standard 2 x 4 into two equal pieces, a table saw is required. Adjust the distance between the blade and the rip fence by 1.5 inches.
5.Woodcutting
Once you have a pair of safety glasses and work gloves on, recheck your table saw setting. Follow the fence of the table saw to make straight cuts while running 2×4 wood planks into the blade.
Your new handles will be made from the cut 2×4. The important thing to remember here is that the wood should not be cut smaller than 2 x 4 when you are cutting it. Since you will not be able to extend it to the required length if that happens.
6.The handles should be aligned
In order to align the new handles into the undercarriage of the wheelbarrow, use the old handles as a guide. With the old wheelbarrow handles and the new handles stacked together, securely clamp them together.
Make sure your new wheelbarrow handles are the same size as the old wheelbarrow handles. Taking into account that the new wheelbarrow handles are longer than the old wheelbarrow handles, you may have to cut the new handles to the proper length.
Put the wheelbarrow handles clamped down on a wooden stool of the same height.
7.You need to drill the holes
By using the old handles as a guide, locate the two existing holes in the old handles and drill a new hole through the two new handles. After drilling the old handles, use a drill bit the same diameter as the old holes, and remove the clamp after drilling.
8.Align the New Handles
Insert each handle into the wheelbarrow, aligning the predrilled holes with the bolts of the wheelbarrow, after turning it upside down. It is crucial that predrilled holes are aligned perfectly with bolts.
9.Reattach the Wheel Assembly
With the new handles aligned with the barrow bolts, insert the legs of the wheel assembly into the bolt of the barrow and tighten the nuts with a crescent wrench. It should now be possible to attach the new handles to the barrow as well as the legs of the wheel assembly.
This wheelbarrow still has one final addition and that is this wheelbarrow liner insert, which should hopefully keep the paint job intact on the inside for a few days and hopefully protect it against fading. Several of these were sent to me to test out by a local company, so I thought I’d make the most of it.
10.Finish the Handles
Then, sand the newly installed wheels of the wheelbarrow with fine-grit sandpaper to prevent injury from splinters. By using a medium grit sandpaper, you can slightly round the edges of the new handles.
The project is now complete! It was fun, I hope you liked it. Bringing this old wheelbarrow back to life was a lot of fun for me. The restoration project was a fun challenge for me to take on as it’s not something I do very often, so I’ll be back for more later.
WD 40 made this project possible, and I want to thank them for that. Please take a look at some of their new home improvement and DIY products.