Forum:

repair

The squeaky wheel(barrow) gets the ________?

Catie George

gardener

Posts: 872

Location: Ontario - Zone 6a, 4b, or 3b, depending on the day

559

I like...

posted 7 months ago

11
Number of slices to send:

Optional 'thank-you' note:

Send

An old, rusty wheelbarrow came with my house. A lot of air in the tire and a few tightened bolts and it drives quite nicely.... if you are deaf. It's really noisy and i find myself not using it, even if it would be helpful, for the sake of my ears.

What product do i need to use to stop the squeak in the wheel/axle? I have WD40 and graphite lubricant but i feel like those are the wrong lubricants for this application.

Burra Maluca

out to pasture

Posts: 12818

Location: Portugal

3828

I like...

posted 7 months ago

18
Number of slices to send:

Optional 'thank-you' note:

Send

Ha. When I was a school-girl, my friend and I looked after a load of ponies down by the river. During the winter we would load up a bale of hay onto a squeaky old wheelbarrow, push it out of the yard, down the road, past a few houses and a garden centre, a wood-yard and the sewage works and eventually reach the gate to the fields where the ponies lived and give them their hay.

One memorable day one of the workers at the woodyard shouted at us to wait there and not move, disappeared for a minute, then came running out with an oil can complaining loudly about he couldn't stand that ****ing squeak every afternoon after school finished and that should shut it up for a while. We were so embarrassed. but I'm not sure exactly what was in the can.

So I just asked my other half who said - "Grease is best. Any kind of grease would work, even lard is better than nothing. Oil will work but will run away after a while and you'll have to put more on."

Edit to share photo of some of the ponies eating some rather sub-standard looking hay, delivered on a squeaky wheelbarrow on a 'snow day' when the school was closed. Photo taken around 1982ish.

snowy-day-feeding-the-ponies.jpg

How permies.com works
What is a Mother Tree ?

PEP - BB10 Badge (verified skill)
Skill verified by gir bot

Nina Surya

rocket scientist

Posts: 382

Location: in the Middle Earth of France (18), zone 8a-8b

214

I like...

posted 7 months ago

8
Number of slices to send:

Optional 'thank-you' note:

Send

Hi Catie,

I'm an advocate of WD40. Here at the old farm there were a lot of squeaky things, from hinges to barn door closure clamps (if you know the correct name for them, please educate me) and, yes indeed, a squeaky wheelbarrow wheel.
I was the one running around spraying it on everything that squeaked and am now enjoying a smooth, silent opening of doors and pushing of wheelbarrows.
If anything gets noisy again, I just re-apply. The little red reed that comes with the can is the best accessory, don't loose it.

But then again, I'm a relative newbie/noob to farm style living; 8 years of play time during vacations + 4 years full time, with a steep intensifying some 2 years ago

Maybe the more experienced have more educated advice?

* Follow your curiosity , Do what you Love *
Permaculture page on Simperi website | Guides for a more intuitive life

Timothy Norton

Steward of piddlers

Posts: 6153

Location: Upstate NY, Zone 5, 43 inch Avg. Rainfall

2983

I like...

posted 7 months ago

9
Number of slices to send:

Optional 'thank-you' note:

Send

I would agree with a grease being better than an oil if possible.

A general purpose grease found in many garages that would fit the application would be white lithium grease. I have a spray bottle with an application tip to be able to get into tight spaces.

- Tim's Homestead Journal - Purchase a copy of Building a Better World in Your Backyard - Purchase 6 Decks of Permaculture Cards -
- Purchase 12x Decks of Permaculture Cards - Purchase a copy of the SKIP Book - Purchase 12x copies of Building a Better World in your Backyard

PEP - BB60 Badge (verified skill)
Skill verified by gir bot

Christopher Weeks

master gardener

Posts: 4739

Location: Carlton County, Minnesota, USA: 3b; Dfb; sandy loam; in the woods

2505

I like...

posted 7 months ago

10
Number of slices to send:

Optional 'thank-you' note:

Send

I have a tube of white grease for hinges. Like Tim, I'd try that first.

ETA: this is exactly what I have: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000M8Q248

PEP - BB100 Badge (verified skill)
Skill verified by gir bot

Catie George

gardener

Posts: 872

Location: Ontario - Zone 6a, 4b, or 3b, depending on the day

559

I like...

posted 7 months ago

10
Number of slices to send:

Optional 'thank-you' note:

Send

White lithium grease it is!

I'll pick some up next time i'm in a store.

I am discovering i do not mind spending money on lubricants, the payback period seems to be pretty much one use.

In the last few months graphite i bought another project unstuck my front door handle, saving me $200 to replace it, and then made all the cheap locks installed by the prior owner move smoothly. Motor oil freed some hinge pins, allowing me to straighten a door and close it. WD40 got the rusted screws on my miter saw to move... etc, etc.

Pearl Sutton

steward & bricolagier

Posts: 15516

Location: SW Missouri

11266

I like...

posted 7 months ago

13
Number of slices to send:

Optional 'thank-you' note:

Send

I think the grease will be more effective longer if you remove the loose rust. Put vinegar in the hub, spin it for a couple minutes, drain it all out, let it dry (especially if you rinsed it to get it all out, which might be needed if it won't dribble out) THEN grease. I keep lithium grease for things like that. Pack it in as tightly as you can get it, use it hard for a few days, then pack tight again.
At that point it will probably be good for well over a year.
:D

Gardens in my mind never need water
Castles in the air never have a wet basement
Well made buildings are fractal -- equally intelligent design at every level of detail.
Bright sparks remind others that they too can dance
What I am looking for is looking for me too!

oddball - sand badge (verified skill)
Skill verified by Nicole Alderman

Douglas Alpenstock

pollinator

Posts: 5520

Location: Canadian Prairies - Zone 3b

1519

posted 7 months ago

11
Number of slices to send:

Optional 'thank-you' note:

Send

Grease is good for the axle, but it may be a challenge to work it into the bearings.

I use ATF (automatic transmission fluid) because it has magical penetrating powers. Apply sparingly -- it will work its way in everywhere.

After ATF has done its job I use a few drops of 90 weight gear oil for staying power.

R Scott

pollinator

Posts: 4143

Location: Kansas Zone 6a

327

posted 7 months ago

10
Number of slices to send:

Optional 'thank-you' note:

Send

My favorite method for old squeaky wheels, especially if full disassembly risks additional damage, is to use wd40 or PB blaster for a few uses to work any rust loose, then use fluid film. It is a lanolin based spray lubricant/anti rust film. Lowes and Home Depot carry it. PB has a copy that harbor freight carries. I stock up when they have coupon sales like right now. 20% off anything under $20 and such.

"You must be the change you want to see in the world." "First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win." --Mahatma Gandhi
"Preach the Gospel always, and if necessary, use words." --Francis of Assisi.
"Family farms work when the whole family works the farm." -- Adam Klaus

Douglas Alpenstock

pollinator

Posts: 5520

Location: Canadian Prairies - Zone 3b

1519

posted 7 months ago

8
Number of slices to send:

Optional 'thank-you' note:

Send

I hardly use WD40 any more. I find that ATF works better at a fraction of the cost. A litre lasts me for many years. I was introduced to it by antique car restoration guys, who sometimes mix ATF with acetone to create a super penetrant for rusted parts.

James Alun

gardener

Posts: 565

Location: The North

292

I like...

posted 7 months ago

8
Number of slices to send:

Optional 'thank-you' note:

Send

Silicon or ptfe based wd40 is useful (if expensive). But for this job I'd would grab the grease.

Learning slowly...
How permies.com works

PEP - BB5 Badge (verified skill)
Skill verified by Mike Barkley

electricity - sand badge (verified skill)
Skill verified by Mike Haasl

nest - air badge (verified skill)
Skill verified by Leigh Tate

Douglas Alpenstock

pollinator

Posts: 5520

Location: Canadian Prairies - Zone 3b

1519

posted 7 months ago

8
Number of slices to send:

Optional 'thank-you' note:

Send

R Scott mentioned a lanolin based lubricant. It was certainly the grease of choice in Victorian times. I'm curious -- is there is a home-made lanolin concoction that might penetrate and lubricate without causing problems later? By problems I mean retaining moisture or glue-like sludge that might promote corrosion instead of inhibiting it.

R Scott

pollinator

Posts: 4143

Location: Kansas Zone 6a

327

posted 7 months ago

8
Number of slices to send:

Optional 'thank-you' note:

Send

The original WW2 fluid film formula was (by volume) 3 Lanolin, 3 Mineral oil and 7 Mineral Spirits [paint thinner]
The formula was available on the MSDS. The formula changed for cost and environmental reasons, I don’t know what they replaced the spirits with, but it is low/no VOC.

I’m sure you could use a citrus solvent just like cob floor linseed oil mix.

Tereza Okava

steward & manure connoisseur

Posts: 4517

Location: South of Capricorn

2492

I like...

posted 7 months ago

5
Number of slices to send:

Optional 'thank-you' note:

Send

Douglas Alpenstock wrote:R Scott mentioned a lanolin based lubricant. It was certainly the grease of choice in Victorian times. I'm curious -- is there is a home-made lanolin concoction that might penetrate and lubricate without causing problems later? By problems I mean retaining moisture or glue-like sludge that might promote corrosion instead of inhibiting it.

It's not lanolin (although if the vikings preserved their weapons in sheep grease, why not?), but....you might want to consider castor bean oil. My husband worked as a mechanic's assistant in the 80s here in Brazil when for various reasons there were very few imports and not much variety. People used castor bean oil (which grows profusely here) for most every use that today we attack with petro derivatives or more funky greases and such. It is liquid but tends to get sludgy and stick around pretty well. The most common use back in the day was to coat the underside of the chassis- not for road salt, like we do up north, but for when you go to the beach, the salt tends to do a job on the metal.

Scott Leonard

Posts: 63

Location: W. Mass.

posted 7 months ago

2
Number of slices to send:

Optional 'thank-you' note:

Send

...replaced with a tractor

Matt McSpadden

gardener

Posts: 2880

Location: Central Maine (Zone 5a)

1437

I like...

posted 7 months ago

7
Number of slices to send:

Optional 'thank-you' note:

Send

While I often use WD40 or the lithium options... I also use vegetable oil quite often. I use it all the time on squeaky hinges. It works quite well for a while... like all oils.

"When the whole world is running towards a cliff, he who is running in the opposite direction appears to have lost his mind." C.S. Lewis
Visit https://themaineingredient.com for organic, premium dried culinary herbs that are grown, processed, and packaged in the USA.

Catie George

gardener

Posts: 872

Location: Ontario - Zone 6a, 4b, or 3b, depending on the day

559

I like...

posted 7 months ago

7
Number of slices to send:

Optional 'thank-you' note:

Send

I've WD-40'd it, and it is much quieter. Figured it would stop the rust from getting worse as it sits propped up by my door in the snow, if nothing else.

I can still hear it rubbing- definitely wants a thicker grease; i'll pick some up next time i'm in town.

Scott Leonard wrote:...replaced with a tractor

That would be the dream! So many things i could do with a tractor or a backhoe for even just a day, or better yet, a week! I'd planned on renting one this spring but i suspect budget won't stretch that far.

Jay Angler

master steward

Posts: 13818

Location: Pacific Wet Coast

8148

I like...

posted 7 months ago

10
Number of slices to send:

Optional 'thank-you' note:

Send

Scott Leonard wrote:...replaced with a tractor

Hubby spends hours greasing the tractor, not to mention changing its oil. And the location of the filler hole for the diesel fuel is in a PITA location.

I have a 2-wheel wheelbarrow which helps me do all sorts of cool stuff. All I have to do is add a bit of air to the tires if they're soft (airless tires on my land don't work well) and I should make a point of giving the wheels a bit of grease when the weather improves. The latter will take about 5 minutes if Hubby hasn't hidden the grease.

Visit Redhawk's soil series: https://permies.com/wiki/redhawk-soil
How permies.com works: https://permies.com/wiki/34193/permies-works-links-threads

oddball - sand badge (verified skill)
Skill verified by Mike Haasl

textiles - air badge (verified skill)
Skill verified by Mike Haasl

dimensional lumber woodworking - air badge (verified skill)
Skill verified by jordan barton

Food Prep and Preservation - air badge (verified skill)
Skill verified by Leigh Tate

greywater and willow feeders - air badge (verified skill)
Skill verified by Leigh Tate

James Bridger

pollinator

Posts: 226

Location: Nebraska zone 5

I like...

posted 7 months ago

8
Number of slices to send:

Optional 'thank-you' note:

Send

WD40 will do the trick but isn't really a lubricant. Grease is best, if it's just a shaft riding on a solid axle. Oil is for tight tolerances, grease is for loose tolerances. If the wheel has an actual bearing, knock it out, take it to the local auto parts store, and get a new one, and knock it in.

Justin Szeliga

Posts: 9

posted 7 months ago

8
Number of slices to send:

Optional 'thank-you' note:

Send

Just say no to WD-40 unless it's sticking. WD-40 is designed to free up stuck parts & displace water allowing lube to get to the surfaces in contact. There's only a bit of mineral oil in it. The oil mentioned in the first reply was likely 3in1 oil or something like it. Very good choice. Oil, use, oil again after using for a few times to clear out the corrosion. Spray lithium grease is good but will be hard to get to coat the whole shaft.
That said depending on the wheelbarrow there may be a grease (zerk) fitting which you can pump grease into, which is the best way to lubricate the shaft & bearing, & the absolute most satisfying. Watching the grease ooze out of the wheel hub & the squeek going away is sooooo, nice.

S Philomena

Posts: 36

Location: southwestern NH Zone 5b

I like...

posted 7 months ago

6
Number of slices to send:

Optional 'thank-you' note:

Send

While it might not be the longest lasting fix, candle wax or soap will work, too. (On wood, wax or soap lasts a long time -- on metal, it might need reapplication frequently.)

May God bless you!
Sister Maria Philomena

Samantha Lewis

gardener

Posts: 1823

754

I like...

posted 7 months ago

10
Number of slices to send:

Optional 'thank-you' note:

Send

Coconut oil would be the first thing I would try. That way, if it drips out on the garden path, I won't mind.
Cacao butter has a higher melting temperature so that would work even in summer.

I use coconut oil on my spinning wheel when it gets squeaky. I just gob it into all the moving parts. It works great and the wheel runs quietly. Then the coconut oil is on my hands and that is nice too.

Perfect The Dwelling Land

PEP - BB20 Badge (verified skill)
Skill verified by gir bot

Stop it! You're embarassing me! And you are embarrassing this tiny ad!

Learn Permaculture through a little hard work

https://wheaton-labs.com/bootcamp