Just got my 19" Cimex and pulled it up the first flight of stairs. Wow! There's gotta be a way one man can consistenly get that beast up a flight of stairs by himself. I've read Bo's posts and may try his idea but has anyone tried a skidding proceedure to slide it up a flight of steps? I'm thinking a hitching point somewhere on the second story, down a hall and then a rope running around the corner and down the stairs to a block hooked to the lowest part of the Cimex or possibly some sort of sled with the machine strapped to it, then through the block and back up the stairs to the man pulling on the rope. An extra rope would probably have to be tied to the handle to keep it from banging into the walls or to keep the sled steering properly. It sounds like a lot of work but I may just give it a try.


~Jack

Sounds like an accident waiting to happen to me. If you are a one man operation find buildings that have an elevator.

I also tried to think of a way to slide the Cimex up stairs. I tried to figure out a way to put tracks on the Cimex - you know, the kind that are on furniture dollies. I went with the wheels because everything else seemed to involve welding a bunch of stuff on my Cimex and that would get in the way of cleaning.
So, while my way works, there very well may be a better way of doing it. I hope you can find it.

Just how much easier would you say it has made it for you Bo. I lug an RX-20 up and down stairs almost every day with no problem but the wheels on it are about a half inch more in diameter and I don't have so much weight sticking way out in front. Here's a thought. If that head was a bit closer in to the handle wouln't that take some of the leverage out of it? That could be accomplished by putting an extension on the bottom of the handle lock rod I believe. The larger wheels do sound like a good idea.

~Jack

lol Jack, that sounds like the board game MouseTrap

i have the bigger wheels on my Mex now, have to take some pic's still. i haven't tested it yet, but Bo said it makes it about 50% easier i believe. i will post my thoughts on it in the next week or so.

the cost for the two 13.5" wheels / one 5/8"x36" threaded axle / four 5/8" nuts was around $55 with tax....wheels came to $22 each plus tax.

took about 5 minutes of thinking how it was all going to work and 20 minutes of drilling 2 holes; hacksawing the axle shorter; and mistakes (1st i drilled one small hole in the Cimex's tire....then i realized i had to go thru the "rim"....now i've got a small hole going thru one tire lol, no biggie).

thanx --- Derek.

Yep, I think I'll try the "Bo method" first and then if that doesn't satisfy me I'll go further. I'd sure like to hear how it works out in your opinion. I built a swinging lift to get the Cimex in and out of my Van. That part works really nice and involves no effort at all. I don't mind spending a few bucks to get this machine pressed into service. From all I hear its the very berries.

~Jack

Jack, i will make sure i post my thoughts on it and how much easier i think it is.

take care --- Derek.

Derek is right. It's at least 50% easier, maybe more. The larger the tire the easier it is. l4" is probably the maximum size because you've only got a 10" stair to sit the wheels on. Make sure you get a pneumatic tire so you can run low pressure in it - 3 lbs is about right.
Since Derek messed up, I'll stress that you drill in the "spoke" area of the old tires. Estimate how close you can get to the "old" axle. Closer is better.
If you need to, Derek, you can probably drill new holes without harming your "old" wheels, if you didn't get in the right spot.
That should just about do it. Look for my directions if you have questions. I think that most of your questions will be answered there.
Harbor Freight has wheels cheaper than Home Depot. You can get the threaded rod at Home Depot.
Good luck. We'll be looking for your report, Derek.

Oh, and by the way, Derek. You don't need 4 nuts. Two do just fine and allow a shorter axle which is important on some stairs.

Maybe I spoke too quickly. Where are you putting the nuts, Derek?

I did a search on Harbor Freight and found a couple of pneumatic 13" tires and wheels. $13+ and $18+ respectively. Can't seem to find the ones you are talking about Bo so if you have nothing better to do....... (grin) perhaps you can e-mail me the page you found them on. Thanks if you have time.
aquavac@rogershsa.com Jack Diebag

~Jack

Since there just is no town in the world that has no stairs, every Cimex owner has a vested interest in figuring out a better system for lugging this baby up stairs safely, without damaging stairs, walls, people walking by, the machine itself or the spinal cord of the technician.

Anyone who comes up with a repeatable system should either post it here, start selling it to us, let Rick figure out how to sell it to us, or let the manufacturer add the option to the machine for future models. Really!

I don't want to sell such a system myself, [the total universe of potential buyers is, to put it mildly, limited], but I sure would buy it if it worked.

I dont have a cimex but i do have a 105 pound advance rotary. here is a crazy idea, someone tell me there is a way it will work or maybe not. SKI'S. Kind of like furniture slides but longer and stronger. You will need a way to mount them though. I dont have a tank on my rotary so it is easy to carry, its just not real great for my back.
Brad

OK fellas, I did like Derek and trotted up to Home Depot and got the 600 x4 tires for a wheelbarrow. The axle shaft berring surface is extended out past the tire so no need for any spacers. It did make the axle pretty wide but most entry doors are 36" anyway so no problem. NOW FOR THE GOOD NEWS!!! With these 13.5 inch tires on it, pulling it up a flight of stairs is COMPLETELY DO-ABLE. Not as easy as my RX-20 but pretty close. I commend Bo and his ingenuity for a sterling idea. Hats off to you my friend. Us old farts Rule! (grin) You are old aren't you Bo? Seems like I read that somewhere.

~Jack

Man am I old. I'm so old my memories not as sharp as it used to be. Also, my memories not as sharp as it used to be. You know you're old when you start making the same noises as your coffeemaker.
But enough about - what was I talking about? Oh yeah, the axle. I'd shorten it Jack. The first time to have a bend in the stairs you're going to find it real tight.
Good luck and thanks for the compliment.

I think I understand now what you're saying about the axle length,-- so you can't shorten it. Am I right?
Well, you'll figure it out. After all, you're old, right?

I'm older'n dirt! Just turned 65 and got all the aches and pains to prove it! (grin) But Heck, that's just my body. Got a mind like a steel trap. Only one spring broke so far.

~Jack

Yeah, Jack. I know what you mean. Half my shopping cart is full of stuff that says, "for quick relief".

Bo, i only drilled thru one of the Cimex tires...then i realized the error and drilled thru the "spokes" area on both Cimex tires. i bought 4 nuts because for .25 cents each, i didn't want to make a 2nd trip back...i thought i might need them in case the new tires rubbed up against the old tires which would irritate me. i haven't tried it up a flight of steps as of yet, but i think the 2 tires touching wont be a prob, but now i have the extra set of 5/8" nuts in case i need'em.

Jack, i seen the wheelbarrow tires also. the thing i didn't like about them is as you said, the axle extends past the tire a good inch or 2. fortunately my HomeDepot had other tires without that extension.

Bo, when u say pneumatic tires, is that simply a tire with air pressure in it? or is it a special type of tire / something different?

i agree with Clay, this is in my opinion, very important stuff....and as Jack said, thanx a ton Bo for the ingenuity and sharing it!

thanx --- Derek.

A pneumatic tire is just a tire in which you put air. Your car is riding on pneumatic tires. There are dozens of different kinds of tires and that's why I said it that way.

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