ExRx.net

I've got three junked 10kg subcompact wheels. I've rigged a few up as a tire/sled drag:

- two tires on top of one another, linked by cheap bungee cords.
- currently "drag line" is 3m bungee I use doubled up, hooked through the bungee cords.
- the "handle" is currently a cheap 30kg gripper I don't use anymore. I'll upgrade it to a towel next time I drag, for better grip work and a surer grip.

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b287/ ... an003s.jpg

The tires drag well but doesn't have that full-bottom friction that sleds do, but hey, a "real sled" would cost a lot more.

I'm not to sure about my materials, though. I plan to load the "bowl" on top with weight - probably a 20L old kereosene jug filled with water. I think the bungees on the tires will hold, not sure about the tow bungee. I'm concerned it'll snap and whip into my face, especially on a wide pull.

What's a good replacement? Should I get some climber's rope (if so, how thick?) or even go for chain? I can get 3 meters of 5.88 welded chain for around $10, plus a carabiner that'll hold 250kg for about $3. That would be indestructible for dragging, but I'd have less "play" on the cord for wide-grip or arms-apart drags or whatever. Am I worrying too much?

Any suggestions?

Well, the bungee didn't work. Snapped when some neigborhood kids jumped on the tires while I was dragging them. I'll try chain and rope.

Why not use ordinary nylon rope? It comes in a variety of strength (as I recall, what I bought at a hardware store had a tensil strength rating printed on the roll) and is inexpensive. Your could tie up a variety of arrangements for different grips. Make a short tether from your "sled" with a loop (can you tie a bowline?) and then join it to your "harness" with either a knot or the carabiner.

That's what I'm thinking - I'll get nylon rope capable of handling a good amount of weight, double it up, and use that.

I may also get a bit of chain. I need to secure those tires together with more than the bungee I use now, I think. Plus since I'm using wheels not just tires, there is inevitably some friction of the rope against the edge of the wheels. I'm thinking a short bit of chain (maybe a meter or so) would let me "tie" them together better with no fear of rope wear. Plus I'll store these outside so chain is more impervious to rain, wind, and preschoolers. I could use a carabiner but they have a screw-lock C-shaped piece of metal that costs as much but is rated for 250kg, unlike the carabiners. They cost more and are rated much less.

I'll shop and see what they have.

I'll learn to tie a bowline, too.

Thanks Jungledoc. I didn't to spend anything on this toy but it's really fun and hard, so I figure it's well worth doing it right.

I just went to the store. They had 9mm x 20m rope, which is way more than I need. I calculated that the cost of the chain, rope, and joiner for the chain would be more than just getting 3m of chain and a carabiner and a joiner. So I did that.

Total was just under 1400 yen - about $14 - and I rigged up this:


It pulls much smoother without the stretch of the bungee, and because the chain is looped through both tires it didn't try to flip up in my first few tests. We'll see in actual long pulls, though. I lost some potential grip setups (wide scarecrow pulls, etc.) for now, but I'm certain this will stand up to preschoolers hopping on the tire for rides.

Here is Tire Drag Mark II.

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b287/ ... an004s.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b287/ ... an005s.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b287/ ... an006s.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b287/ ... an007s.jpg

I wish I'd built this 2 years ago, but 2 years ago I thought those tires belonged to my neighbors...and then they moved away and the snow tires remained.

In theory the carabiner and link are rated for 95kg, but I suspect it'll handle more in a drag instead of a hang, and deform before they snap.

Thanks for the suggestions! I spent more than I'd hoped but I'm really enjoying the drags.

How about getting some really big eye-bolts and running them through the lug holes on the wheels to fasten them together? Then you could use the eyes to anchor the harness or whatever.

I hadn't seen your last post when I said that about the bolts. Habit of looking at a page, getting called to the hospital, coming back in 3 hours and writing the post without refreshing first to see what had been written since I last looked.

Now you could bolt a couple of boat seats on top for the kids to sit in!

lmao pulling the tires and then snap right into my face.... lmao I got suck a visual pullinghard moving along and then snap right to the face and then right on your butt.... hilarious

You said something about the sled tipping over. How about running the chain between the tires?

You read my mind, I guess. I thought of that on the way home from work.

I tried that...shortens the chain too much for overhead drags, I'll need to use a long towel for that. But it works.

I did my drags...I figured 2 drags each direction, maybe 5-10 minutes? Took 30 minutes once you factor in all the elementary school kids wanting to try pulling it, the "you pull while we ride" tries, "can we all tow Peter-sensei on the tire" and so on. They even talked a passing JHS girl into helping.

I love the kids, really do, but they sure do make for very long rest periods. At least I got some ME tire work in, trying to pull 4 kids crammed on a tire.

But it didn't flip! I'll try re-rigging it for a center pull with a little more chain length. Fun toy.

Good article, thanks!

Have you thought about rigging a large diameter pvc pipe (1 1/2"-2") as the object you grip when you pull it? Another way to blast that grip.

Are you using this primarily for grip strength? If not you could take a lifting belt loop some rope or chain through it and use that for pulling.

Grip work is a bonus here, my primary goal is posterior chain conditioning. And man, I can feel it. I start out fast and then every step is a slog, and I often almost fall over backwards after every few steps.

Currently I'm pulling using a towel. PVC would be nice too for a change of pace, but I like the grip I get with a towel. It's both very secure and I have to grip it really tightly. Plus I have a practically unlimited supply of old rags, worn-out t-shirts, etc. if my spare gym towel gives out on me.


I've also realized I could wear my dip belt backwards and hook the tire to it for towing. Haven't tried it yet though.


Here is another couple of sled dragging article I found:

http://www.straighttothebar.com/2008/04 ... _drag.html
http://www.brianmac.co.uk/articles/scni43a2.htm

More stuff to try after I get tired (hahaha) of pulling backwards and forwards.

Oh man, you've got me thinking about sled pulling. Maybe if I think about it REALLY HARD I'll get stronger. I'm going to start looking for something to use. Maybe a slosh tube, too.

Maybe the admins would put up a sticky with links to articles on sled pulling.

Looking at the second of those links, I was thinking that the length of the tow rope/s could be important for controlling the angle of pull. Like on the chest work, a shorter rope would make it more like in incline bench, longer more like a conventional bench.