Time for a new muck cart

[George_T_Mule]

Hi All
I have used this very cart forever:

Alas, extreme cold/equine abuse this winter have broken the handle, and while it is still usable, I need to find a replacement before the situation becomes critical.
Alas, Rubbermaid is no longer making 'em, and the ones still available all have the spoked “bicycle” wheels, which I have found to be fragile in daily service.
We have one of the folding muck carts that carry a separate plastic tub, but it is too small to be very useful.
What is everybody using these days? I need the ~1/3 yard capacity, and prefer steel/pneumatic wheels.
I have found this offering from “SmartCart”, but it looks fragile compared to the Rubbermaid, and is rather expensive, ~$400. Any user reviews on these?

TIA, Steve and George

[sascha]

I love Smart Carts. When I worked in dairy (in an old bank barn) I made my boss buy the biggest one for all the chores up in the loft. From moving small squares to various drop holes, or shovelling in loads off the chopped straw mountain not conveniently placed to the drop holes it made my life in the loft much easier. The Rubbermaid cart lived downstairs … but any time I had need of it I’d leave it parked and go get the Smart Cart from upstairs.

We did have the one with the large diameter bicycle wheels though. I’m less fond of the smaller diameter wheels.

[jvanrens]

I like a good sturdy wheelbarrow. We’ve had a couple like this over the years and like the style and since they’re higher off the ground, they work better in the snow.

https://www.grainger.ca/en/product/p/TRUBP8?cm_mmc=PPC:+Google+PLA&gucid=N:N:PS:Paid:GGL:CSM-8500:NOYSQ4:20501231:APZ_1&gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIu-Gs1oTlhAMVXi3UAR1cXQd2EAQYAiABEgJZcfD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

[LCDR]

See if you can swap the wheels and axles from your old broken-handle cart over to the new Rubbermaid plastic body.

[Jarpur]

We’ve had a Smart Cart for decades, originally with the standard large bicycle tires (which I loved), but air-filled tires aren’t really durable enough for the thorns we occasionally encounter (mesquite and cacti), so changed to the flat-free ones. We use this constantly, for all kinds of things, not just manure.

I also use a smaller Gorilla yard cart knock-off (was $40 when I bought it) that works for small me – but my tall husband doesn’t care for it. TSC has one now for $70: Gorilla Carts 4.5 cu. ft. Poly Yard Cart, GCY-45.

[Simkie]

I have the big wheel Rubbermaid and have not found the wheels to be fragile.

[Christa_P]

From Tractor Supply:

Gorilla Carts 10 cu. ft. Poly Yard Cart, GCY-100 at Tractor Supply Co.

Gorilla Carts 10 cu. ft. 600 lb. Capacity Evolution Poly Yard Cart at Tractor Supply Co.

Gorilla Carts 4.5 cu. ft. Poly Yard Cart, GCY-45 at Tractor Supply Co.

ETA: Tractor Supply does sell replacement steel wheels that should fit for around $15-20 if you wanted to swap out the plastic wheels.

I have one of these that’s very convenient for muck tubs and other stuff and it can easily be hooked to a lawn tractor for heavier loads or longer distance.

GroundWork 5 cu. ft. 800 lb. Capacity Pro Series Poly Dump Cart at Tractor Supply Co.

[horsepoor]

Our Smart Cart has been in use for close to 20 years and is still going strong. I like it a lot better than the Rubbermaid cart we also used for several years (at my neighbor’s, where I kept one of my horses in a self care situation when I had too many). The fat tires work better for us as I have pea gravel paddocks to run across. I think the Smart Cart might hold more too but I’m not sure as it has been awhile since I used the Rubbermaid one. For me, the Smart Cart was well worth its price. It might outlast me having horses at home!

[George_T_Mule]

Hi All!
Thanks for your input. Just closing the loop on this:
Um, as far as swapping the wheels on a Rubbermaid muck cart, it might be possible, but it would not be a simple swap; you would have to change the axle support structure. Might be just a handful of screws, might not, but I was disinclined to run the $300 experiment.
I was unable to locate a Smart Cart at a local retailer, and, again, would really like to inspect one before committing to a purchase.
However, I did find a seriously useful tool, for $16 on eBay:

Hot Stapler Gun Plastic Repair Car Bumper Fender Welder Machine Kit +400...

Armed with this, about twenty of the wavy “staples”, and a tube of GorillaGlue, I was able to effect a very stout repair to my existing muck cart. Honestly; if you didn’t know it had been repaired, you probably wouldn’t notice. Took about a half-hour.
We’ll see how this works out long term, but for now, “A-mucking we will go . . .”

[George_T_Mule]

@George_T_Mule

We’ll see how this works out long term

Well, it survived two very heavy loads of poop/mud/snow/ice (remnants from the last storm), so I’m tentatively calling it a good’n.
I’ll bet this process could create a water-tight repair on a stock tank, too, should the need ever arise. For $16, this is a tool you just might want to add to your collection.