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Sick of breaking creepers... Anyone built one?

anthrax323

NAXJA Forum User
Location
San Antonio, TX
I've broken 2 creepers in the last few months (new house has a pebble-surfaced driveway, which typical crappy casters don't exactly like) and am sick of it. I have access to high-density closed-cell foam, heavy duty fabrics, plywood, tee nuts, a staplegun, tons of 16ga 3/4" square tube, and a decent 110v welder.

I was planning on buying heavy-duty soft rubber casters (in the realm of 4") and putting one together this weekend, but wanted to see if anyone else had built their own for some inspiration.

Hell, I'm almost tempted to go big and get some 8"+ pneumatic swivel casters.
 
I dont use creepers either, but something with nice and wide, soft gummy style skateboard wheels would be awesome, I am interested in seeing which way you go with this.

If i only had a 1" or .75" die for my tubing bender...
 
NAPA (and I'm sure others do as well) makes a rough surface creeper with big soft rubber wheels.

I'm also a non creeper fan though, i get very angry when I try to crank on a bolt and the creeper starts sliding around.
 
I've broken 2 creepers in the last few months (new house has a pebble-surfaced driveway, which typical crappy casters don't exactly like) and am sick of it. I have access to high-density closed-cell foam, heavy duty fabrics, plywood, tee nuts, a staplegun, tons of 16ga 3/4" square tube, and a decent 110v welder.

I was planning on buying heavy-duty soft rubber casters (in the realm of 4") and putting one together this weekend, but wanted to see if anyone else had built their own for some inspiration.

Hell, I'm almost tempted to go big and get some 8"+ pneumatic swivel casters.

I've been considering designing one myself - I refuse to buy a creeper without a metal frame (I'm a big guy...) but I still find that production creepers are too short for my body, too narrow for my shoulders, and sit too high to get under low stuff.

And, I wouldn't mind a couple of trays about hip level anyhow...

I would consider the foam padding minimally necessary, as I've lain on plywood and metal creepers without any real trouble before (and the elimination of the padding makes taking care of it easier. Just Plasti-Dip the whole bloody thing!) And, use some mid- to heavy-gage sheetmetal to lay your deck, with an underframe.

I'd have to take some measurements to get what I'm thinking, but I could sketch something up and email it to you if you're interested, along with the landmarks I use for taking the measurements (might give you a better idea of how to fit it to you - I'm a practical ergonomicist as well. No training - just experience...)
 
Right on, thanks guys! I saw the bone creeper, but at that price point, I'd enjoy building one more (cardboard does suffice in the end - this is merely a luxury). I never really have issues with sliding around while torquing things either so I do enjoy them.

5-90 - I'll PM you within the next couple days with some sketches we can start with. From there I'd like to make it a build thread to hopefully inspire others.
 
NAPA (and I'm sure others do as well) makes a rough surface creeper with big soft rubber wheels.

I'm also a non creeper fan though, i get very angry when I try to crank on a bolt and the creeper starts sliding around.

An i was thinking it was your hair getting stuck in the wheel. But you're right they do move while you tighten bolts
 
An i was thinking it was your hair getting stuck in the wheel. But you're right they do move while you tighten bolts

I remember those days, that sucked.

I dig my creeper but I always remember to brace myself before doing moderately tight work and get off when really cranking.
 
This thread got way more entertaining than I expected. Love this place.

Monster Mopar - I'm all for Span-on, but $230+ on a creeper is still more than I want to spend. Their casters may be warrantied, but they still look relatively weak (and I never want to RMA this thing). Also, given how simple creepers ultimately are, I think it would be fun to build an insanely beefy one.

Thanks for the input guys! Unfortunately my priorities have shifted gears once again... It's officially time for me to buy a house (a financial planner friend sat down with me and discovered that I can float a 5-year payoff plan on the modest house I want - woot!), so other projects will soon take priority.

5-90 - I'll get with you regarding the ergonomics once it's time. I know you're not going anywhere.
 
I'm too big for most creepers too. My dad's old time wood one left me stuck under my J10 a long time ago. He wasn't thrilled to find it busted in half after I got out..

I bought a square tube frame creeper from Tractor Supply, and the casters sucked big time. The neighbor girl was throwing out a set of inline skates, those wheels have ball bearings! They fit in the same frame as the caster wheels once I "turned" them down by running the wheel against the grinder. (Wear a dust mask, I sneezed pink rubbery boogers for a week) I've used it that way for more than ten years now. Word of warning though, do not use it on an incline or you'll end up at the bottom, kinda like a street luge! Ask me how I know!
 
Not a bad idea - unfortunately, my caster swivels are what fail me. The bearing races open and spill their guts within the first two weeks on every single one I've owned... Then the upper shaft/spindle starts to bend, eventually breaking and falling off.

Just picked up my Miller 211 during lunch, so my weekend project might involve the ~24 feet of 1" 14ga tube I have left over from the roof rack...
 
You sure you castors aren't just loosening up? I've had some where they get loose and want to spill bearings, etc. Tighten down the nut and they're fine again.

If so I suggest backing the nuts off, lock tite, then tighten back down.
 
Touche, fellas... I did the re-tightening thing a few times with my first creeper (AutoZone special years ago) but the casters still stretched/bent and eventually fell apart. I'm just heavy, and apparently pretty rough on these things (it correlates closely with anger/rage while wrenching).

Regardless, it's too late for the current creepers. I'm thinking about retrofitting the adjustable back creeper with bigger casters though just to save time... Stay tuned :)
 
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