ATV/Garden tractor carts- metal or poly ?

[rfuerst911sc]

I have a JD Garden tractor and looking to pick up a dump cart for around the yard work. Will carry anything from leaves to soil to wood to whatever. I have a JD # 10 metal cart I picked up cheap last year for a restoration. Rusted and beat up will need total restoration and I will do that in the future. So in the mean time I'm looking for a cart I can use now. Plenty of used metal and poly carts on CL. I like the idea of the poly from a no rust standpoint. JD makes several models as does Northern Tool, Tractor Supply and others. Lets face it 95 % of the time it will just be taking up storage space another pro for poly in regards to outside storage vs. inside the shed. So what are you guys using ? I doubt I would buy new unless I came across some smoking closeout deal.

[LEAKYSEALS951]

here's a pic of my harbour freight cheap chinese POS trailer.
Pro's=cheap
Cons=I had to assemble it, very lightweight steel construction, total piece of junk.

Pro's- its so trashed I can chuck logs at it all day long, I don't know if I would do that with a plastic trailer.
Cons-rear gate total garbage-complete joke- destroyed already.

The biggest problem with these types of trailers aren't just the trailers- It's the cheap chinese tires that come with it. I upgraded to CARLISLE tires- and spent more on the tires than the trailer itself. The chinsese tires WILL fail so be ready to upgrade!

If I had to do it again-I would go craigslist and try to find an old John Deere trailer (1960-1970's vintage)- They all rust- but even after the rust- the JD will have a thicker metal gauge and be much more robust. If will not crumple like the tin can this thing is.

Either way- count on tires (the chinese ones suck, the used JD (or some other equivelent quality brand ) will probably be dry rotted.

Storing outside- All trailers will attract wasps nest with equal ability~

The steel will eventually rust, but wont the plastic eventually harden and crack? Again- I am more concerned about the tires dry rotting outside than the trailer itself.

[Mark Henry]

They are all light cheap crap if you are doing anything heavy, OK for leaves and light garden work. Try to move too much dirt and it will be junk in no time.
The dump is likely to suck as it won't empty properly, in fact all the poly ones I've seen totally fail at dumping.

I built my own (15 years ago) out of much heavier steel and a better dump angle.

[Crowbob]

Huskee poly dump cart here. Because it's stored in garage it gets rinsed out after hauling dirt or other messy stuff. Lightweight enough to hang on the wall, if needed. Has rubber clamps to hold tools like shovels, rakes, etc. Most likely will never need restoration. Have even used it to transport water to newly transplanted specimens the hoses can't reach.

Useful item.

[74-911]

I've had a JDeere 10P poly cart for going on 12 years and no complaints at all. 10 CuFt capacity, 650#, 6" wide pneumatic tires (original tires still on it) and easy to dump. Had it loaded with top soil, mulch, oak logs (I don't just throw them in however), firewood, etc etc. Pricey because it is green but I have seen the exact cart in black for about $100 less (at Tractor Supply or HD IIRC??). Google Brinly dump carts...

Caveat: since the day I bought it have had 1/2" ply or OSB liner on the bottom and it is never stored in the sun...

[LakeCleElum]

Paid $100 used for this JD dump trailer over 10 yrs ago. Still zero rust. Tailgate is hinged for dumping dirt, it also comes off easily if hauling something that sticks out the end. I've had several hundred lbs of firewood rounds stacked as high as I could.

Use it a a lot hauling split firewood to the house. This is the way to go if you can find one.

[rfuerst911sc]

Lake that's the same trailer I picked up for $40.00 but it needs work. Has some rust through at the front some dumb a$$ must have stored it tongue down and water/snow/other collected in the front and rusted. I can fix it and will to someday look as good as yours.

[ckelly78z]

You guys come across any more JD yard carts for cheap, let me know, I was going to buy a Craftsman cart and paint it green.

[madmmac]

I have had 3 metal and 1 poly.

Poly all the way. I have the JD poly and have abused the heck out of it with no issues whatsoever.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Bought a Polar one recently (12 c.y. I think) - love it. Metal frame, poly "bucket" part. I think it was about $400.

I wouldn't buy John Deere anything. They're pushing for new laws that we don't own our vehicles and want it to be that we can be sued if we do our own maintaince on them. Don't believe me? Look it up. There was a thread on here about it recently too. Eff them.

[LakeCleElum]

Originally Posted by Porsche-O-Phile

Bought a Polar one recently (12 c.y. I think) - love it. Metal frame, poly "bucket" part. I think it was about $400.

I wouldn't buy John Deere anything. They're pushing for new laws that we don't own our vehicles and want it to be that we can be sued if we do our own maintaince on them. Don't believe me? Look it up. There was a thread on here about it recently too. Eff them.

I look at John Deere like I look at BMW cars and Polaris snowmobiles: The old stuff was built to last forever. Don't go near their new product. In addition to the dump cart, I have a JD tractor and 2 riding mowers. Happy with all.

[ckelly78z]

I have a 1988 John Deere 855 diesel, 4x4 with a big mower and frontend loader, and a 1981 John Deere 214 (cast iron Kohler motor) with many attachments. These two tractors are built like the perverbial brick ****e house and just keep going after years of abuse. I wouldn't buy a new one either, they lost me when Lowes started selling thier brand name in a cheap disposable mower line.

[rfuerst911sc]

Mine is a late 80's JD 317 it weighs over 900 pounds ! It is way over built you really can't go wrong with a JD or Cub Cadet from that era. Built to last unlike today.

[on2wheels52]

When deciding on the horns of a dilemma, remember there may be a choice between the horns.
Years ago I bought a wooden push cart at an auction for $5. Cobbled up a 2x4 tongue my garden tractor, it worked well for 15 years
Jim