Winch-Operated Dump Wagon

Winch-Operated Dump Wagon WAGONS/TRAILERS New Wagons 31-5-29 "It's sort of a kid's toy for big guys, but I like it and use it a lot," says Phil Maki of Hermantown, Minn., who built his own winch-operated dump wagon to pull behind his garden tractor. The wagon holds more than a half yard of material and is equipped with a "flip flop" tailgate. The wagon rides on 16-in. high wheelbarrow tires and measures 4 ft. wide by 4 ft. long by 1 1/2 ft. high, with a box that has a steel floor and plywood sides. It rests on a frame made from 2-in. channel iron, with vertical lengths of 1 1/2-in. sq. tubing supporting the sides. A 12-volt winch mounts on front of the wagon and is driven by a 12-volt blower motor off a Toyota car, which is wired to the tractor's battery. The winch can be operated by pushing a button either from the tractor seat or right at the wagon. Both the winch and blower motor mount on an A-shaped steel support, with the cable going up and over a pulley at the top of the support and down to a metal bracket that's bolted on front of the box. The blower motor direct-drives a gearbox reduction unit. A pawl on the spool "walks" the cable up or down ratchet-style to keep the wagon box stable in any position, whether it's going up or down. The spool is also made to free spool. The tailgate can be positioned to hinge at the bottom and flop down flat. Or, by pulling two pins, Maki can reverse the tailgate so that it hinges from the top, allowing gravel or other material to trickle out in a thin layer. The wagon's tongue was made from 2-in. dia. steel pipe. The axles were built from lengths of square tubing, with a short steel rod welded onto each end. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Phil Maki, 4860 Morris Thomas Rd., Hermantown, Minn. 55811 (ph 218 726-0457).

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