# DR Power Wagon



## Shari (Sep 11, 2013)

http://www.drpower.com/power-equipm...fpt-m-s-b-s-new-pro-50st-epa.axd?Name=prw-pro

Drool......... If I could afford this ($2,000+/-) it would be perfect split mover for me.  

I attempted modifying a walk behind snowblower but w/drive wheels by the handlebars & swivel wheels at the front of the box it turned out to be too hard to maneuver for me.  Extending the drive train of the snowblower and welding a new frame is a bit beyond me.


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## begreen (Sep 11, 2013)

I have a split mover already that's much more useful. It's a Ford Ranger pickup truck.


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## Shari (Sep 11, 2013)

BG - I'm talking about moving splits from splitter to woodpile and then, when the splits are needed, move splits from woodpile to front door of the house.


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## begreen (Sep 11, 2013)

Moving the splits to the woodshed is what I use the pickup truck for. We still move the splits from the shed to the house in a big garden cart. I could use the the lawn tractor and cart, but it's less hassle to do this manually. And it always starts in the winter.


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## Shari (Sep 11, 2013)

I wonder if that DR Wagon would do through snow?  Last winter hubby broke his leg and of course the stacks we were pulling splits from was at the back lot line. 

I haven't been successful using the snowblower on my riding mower to make a path in the snow across the lawn.  The slope is a bit downhill - I can go down with the rider but can't get the rider back up the hill even though I have chains on it.   I used my Otter sled, loaded it up and pulled it up.  That was quite a workout.  At the time I was beginning to plan a way to tie a rope to the sled and the other end of the rope to my SUV which was on the driveway.

I have determined if we get a 12" snowfall we have 12" in the front yard and 24" in the backyard where the wood stacks are located.


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## BrianK (Sep 11, 2013)

> Drool......... If I could afford this ($2,000+/-) it would be perfect split mover for me.



I've seen them on Craigslist fairly often. Use a CL search engine like http://zoomthelist.com/ and you might find one local. Used ones typically range from $650-1400.


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## begreen (Sep 11, 2013)

Shari, with snow a constant winter obstacle I can see why this would be important. Our garden cart has big bicycle wheels that cut through 12" snow ok. But the route from the shed to the house is all downhill so it has gravity assist. And fortunately in our case snow is a rarity. The DR might do ok with chains in deeper snow. Give them a call and ask.


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## MasterMech (Sep 12, 2013)

Shari said:


> I can go down with the rider but can't get the rider back up the hill even though I have chains on it.


 

What do you have for rear weights on it? Frame weights? Wheel Weights?


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## Shari (Sep 12, 2013)

I've got wheel weights & chains - plus me (LOL) for weight. 

I've thought maybe if I could get all the way down the slight incline and then turn around maybe I could get back up the hill - but I'm not that confident about that and getting stuck would be a real mess if the machine was turned around with the blower facing up hill. 

If I got stuck going down I think I could tow the rider back up the hill by hooking up to the hitch on the rear of the rider but there would be no way to attach a tow line to the blower end.


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## lukem (Sep 12, 2013)

I could buy an actual dump truck for $2k.


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## Jags (Sep 12, 2013)

I have often thought of building one of these things, just not sure how useful it would be for my specific situation.


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## Shari (Sep 12, 2013)

Jags et al,

I prefer to split on our driveway - easy to unload the trailer there as we are on a suburban lot.  Some racks are at the back lot line so I split into our yard trailer and tow the splits to their stacking area.  The trailer and riding mower that tows it are too wide to get between my stacks so I end up with a lot of hand carrying armfuls of splits into the 16-20' long stacks.  I'm thinking the DR is narrow enough to get between the stacks for easy off-loading.  If the DR could handle snow it would be a slick way to bring splits up to the house as I need them.


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## Jags (Sep 12, 2013)

Hmmm...the narrower - the easier to steer (manually).  Electric start with an electric actuator to make it a dump box would be pretty slick, also.

ETA - downside to narrow is stability.


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## Jags (Sep 12, 2013)

Just watched the video - I guess I wasn't the only one with the idea of a power dump.

I like this one.  Add a plow on the front, and plow your way to the pile.


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## gzecc (Sep 12, 2013)

I use a 420 deere garden tractor with bar tires and a snow blade to pull a 5x8 trailer up and down a slight hill in my yard all winter. Of course the tractor also mows my grass, moves mulch, yard debris, plows snow, etc.....
Its probably worth 3k? Whats nice about the 420's is the locking differential (rear axle) in the snow.


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## lukem (Sep 12, 2013)

Jags said:


> Just watched the video - I guess I wasn't the only one with the idea of a power dump.
> 
> I like this one.  Add a plow on the front, and plow your way to the pile.




We rented something similar to this (powered wheel barrow) on a job years ago for hauling in some concrete we were pouring.  It was about 1000' slightly uphill and couldn't get a truck in there.  It was OK at best.  Traction was an issue even with that much weight on it.  

We also rented one of those dingo stand-up skid steers.  When I first saw it I thought it was a joke, but that little thing was a beast.  Big $ for a small machine though.


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## Jags (Sep 12, 2013)

It would still be fun to build one.  The one I am thinking of would be a ride on model, not walk behind.  "T" handle steering on the rear.


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## bentrice (Sep 12, 2013)

I bought this guy from Lowes a few months ago for $89
http://www.lowes.com/pd_14084-84694...t=wagon&pl=1&currentURL=?Ntt=wagon&facetInfo=
It's pretty tough as far as Lowes STUFF (wish I could use another word) goes. My favorite features are the fact that the handle turns around to enable you to pull it with a garden tractor, and that it has a dump bed.


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## lukem (Sep 12, 2013)

Jags said:


> It would still be fun to build one.  The one I am thinking of would be a ride on model, not walk behind.  "T" handle steering on the rear.



That's pretty much what this was...you stood on the back and T handle'd the steering.  It would be fine on solid ground.  Would probably be a 36 beer project.


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## Shari (Sep 12, 2013)

lukem said:


> Would probably be a 36 beer project.




I could come up with 36 beers.


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## Jags (Sep 12, 2013)

Shari - you would want no part of my beer budget during projects like this.
36 beers wouldn't even get the parts gathered up.


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## lukem (Sep 12, 2013)

bentrice said:


> the fact that the handle turns around to enable you to pull it with a garden tractor,



That thing has to be darn near impossible to back up with a garden tractor.  Hay wagons are bad enough and they are a lot bigger...and length is your friend when it comes to backing up a trailer .  Backing up a wagon is an art.


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## lukem (Sep 12, 2013)

The one I used looked a lot like this critter, except it was yellow.


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## Bigg_Redd (Sep 12, 2013)

My old man has been using one of these for 15 years or so.  He likes it.  I think it'd work fine in 4"-5" of snow but it doesn't have the clearance for more than that.


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## Backwoods Savage (Sep 12, 2013)

Shari, is there any way you could use a winch?


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## Shari (Sep 12, 2013)

Dennis,

As far a sledding the splits out of the stacks in the winter I could probably park my truck so I'd have a straight line shot to the lot line stacks and hook the winch to my truck.   

I was thinking about towing the splits out on my sled last winter. I've got tow hooks in the front of my truck so I could keep a good eye on what the sled was doing enroute.

I'm getting old..... seems I have developed 'a hitch in my get along'..... so I'm looking for an easier method versus walking/pulling a filled sled over 2+ feet of snow.

The splits stacked at the rear lot line are scheduled for use in 2014/15 so I've got some time to figure out a better transport method.

The splits planned for use 2013/14 are stacked right next to my driveway so access there is a piece of cake.


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## Backwoods Savage (Sep 12, 2013)

Shari, I feel your pain. I too am aging a bit and I have more than one hitch in my get along.....   Good luck.


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## MasterMech (Sep 12, 2013)

Shari said:


> Dennis,
> 
> As far a sledding the splits out of the stacks in the winter I could probably park my truck so I'd have a straight line shot to the lot line stacks and hook the winch to my truck.
> 
> ...


How much property are you maintaining?  A good tractor or ATV can go a long ways towards helping older folks enjoy their homes for many years rather than it being a painful chore.


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## Shari (Sep 12, 2013)

MasterMech said:


> How much property are you maintaining?  A good tractor or ATV can go a long ways towards helping older folks enjoy their homes for many years rather than it being a painful chore.



It's only 1/2 acre and I use the riding mower with yard cart a lot for wood transport.  I just get bummed bringing up the splits over a snow covered yard.

I was even thinking of fixing up a back-drag snow attachment of some sort for my truck but it's a little hairy getting the truck back there (narrow pathway between driveway stacks and our patio roof support).  With my luck I'd slide sideways and take out the roof support thereby dropping the 20'+ patio roof.


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## MasterMech (Sep 12, 2013)

Shari said:


> It's only 1/2 acre and I use the riding mower with yard cart a lot for wood transport.  I just get bummed bringing up the splits over a snow covered yard.
> 
> I was even thinking of fixing up a back-drag snow attachment of some sort for my truck but it's a little hairy getting the truck back there (narrow pathway between driveway stacks and our patio roof support).  With my luck I'd slide sideways and take out the roof support thereby dropping the 20'+ patio roof.


It sounds like you need two things to make a lawn/garden tractor work for you.  Weight and more tire.  

You wouldn't be the first suburban lot owner to step up to a garden tractor. Http://www.mytractorforum.com is full of those kind of folk.  I'm a fan of green tractors and there are plenty of models that would blow snow, mow your 1/2 acre and still get around pretty good in the snow as long as we are not talking about slogging through multiple feet of the stuff. Good garden tractor should be able to get through any path you can clear with a front mount snowblower.


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## Shari (Sep 12, 2013)

MasterMech said:


> It sounds like you need two things to make a lawn/garden tractor work for you.  Weight and more tire.
> 
> You wouldn't be the first suburban lot owner to step up to a garden tractor. Http://www.mytractorforum.com is full of those kind of folk.  I'm a fan of green tractors and there are plenty of models that would blow snow, mow your 1/2 acre and still get around pretty good in the snow as long as we are not talking about slogging through multiple feet of the stuff. Good garden tractor should be able to get through any path you can clear with a front mount snowblower.



That's probably what I should do.  Before hubby got sick, he used a plow on our Craftsman rider.  I did that for the first year after he got sick and switched out to the mounted blower - lots easier, less stress on the rider, than trying to push the snow.


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## BrianK (Sep 15, 2013)

Does anyone know anything about this company?






*The Joe Built HD-500
Patented Motorized Wheelbarrow *





*Hauls 1,200 lbs. | 11 cubic feet | Weighs approx. 260 lbs.*
Fully loaded with concrete, the Joe Built motorized wheelbarrow will easily climb or descend a 30-degree slope on uneven terrain. The operator can easily steer, point and pour liquid concrete or landscape materials with our self-propelled buggy. Perfect balance and low center of gravity helps prevent accidental dumping of construction materials.

This motorized concrete buggy has a heavy duty Peerless Tecumseh Transaxle with 3 forward gears, 1 speed reverse. Automatic disc brakes are a safety feature on this powered cart.

The Joe Built HD 500 can be transported by pick-up truck, step van, or SUV. United States Motor Power Inc. will warranty the cart's heavy-duty frame for 3 years. USMP will warranty the unit's US610 engine for 1 year when using US2 Two-Cycle Oil.

*Specifications*

*Load Size:* 11 Cu ft.
*Load Capacity:* 1,200 lbs.
*Engine:* U.S. Motor Power 6.5 HP
*Tires:* Front 18” x 8.50” - 8” Rear 3.50”/4”
*Dimensions:* 38”/32”W x 72”L x 32”H
*Weight:* Approx. 260 lbs.






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## fox9988 (Sep 15, 2013)

Backwoods Savage said:


> Shari, is there any way you could use a winch?


I have tried with mixed results. After a few days she becomes irritable.


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