Cart Hardware Question

[shelterwood]

I recently found another inexpensive sulky style cart and just was able to finally pick it up this past weekend. I hitched my mare and found all sorts of things were in weird places. I had to move the footman's loops up by about 6 inches, remove the hardware that was used for a pleasure type harness with no breeching (for wrap straps I guess for breaks??) and move the attachment points for the traces (again no single tree) about 6" back to accommodate the length of my traces, which are buckle in but on the shortest setting. This is where I ran into trouble, as I broke one of the hooks while trying to move it. It was made of some really soft metal, like nickel or something, and I'm glad it broke because I want to replace it.

My question is, what do you call this piece of hardware that slot end traces attach to on a sulky like this with no singletree? It looks like a little hook. I have had no luck searching the internet. I know the reason most likely is these older sulky style carts with no moveable tree are not ideal and many makers and hardware suppliers don't even deal with this stuff anymore. This cart actually is a fabulously balanced and smooth ride, with bent wood shafts and a comfy seat. It's no Hyperbike, but for the little cash it is a second cart and more comfortable than my first, and I'd like to get some use out of it until next spring when I get my Hyperbike.

Does anyone know a hardware supplier who might have these? Or at least a name of the part??

Here is the cart itself:



Here is a close up of where the little hook was, and I need to back it up about 6":

 

[shelterwood]

Gonna try my pictures again. I don't know what happened there...

 

[Sue_C.]

I have seen these used, don`t like them myself, but lots of older carts have them. The slot goes over them, then is twisted down so they are pulling against the wider area. bike parts etc...

 

[drivin*me*buggy]

Maybe you could attach a singletree to this with a little fiddling...You can buy singletrees at Iowa Valley Carriage. They are pretty inexpensive.

Angie

 

[shelterwood]

Sue thanks! I don't care for the set up either, but like I said, this is a temporary little training sulky that will fit the bill for limited driving until spring (snow is coming, so driving will be VERY limited!!). I have been considering trying to fit a singletree onto this cart, not sure where it would sit, perhaps under the seat area?? Anyone have any suggestions in regards to this, ideas? I actually like the cart, but hesitate to put any money into it. If the singletree is inexpensive, then I just might, but really need to know if it will work.

 

[Sue_C.]

Race carts are not designed to have a bar, or swingle tree, I think it would be more dangerous...imagine getting your feet/legs caught up in tree and traces as you get in or out. If you are only using it for short little jaunts, the lack of a tree with this light a cart won't be an issue. Especially if you are using a Super V, or comfy fit collar...the shoulders aren't constricted with these collars anyways.

 

[shelterwood]

Sue,

Thanks again! I was thinking of that too. I do have a Comfy Fit harness with the upgraded curved breastcollar, which my mare loves, so it seems to be OK, at least on our short drive yesterday. this is just an inexpensive little fill-in until I get my Hyperbike, but I want it to be as comfortable as possible.

Katie

 

[hobbyhorse23]

That's kind of a neat little cart. I like how light it is, how balanced, and how nice and wide those curved shafts are. Should be pretty comfortable! Can you show us a picture of the actual part that is missing? Maybe you could use a small steel hook, like a coat hook or something, or have your local welder add one there.

Leia

 

[Sue_C.]

That's kind of a neat little cart. I like how light it is, how balanced, and how nice and wide those curved shafts are. Should be pretty comfortable! Can you show us a picture of the actual part that is missing? Maybe you could use a small steel hook, like a coat hook or something, or have your local welder add one there.

Leia

This is pretty much what all of the mini folks around here use as roadster carts. I don't have one, as I have a convertable pleasure to roadster, but am seriously considering one to modify with marathon shafts, much as Brianna did.

 

[shelterwood]

Leia and Sue,

Well, it is nice and wide, and actually, maybe a little too wide. I think now that I have made some adjustments it will be better, but the on the first hitch, my mare was too far back maybe in the cart and the shafts were too wide, pulling the over girth out too far. I don't know, hopefully I can fix the fit problems because the cart itself is really light and fun. It seems like the hardware was in all the wrong places so I can't imagine anyone driving it the way it was set up. I found the little hooks needed on the website Sue posted, so I'll order those, but they look just like the ones I broke, so I might also look for other non-cart related hardware that might work and be sturdier. Hopefully this weekend I'll try hitching her again and get some pictures so you guys can help me with fit and placement in the cart. Thanks!

Katie

 

[Al B]

Try Iowa Valley Carriage or Driving Essentials

 

[shelterwood]

Thanks Al,

I tried both of those places, no luck that I could find. Another question, might be stupid....what is the ideal length of shaft that should be out past the shaft loop when hitched? Is there a rule of thumb? It seems there should be at least several inches, like maybe 6", past that for safety. I know the shaft should ideally go to point of shoulder and no further, but is there a safe space in the other direction?

Katie

 

[hobbyhorse23]

Another question, might be stupid....what is the ideal length of shaft that should be out past the shaft loop when hitched? Is there a rule of thumb? It seems there should be at least several inches, like maybe 6", past that for safety. I know the shaft should ideally go to point of shoulder and no further, but is there a safe space in the other direction? Katie

Hmm, interesting question. I know the Smart Cart's presentation shafts are rather short and I heard stories when they first came out of people who had left their traces too long on the first hitch discovering that the shaft floated backwards out of the tug when the horse hit deep ground and the traces stretched taut.

Obviously THAT was fixed in a hurry!

Yipes. And that was with a curved shaft that pointed downwards at the tip.

Two solutions to that: use wrap straps so the tug isn't floating free (I'd rather find that my traces are too loose by seeing that the horse is pulling from the saddle rather than because my shafts fell down!) or make darn sure that you have more shaft in front of the tug than you do slack in the traces, including any stretch or give a light leather harness might have with weight behind it. (Not really an issue with your cart, but it is for someone hitching to a CDE vehicle with a fine show harness which is where I've seen this problem the most.)

I personally would want the shaft to come at least to the middle of the shoulder, say to the back of the boomerang-shaped bony area where the shoulder folds during movement? The horse's conformation will dictate what works best as far as length and the curve of the shaft in that area. For some horses a shaft that short would poke them during turns, others would be fine with it. True marathon shafts solve the problem by ending at the tugs but having a shepherd's crook shape or completely closed loop so they can't come free of the tug until you unbuckle them. That works great but requires quick release tugs and really isn't necessary for a light roadster cart like you've got. I'd stick with the standard "up to the point of the shoulder!" Anything else is overcomplicating things in this case.

Leia

 

[brasstackminis]

Here is a parts place that has all sorts of hardware and parts for carts and carriages...and they are less expensive than some of the other places...maybe they have something you can use?

http://www.buggy.com/newparts.html