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Troop ProjectsTrek Cart Plans

Following is a collection of several sets of plans for building trek carts for use in ferrying gear to and from camp. The first comes from Bruce McCracken and a version was published in the Leader magazine, January 1995. Carts of this design were use by its author’s troop to transport gear at CJ93. The second set is based on a Boy Scouts of America cart described in the book, “Outdoor Boy Craftsmen” from the 1920s era. The last set of plans are for a cart produced by 2nd Bells Corners and in use by the troop many times over a period of fifteen years now.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents..................................................................................................................................1Right of Usage.......................................................................................................................................2Version History.....................................................................................................................................2

Portable Trek Cart.............................................................................................................3Materials List........................................................................................................................................3Cutting Instructions..............................................................................................................................4Construction Details.............................................................................................................................4Design Improvements Suggestions......................................................................................................5

A Scout Trek Cart..............................................................................................................7The Cost and Upkeep............................................................................................................................7The Problem of Wheels........................................................................................................................8Building the Cart..................................................................................................................................8

Design 1 – High Rider.................................................................................................................8Design 2 Low Rider................................................................................................................10

The Box................................................................................................................................................11The Prairie Schooner Top..................................................................................................................12

Large Trek Cart................................................................................................................14Cutting Instructions............................................................................................................................14Construction........................................................................................................................................16

Basic Box...................................................................................................................................16Forks..........................................................................................................................................16

Ideas for Improvement.......................................................................................................................17

© 2007 Malcolm Coyne of 16 Version 20070207

Right of Usage

This document may be freely copied and distributed, in whole or in part for use in any youth oriented program. It may not however be offered for sale excepting that the sale cost is limited to materials and reproduction costs. For other rights of usage contact the author.

The editor invites comments or corrections on the material. He may be reached at [email protected].

Version History● Document first assembled by Malcolm Coyne, 2nd Bells Corners Scouts, 1998.

● Converted from FrameMaker format on the MacIntosh to MS Word on the PC and updated with new information, 2001.

● Converted from MS Word to Open Document Format, 2006.

● All diagrams redone, 2007


Portable Trek Cartby Bruce McCracken

Is your patrol or troop looking for a lightweight cart to haul sleeping bags, tents, food and packs into camp? While the vast majority of Scout camping requires nothing more than hauling gear in a backpack, this type of cart is perfect for jamborees or other longterm standing camps.

When preparing for CJ’93, our troop, the 7th Nepean, Ontario, built this cart. It’s lightweight, easily assembled, airtransportable, and can carry a 70kg load perfect for jamborees and easy terrain. It will not stand up well to wilderness travel.

The cart costs less than $20 to build, excluding wheels. These we obtained from discarded bicycles in our neighborhood.

When disassembled the cart is very compact. Simply tape the wooden components together for transit; carry the wheels, hardware and spacers in an old suitcase.

Assembling the cart and loading it takes about 45 minutes. We pack all our gear in large hockey bags. These fit easily onto the cart.

Materials List

In addition to wood glue for side rail joints, gather these materials:

• 5 2” x 2” x 8’ spruce lumber • 1 2” x 4” x 8’ spruce lumber

• 20 1/4” x 3 1/2” carriage bolts/nuts • 40 3/8” flat washers

• 8 5/16” x 8” carriage bolts/nuts • 8 7/16” flat washers

• 8 5/16” flat washers • 1 1 1/4” x 1 1/4” x 3’ angle iron• 2 20” mountain bike front wheels complete with nuts and washers, plus extra washers for padding the axle.


Illustration 1: Portable Trek Cart

Cutting Instructions

1. Cut seven lengths of 2” x 2” spruce to 48” (for side rails and top cross pieces.

2. Cut on piece of 2” x 2” spruce to 38” (for the crosspiece between the wheels).

3. Cut one 58” length of 2” x 2” spruce (the front crosspiece with handles).

4. Cut one 10” length of 2” x 2” spruce (for the front cross piece joiner).

5. Cut four pieces of 2” x 4” spruce 3 1/2” long (for side rail spacers).

6. Cut eight pieces of 2” x 4” spruce 10” long (for wheel spacers). Four of these should be ripped to a width of 2 1/8”.

7. Cut four lengths of angle iron to 9” for wheel brackets. (A discarded bed frame is a cost effective source of angle iron.)

Construction Details1. Glue and screw the 3 1/2” pieces between two side rails to form the side units (see Illustration 2: Portable

Trek Cart Construction Details below).

2. Round off 5” on each end of the 58” piece to form the handles and cut in two if desired for easier transportation.

3. Layout the 2” x 2” frame pieces on the floor and drill the 1/4” bolt holes as shown in . Ensure you keep the structure square.

4. Assemble the cart top using 1/4” carriage bolts with washers on the top and bottom.

5. Center the wheel spacer and angle iron on the side rails (see Panel b) Illustration 2: Portable Trek CartConstruction Details). Drill the holes for the 5/16” bolts. On the top of the inside wheel spacer, countersink a hole for the nut of the 38” cross piece.

6. Drill holes in the angle iron for the wheel axles; attach the wheels to the angle iron.

7. Attach the wheel spacers and wheels to the cart using the 5/16” bolts. At this point you may need to add extra washers to the wheel axle to pad the space between the hub and the angle iron.

8. Tighten all bolts. The cart is now ready.


Illustration 2: Portable Trek Cart Construction Details

Note: ** Label both pieces of wood at ALL joints to make for easier field assembly. Drill all wood bolt holes slightly oversized to allow for easy insertion or removal of the bolts. For transport or storage, stack the side rails on the top rails; fill the space between the side rails with the short top pieces and the 2” x 4” wheel spacers. Transport or store the wheels, angle iron, 2 1/8” wheel spacers and hardware separately.

Design Improvements Suggestions

Several Troops constructed this style trek cart for use in the Western Area 1998 Trek Cart Challenge. The 25 km. route for this challenge was a combination of hardtop and gravel roads along with rutted bush trails and farmer’s fields. Needless to say this was an endurance test for both Scouts and the carts. From the experience several lessons were learned and additional improvements developed and some applied.

• If you plan to carry small stoves, lanterns, tents, tarps or sleeping bags on the cart, attach a 3’ x 4’ plywood surface to it with wood screws.

• You might wish to substitute eyebolts for some or the carriage bolts. These will make convenient tie down points.

• To facilitate using the cart as a table legs may be added to the front. If this is done then care must be taken to prevent collapse by blocking the wheels or bracing the leg.

• The diagonal cross pieces are a real must for use on a long and rough trip. Ruts, roots and large stones on the path were found to be forcing the wheel sideways almost to the point of collapse.

• Shoulder slings, in conjunction with a tongue significantly improve general pulling and really make a difference on the hills. The tongue is needed to provide better leverage for steering and is more convenient than the small side handles for pulling.


2”

2” x 4” Spacer

Rounded handleCounter sunk hole

3.5”

5/16” Bolt”

Angle Iron

Axle

b) Wheel Mount Details(side view)

a) Materials Layout(top view)

48”

48”

10.5”

10.5”

10.5”

10.5”

5”Not to Scale

Side Unit

• By careful spacing of the cross members they can be made to nicely accommodate large plastic storage tubes which can hang down between them. This also lowers the center of gravity of the loaded cart and makes operating easier. Also, a wire or webbing strap can be screwed to the cross pieces to prevent the tubs from falling through.


Illustration 3: Ideas for Further Development

Top View

Side View

Rear View

Brace

b) Wheel Brace

Bolt

Leg

a) Swing Down Leg

Illustration 4: Additional Modifications

Tongue

b) Tub Install Details(cutaway side view)a) Tub Modification Layout

(top view)

Tub

Tub Tub Tub

Not to Scale

A Scout Trek Cartby A. Neely Hall Updated and modernized from “Outdoor Boy Craftsmen”. (A version of this, which was the source for the picture, may found on line, http://www.isd.net/stobin/trekcart/trekcart.html.)The TwoWheeled covered cart known as a trek cart had become the approved Boy Scouts of America vehicle for transporting equipment and supplies on overnight hikes in the early part of the twentieth century. And when the summer camp was more than hiking distance, the cart was often fastened behind an automobile as a trailer (a practice not only unsafe but also now illegal). Indeed, the original author knew two lads who arrived at camp with a cart hitched between bicycles, and a canoe strapped to the box of the cart and all had come through without mishap.

The cart will accommodate all of the ordinary equipment of a Scout patrol, or excess equipment of several patrols. It is well adapted to the requirements of a few days' fishing and camping. Half a dozen of these carts, neatly painted in patrol colors, topped with their white canvas covers and drawn in single file by the Scouts, four to a cart, are most imposing and often form the outstanding feature of a holiday parade.

The Cost and UpkeepThe cost of building a trek cart, back when this design first appeared, was small, approximately $7.00, and could be met readily by a special assessment of troop or patrol. Today all lumber and hardware would come to less than $40. Two scouts can complete the carpentry in an afternoon's time and the patrol artist needs but parts of three afternoons to turn out a good paint job, including lettering. If the equipment is taken care of, and housed in the winter, it should last indefinitely. The cart show in Illustration 5: Scouts on the Trail above is the original cart of the Boy Scouts of Elmhurst, Illinois. The frame can be seen on the left and the box with top on the left. It was designed and built by the author seven years previous to this picture, and had seen much service, yet was as good as new. An added coat of paint now and then, of course, is largely the secret of keeping a cart in condition.

The Problem of Wheels

The first essential is a pair of wheels. In the original, buggy wheels were used but today a set of mountain bike front wheels will do the trick. If you cannot pick up a pair in your vicinity, you will probably be able find what you need


Illustration 5: Scouts on the Trail

at a garage sale. A small ad in a local paper or a church bulletin will likely bring you more offers of wheels than you can use. Wheels should cost little, if anything. But it is better to pay something for a good pair than to accept old wheels ready to fall to pieces.

Building the CartBased on the photographs and plans provided by the original author it is clear that he was in fact referencing two slightly different designs. Following we have tried to reconstruct the construction of the unique carriages of both. The box and hoops for the prairie schooner top are common for both designs and are covered at the end. Also, the author’s designs used buggy wheels with bushing style bearings and we have modified the designs to use bicycle wheels which are more readily available today.

Design 1 – High Rider

In the old days you would have to remove the buggy wheels from the axle and take the axle to a blacksmith shop for shortening and drilling. With mountain bike wheels no special work should be necessary to make them suitable for use in this design.

Illustration 6: Design 1 High Rider Cart below shows the overall detail of the tongue and body frame. Make the tongue of a piece of 2by4 or 2by3 and the handlebar of pieces of 2by2. The lengths are marked upon the diagram in Illustration 7: Design 1 Frame and Tongue Detail below. The handlebar is held to the tongue by a bolt as shown in this diagram and reinforce with a pair of iron angle braces fastened with screws. The ends of handlebar should be rounded with a plane or draw knife, and smooth with sandpaper.

The two triangular support fasteners on the tongue for attaching the cross piece of the frame are each made from a 14” square piece of plywood cut diagonally in half and then fastened to a spacer block of 2” x 4”. Screws and glue


Illustration 6: Design 1 High Rider Cart

should be used to fasten the pieces together and attach to the tongue. The two supports should be spaced along the tongue so that the cross piece fits snugly between them.

The cross piece and forks for the wheels are constructed from two plywood sides, four 2” x 4” spacers and four pieces of the 2” x 2” for the forks. The sides and spacers can be attached permanently with glue and screws. Optionally the forks can be fastened permanently or with removal carriage bolts so that the cart can be disassembled for storage. The upper spacers have two holes drilled through the long dimension of the 2” x 4”. These will be used to bolt the box to the carriage. To aid in using these bolt holes four 1” access holes are drilled in one of the side pieces of plywood. Holes also need to be drilled for mounting the forks and for attaching to the supports on the tongue.

The length of the forks, dimension A in Illustration 7: Design 1 Frame and Tongue Detail, will depend on the size of the wheel being used. For a 20” diameter mountain bike style wheel the outer forks will be about 28” and the inner forks 8” shorter. The upper extension of the outer forks will have holes for carriage bolts to fasten to the box. These provide the forks with some front to rear reinforcement.

The bottom mounting brackets of the forks where the axles attach are made from pieces of angle iron. These are screwed or bolted to the forks. Some care should be taken to insure that the wheel axles will be at right angles to the tongue and ground when the carriage is assembled or there may be some problems with the cart tracking straight.


Illustration 8: Fork Axle Mount Bracket

Axle Hole

BoltsAngle Iron

Fork

Illustration 7: Design 1 Frame and Tongue Detail

Spacer Block

24”

8'

2'6”

A

8”

12” 8”

3.75”Access Holes(one side only)

24”

Axle brackets Hub & Axle

Design 2 - Low Rider

This design employs an “A” frame carriage to support the box and a single transverse axle. The frame is constructed of a 2” x 4” tongue and an “A” frame and transverse bolster for the axle mounting made from either 2” x 2” or 2” x 3”. The bolster and sides of the “A” are all fastened with bolts while the end piece can be nailed with spikes.

The location of holes for bolting tongue to the box frame is given in Illustration 9: Design 2 Tongue, Axle andHandle Detail. The holes in the axle bar will locate the end holes in the bolster. The three bolts running through bolster and attaching to the tongue and sides of the “A” also extend through the bottom of the box, and a second nut and washer are necessary for each to fasten the box to the frame. Bore a second hole as shown through the end brace of the “A” for bolts to bolt the rear end of the box to the frame.

The original design called for wheels that could be easily adapted to a straight through axle. However, this is not well suited to the use of bicycle wheels. As an alternate approach the following (untried) design suggestions is presented. It assumes access to some basic machine shop tools.

Get two pieces of the 3/4” square iron bar between 6” to 9” long. With care, using a drill press if available, drill two 1/4” mounting holes for attaching the bar to the bottom of the bolster bar. Measure the diameter and thread pitch of the axle, and from this determine the size for the 2” inch tap hole drilled in the end of the bar. Then cut the threads in the hole with the appropriate sized tap. The axle bar is mounted to the bottom ends of the bolster with 1/4” bolts. The wheel axle is screwed into the thread hole and locked tight with a wrench.


Illustration 9: Design 2 Tongue, Axle and Handle Detail

Nut & Washer

24”

8'

3'

3'

24”

b) Original Axle

HandleBolt Hole

Bolt & Washer

“D” hole for nut

c) Tongue and Handle Detail

a) Tongue and Axle Detail

30”

Illustration 10: Alternate Axle Detail6” to 9”

1”2”2”

1/4”

Drilled outand threadedto fit the axleof the wheel.

The Box

The Box, Illustration 11: Trek Cart Box below, is of simple construction, with band strips added around the top outside and bottom inside. Originally it would have been made from wide softpine boards but today the use of 1/4” or 3/8” plywood will result in a cheaper and more sturdy construction. The strips around the top outside and bottom inside should be fastened to the plywood with glue and screws.

Only rough measurements are give so when cutting be sure to consider how the edges fit together so that you allow for overlaps or material thickness. The side bands must be notched to form sockets for the hoops of the wagon cover to slip into. Lay these out as shown below with the end notches slanted slightly to give a rake to the end hoops. Saw down the ends of the notches and split out the wood between with a chisel. After screwing and gluing the band strips in place, drive an additional finishingnail through lower bands M near the lower edge, at the point of each socket notch, to form a bottom to each socket to support the hoop end.

The Prairie Schooner Top

The top hoops of the original were constructed of pine lattice strips 13/4 inches wide. Bending them into form was an easy process, but the work must be done carefully. Put the strips to soak in water, because they must be soaked thoroughly to bend without cracking. While they are soaking, describe a circle with a radius of 16 inches upon a wooden partition or floor, and drive five or six nails around the circle at equal distances apart. When the strips are ready for bending, take one and bend it around the nails, working slowly and evenly so the wood fibers will stretch without breaking. When you have bent a hoop into shape, tie cord across its ends, lift it off the nails, and slip its ends into a pair of the box sockets.

Today 1 1/2” x 1/4” x 8' foam core plastic molding works well in place of the wood hoops. They are much more flexible than wood and just need cutting to length.

You will require access to a heavy duty sewing machine to prepare the top cover. In the original the top would have been constructed of canvas, however today we would suggest using a plastic tarp. With the diagram of before you, you should have no difficulty sewing up the top. The two long edges of the cover must be turned over to form a 1/2


Illustration 11: Trek Cart Box

48”

A

12”

30”

B

A

B

Cart bottom

Cart side1”x2”

Screws

inch hem through which ropes are run for closing the ends of the cart. The other edges are turned over to finish off the raw edges of the tarp with a tight hem.

Run clothesline through the end hems. Use a piece of stiff wire with one end bent into a flattened loop to pull the ropes through. With the ropes in the hems, try the covering upon the hoops. Gather the ends and fasten the ropes to screweyes screwed into the inside of the box ends. This is all the fastening that is necessary, but it makes a neater job to have tabs sewed to the inside of the cover to pass around the hoops . Also tabs around the side hems that can be fastened to screweyes screwed on the sides of the box make for a secure fastening down of the top. With the cover in place, the proper positions for these tabs are easily determined.

Complete the trek cart by giving the runninggear and box two coats of paint. Use your Scout patrol colors, of course. Before painting, go over the work and sandpaper all wood surfaces and drive nail heads below the surface. Automobile enamel makes a better finish than oil paint. It is more expensive, but you need apply it only for the second coat, using any good outside paint for the priming coat. After the first coat has dried, putty nailholes, joints and defects.


Illustration 12: Tarp Cover for Prairie Schooner Top

HemRope

7'

6' 6”

Large Trek CartThe spring of 1991 saw significant portion of the 2nd Bells Corners Scouts approaching the final requirements for their Gold level Explorer achievement badge. The major remaining undertaking was the two 25 km. hikes. One of these would be met by a 60 km. canoe trip and it was planned to incorporate the other into the annual spring camp.

This however presented a problem. The senior Scouts were clearly up to carrying all their gear but the more junior Scouts would have found this too arduous. It was therefore decided to construct a trek cart for patrol gear and most of the personal gear.

The plans that follow are for the cart constructed. The particular merits of this design is its sturdiness since it was designed specifically to handle rough trails, open bush and fields. The price paid for this ruggedness is more complexity in the construction and some added weight. However it should be noted the original cart is still in use after over fifteen years.

Materials• 1 – 2” x 3” x 8’ spruce (tongue) 2 – 2” x 2” x 8’ spruce (gussets)• 1 – 4’ x 8’ x 1/4” plywood (box) 4– 1” x 2” x 8’ spruce or pine (trim and forks)• 1 – large box 1” x #8 wood screws 1 – bottle white wood glue• 16 – 1/4” x 2” bolts & nuts 40 – 1/4” washers• 4 – 1/4” x 3 1/2” bolts & nuts 1 – 5/16 x 6” bolt & nut (tongue handle)• 1 – 8” x 16” x 1/8” aluminum/steel plate 2 – 20” bicycle wheels (two front wheels are best)


Illustration 13: Large Trek Cart

Cutting Instructions

1. Rip the 2” x 2” diagonally to make the gussets. This is only practically done with a table saw or bandsaw, and must be done with care. These will be cut to lengths as required to provide the reinforcing at the corners of the box.

2. Using a hand power saw or table saw cut out the bottom and side pieces of plywood as shown in Illustration14: Material Cutting Layout below. (The original cart used 3/8” fir plywood for the bottom and 1/4” for the sides but there should be no problem using 1/4” throughout.)

3. From the leftover pieces of the plywood cut four pieces 8” x 5 1/4”. These will be used as the spacers for the forks.

4. Cut four pieces of 1” x 2” to 18”. These will be the inside portion of the fork assembly.

5. Cut four pieces of 1” x 2 to 24”. These will be the outside portion of the fork assembly.

6. Cut two pieces of 1” x 2” to 48” for the sides of the band that goes around the outside top of the box.

7. Cut two pieces of 1” x 2” to 37 1/2” for the end pieces of the band around the box.

8. With a hacksaw cut the aluminum/steel plate into two 8” squares and then cut each of these squares in half diagonally. Use a file to remove any burrs, sharp edges or points on the plates. Mark and clamp pairs of the triangular plates together and drill 1/4” holes as shown in below15 below. (Care must be taken to keep matched pairs together so that all mounting holes will be aligned.) It is suggested, based on experience with the original design, that the hole of the axle actually be made into a short vertical slot. This allows some sideways give when going over rough terrain and the wheels are forced sideways.


Illustration 14: Material Cutting Layout

Box Side1' x 4'

Box Side1' x 4'

Cut four 8” x 5.25”pieces for forks

Wheelwell Top

Cart Bottom 3' x 4' Box Back1' x 3'

Box Front1' x 3'

Inner wheel well 6” x 4'

Inner wheel well 6” x 4'

14” 19.5”

5.25”

Wheelwell Top

Construction

Basic Box

1. At each end, along one of the long edges of the box side pieces attach a 12” piece of gusset with glue and screws. These pieces should be offset from the edge by the thickness of a piece of plywood, 1/4”.

2. Glue and screw 10” gusset pieces to the ends edges of the two plywood box ends. Also attach an 18” piece of gusset to one of the long edges of each box end. This bottom gusset should be offset from the edge by the thickness of the plywood.

3. Attach the box end pieces to the bottom with glue and screws.4. Attach the box sides to the bottom and the box end pieces. Take care to insure the sides are square with the

bottom.

5. Attach the band around the top edge of the box.


Illustration 15: Axle Plate Construction

4” 8”

2”

8” 3/4”

Cut

Illustration 16: Box Assembly Detail

Gussets

Side

End

Wheel well

Wheel well

b) Top View

a) Assembly Detail

6. Attach the wheel well sides to the bottom and end pieces. Be sure that these pieces are square with the bottom and that the wheel well side and outer side are parallel and 5 1/4” apart at both the top and the bottom.

7. Angle or corner brackets may be added to the box for additional strength.

Forks

The forks for mounting the wheels are made in two pieces for each wheel. These pieces will be held together using the axle mounting plates.

1. Assemble one fork piece using a plywood spacer, one 18” and one 24” pieces of 1” x 2”. Consult Figure 16. Repeat four times making sure to be the right orientation.

2. The next step is to assemble the forks and drill the mounting holes for the axle plates. At this stage it is important to take care to measure and align pieces otherwise there may be problems at final assembly and with wheel tracking.

Ideas for Improvement

These plans should be considered a guide to a very basic trek card. However, you will probably wish to customize it to meet you specific needs. Following are some ideas that may help you get started:

• Add clasps or tiedown claps around the outer sides of the cart for securing gear and a tarp for foul weather.• Compartments could have hinged doors for access from the sides or back of cart.• A “third leg” on tongue so that cart can be parked level and possibly used a table.• Add a prairie schooner top. At the previously mentioned Western Area 1998 Trek Cart Challenge a cart of this

design participated with a prairie schooner top. It was also learned that loop harnesses for the front pullers work extremely well and the tongue cross piece is best not bolted on but rather lashed to allow it to twist more.


Illustration 17: Fork Assembly Detail

24”8” 10”

a) Right Front or Left Rear

b) Left Front or Right Rearc) Left Front Assembly Detail

A

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