A new affordable Tug option!

[B25Flyer]

A few years ago I was trying to figure out a better way to move my Rocket and my L-2. I have a fairly steep ramp into my hangar and I hurt my back a few times pulling it up the ramp. I found a power wheelbarrow called Chore Warrior and I bought one and converted it into a T/W tug. It worked great, and I sent a video to the company. They called me and came down. They decided to produce a commercial version and they stopped down today with the finished product. It is very slick and handles my Rocket very well on my ramp. It is much slicker than my farmer engineered version. This is a great option for lighter T/W airplanes. They intend to develop attachments for some nosewheels types, or you could easily build your own.

The retail price will be $1149, but they have agreed to sell some units at an introductory price of $750 on a limited number of units if you order with the discount code.

They will have them on their website today or tomorrow. To be clear, I have no affiliation with this company other than showing them my design and I make nothing on the sales.

Homepage | Chore Warrior: Battery-Powered Wheelbarrows

Chore Warrior helps lighten your load with battery-powered wheelbarrows, deckspotters and trailerbarrows. Don't sweat the big stuff.

chorewarrior.com

Here is a video of my original prototype.

 

[B25Flyer]

A few years ago I was trying to figure out a better way to move my Rocket and my L-2. I have a fairly steep ramp into my hangar and I hurt my back a few times pulling it up the ramp. I found a power wheelbarrow called Chore Warrior and I bought one and converted it into a T/W tug. It worked great, and I sent a video to the company. They called me and came down. They decided to produce a commercial version and they stopped down today with the finished product. It is very slick and handles my Rocket very well on my ramp. It is much slicker than my farmer engineered version. This is a great option for lighter T/W airplanes. They intend to develop attachments for some nosewheels types, or you could easily build your own.

The retail price will be $1149, but they have agreed to sell some units at an introductory price of $750 on a limited number of units if you order with the discount code.

They will have them on their website today or tomorrow. To be clear, I have no affiliation with this company other than showing them my design and I make nothing on the sales.

Homepage | Chore Warrior: Battery-Powered Wheelbarrows

Chore Warrior helps lighten your load with battery-powered wheelbarrows, deckspotters and trailerbarrows. Don't sweat the big stuff.

chorewarrior.com

Here is a video of my original prototype.

I forgot to include the discount code, "Rozy"

 

[cjs]

Was just looking for a tug! Thanks, coupon worked. Can wait to see if it works well...if not, you'll probably see it for sale in the classified section of the forum!

 

[MacCool]

Looks promising...two suggestions. 1) Nose wheel capability (as mentioned) and 2) solid tires so that screws could be driven into the tires for winter traction on snow/ice covered hangar aprons.

 

[B25Flyer]

Looks promising...two suggestions. 1) Nose wheel capability (as mentioned) and 2) solid tires so that screws could be driven into the tires for winter traction on snow/ice covered hangar aprons.

Put any tires on it you want.

 

[tjlebaron]

Ordered one. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Estevanb]

Ordered one too. I will have to find a way to attach to nose wheel though ...

 

[rockwoodrv9]

It looks like this could be a good project. I have nose wheel but I dont think adapting it to work would be too difficult. Thanks.

 

[B25Flyer]

The "Rozy" Discount code for $400 off has been extended until Christmas.

 

[jaredyates]

Thank you for helping develop a good option. I was thinking about trying to adapt a trailer dolly like this one.

 

[777Dave]

Bought one. Looks like what I need to protect my 74 year old back.

 

[Scott Hersha]

The "Rozy" Discount code for $400 off has been extended until Christmas.

I ordered one on December 2, and it was delivered yesterday, December 5. That’s pretty quick. The box says it’s heavy and they’re right - 96 lbs. I put it together and tried it briefly yesterday and it works as advertised. I’m going to try to come up with an adapter that will more easily slide under and grab my tailwheel axle extensions (Flyboy tow bar bolt), so I can easily grab that tailwheel and go.

 

[Estevanb]

I got one too. But now I am trying to figure out how to make it work on nose wheel. Appreciate any hints

 

[Scott Hersha]

I got one too. But now I am trying to figure out how to make it work on nose wheel. Appreciate any hints

I spoke with Tom at Chore Warrior today. He said they have an adapter in the works for a nose wheel. They want to do testing on it before releasing it for sale. Probably about first quarter 2025.

 

[Estevanb]

I spoke with Tom at Chore Warrior today. He said they have an adapter in the works for a nose wheel. They want to do testing on it before releasing it for sale. Probably about first quarter 2025.

They didn't mention that to me. Just asked me to show my solution. If I come up with one.
guess they are figuring it out too.

 

[Scott Hersha]

They didn't mention that to me. Just asked me to show my solution. If I come up with one.
guess they are figuring it out too.

Maybe you can be the beta tester for them. They are interested in any other ideas anyone may have on the taildragger version too.

 

[Pilot135pd]

Bought one. Looks like what I need to protect my 74 year old back.

I've tried them all and this wheel barrow one looks very nice, specially for the price. If you're worried about your back you might want to splurge and buy the last one you'll ever buy. This one I bought works with nose draggers and pulls my 3000 pound tail dragger easily up the grass into my hangar.

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This other video shows a close up of how it picks up the tailwheel : https://www.facebook.com/share/v/zhmvM8f8vJkp2PZW/

 

[ArlingtonRV]

I ordered one on December 2, and it was delivered yesterday, December 5. That’s pretty quick. The box says it’s heavy and they’re right - 96 lbs. I put it together and tried it briefly yesterday and it works as advertised. I’m going to try to come up with an adapter that will more easily slide under and grab my tailwheel axle extensions (Flyboy tow bar bolt), so I can easily grab that tailwheel and go.

I put mine together today. Overall I like the unit, but I'm not happy with the part that holds the tail wheel. With my tiny tail wheel, it doesn't really lift on the wheel but on the axle. My whole experience can be found here: https://www.rushesroost.com/post/rv-8-and-the-chore-warrior

 

[jliltd]

I put my Chore Warrior Planespotter together today. Jury is out until I can really give it a proper shakedown. I will say the shipping boxes and protective packaging are sub-par. I had stuff sticking out of the box. The Chinese cardboard used is thin and crappy. They used some thick cardboard cubes for packaging padding that axels, battery box rods and weldments pierce right through during shipping. Like Scott above I had damage, including a bent wheel. I also had the hardware blister pack burst with bolts rolling around in the box. The worst looking thing was that one axle wheel end (threaded end) was punched into the gearbox through one of the bearing protective caps. That's kind of the heart of mechanical design and I am concerned about the bearing's seal leaking but will monitor it. The bent wheel makes the left side wobble as it rotates. So I rate the shipping package design a D minus and really the only major nit so far. I ordered the unit Monday and it got here Friday via FedEx. Very quick delivery.

Assembly was very straightforward and the Youtube video was very helpful. I used a dab of blue Loctite on most of the bolts. I pre-coated the axle gaskets with a little of the supplied gear box prior to placement to pre-swell the paper and it also helps keep the gasket in place when starting the axle housing hex bolts. I really wanted to use the "grape jelly" gasket product that is used on aircraft engine case halves but couldn't find it. There was one axle housing bolt that lines up directly with the motor electrical lead so it's very hard to start and requires a long skinny hex tool while bending the electrical lead to tighten. A socket type hex with or without extension cannot line up. Perhaps re-clocking the gear box bolts or electrical connection location would make things easier. On another note, the charge cord uses a standard 3-pin computer type AC power supply cord for both the DC charging port and the DC battery pack itself.



This is simple and works fine. However, this might lead to future trouble should some unwary person see these ports and decided to directly plug in a 120v AC power computer style supply cord into either. A fire may ensue.



The design itself doesn't seem half bad and I get the impression this thing could move a much larger aircraft than my RV-8 and will try it on my Husky when I get chance, assuming the Husky rudder can clear the frame or the weight isn't too much to lift with the wheelbarrow handles. The LED light is a nice touch and is aimed right at the tailwheel area. One thing to keep in mind is that the pivot point for turns is aft of the tailwheel and so the aircraft tail shifts to the outside of the turn. So if you turn right the left horizontal stab tip shifts left. You have to beware of tail side clearance from items in the hangar when maneuvering. So be wary of letting somebody "help" by using this Planespotter. The only other taildragger tow bar I have seen do this is the manual Tailwheel Transporter brand bar out of Phoenix, which I can't seem to find online anymore. Other tow bars pivot either in front of or at the tailwheel so the whole tail moves in the same direction as the turning action so it's less susceptible to side impact hangar rash. It's not a deal killer by any means but just something to watch for when getting used to the Planespotter.



Like Scott's experience above the wheel lift design ends up lifting on my axle nut rather than the tire. If the spacing of the wheel adapter is shortened to lift the tire instead of the axle then the wheel wants to roll off the lift. I have seen this on other wheel lift designed taildragger tow bars so it's not a new issue.

I will contact Chore Warrior Monday to see about getting a replacement wheel for the bent one. It looks like they offer a no-flat solid tire option on their web site ($140 a pair). If they are the same size as the Planespotter tires then that's good as every time I buy a dolly, tow bar or portable equipment with Chinese pneumatic tires they are constant maintenance and a PITA and I always change them out for solid. But I have a feeling their solid wheel option is the much taller wheelbarrow tire.

I like the design and effort put in by Chore Warrior so far and will report how the unit works in real time. The introductory price is a smokin' deal and there is no other powered taildragger bar out there at this price point.

 

[jliltd]

On another note. The main frame tubes that extend from the handles to the front of the mover have ready to utilized drilled fittings just begging to be used if somebody wants to make a nose gear adapter (with or without lazy suzan) or even a trailer mover.

Also, maybe it's just me but it seems that the speed in the forward direction is slower than the speed in reverse. I haven't confirmed this but would like to know if anybody else has noticed it. When Chore Warrior made this new Planespotter they used the parts of their power wheelbarrow but they reversed the motor installation. So perhaps the wheelbarrow goes faster forward than it does backward so when the system is flipped around perhaps he airplane tug does opposite. Again I haven't confirmed this.

 

[Scott Hersha]

I put mine together today. Overall I like the unit, but I'm not happy with the part that holds the tail wheel. With my tiny tail wheel, it doesn't really lift on the wheel but on the axle. My whole experience can be found here: https://www.rushesroost.com/post/rv-8-and-the-chore-warrior

I found it to be difficult to get the planespotter in place because of the angle on the end of the tube. Then I repositioned the business end of the square tube to the first hole - the one closest to the first bend - and now that end that goes under the tw tire lays flat to the ground. I found it quite easy to get it in place and with the forward grabber bolt adjusted just so, it easily lifts the tire and doesn’t touch the axle bolt. I pushed the airplane out yesterday and then pulled it back in after my flight, and it worked quite well. I was going to build some sort of an arrangement like on Dan’s tow bar to grab that extended axle bolt, and may still do that, but for now, the original setup is working for me.

Today I’m going to try it on an Aeronca Chief that’s in our chapter hangar to see how it works on a different airplane. Tom at Chore Warrior told me that the original power wheel borrow was designed to go slower in reverse, but on the Planespotter they made it so reverse was the same speed as forward. Also, as far as shipping damage goes, I found the plug on the end of my battery box was broken. Still works, but the heavy batteries slid around inside the box during shipping and bent the end of the thin sheet metal box and broke the plastic plug. They wanted to send me a new box, but straightening the thin sheet metal will take about 5 minutes, so I asked them to just send me a new plug/receptacle. My plastic top on the battery box isn’t damaged, but I’ll probably be making a more robust replacement for it. ……. maybe out of aluminum……. Because I have some….

 

[777Dave]

Anyone notice that the battery box hits the differential when installed? I have cable tied it up to allow some clearance.
Haven’t tested the Spotter yet because I’m waiting for a replacement tail wheel.
My shipment arrived quickly as well and the battery box pins were indeed sticking out of the box although I could see an attempt had been made to prevent this…apparently no damaged parts .

 

[jliltd]

Anyone notice that the battery box hits the differential when installed? I have cable tied it up to allow some clearance.
Haven’t tested the Spotter yet because I’m waiting for a replacement tail wheel.
My shipment arrived quickly as well and the battery box pins were indeed sticking out of the box although I could see an attempt had been made to prevent this…apparently no damaged parts .

The battery box can also be placed on the top deck aft where there is a metal bail. It was designed to have it placed there as an option. Puts more weight aft which helps reduce down force on the handles when picking up tailwheel. Easy access too.

 

[777Dave]

Yes, I did see that was an option. Kinda liked the idea that it was tucked underneath, out of the way.

 

[777Dave]

One more note on this topic… subsequent to delivery and assembly, I noticed that their website mentioned free delivery in the U.S. I had been charged $150 on checkout. It was refunded after I inquired. Impressed.

 

[Low Pass]

Just ordered one. $250 off with the discount code. Very pleased with no shipping and no tax at this point...

 

[jliltd]

I called Chore Warrior. Great customer support. For those concerned about free shipping the original batch of orders paid $150.00 flat rate shipping but the discount was greater. So if you got the $400 discount you then paid $150 shipping. So it's still the same deal for the same total price ($150 minus $400 = - $250 vs. a straight -$250). So don't call for a shipping refund if you got the $400 discount because they won't be able to do that since it's already built in to the original discount. You still can't touch any other power tug system out there for anywhere near the price.

They are sending me a new rim assembly because one of my wheels was damaged in shipping. They are looking into upgrading their shipping box to protect the Airplane Spotter as it doesn't have the advantage of the protective shell that ships with their legacy wheelbarrow units. They appreciate any feedback from their customers and this is one of the reasons they are providing the promotional pricing through Christmas is to get some units in the field to help them with feedback.

I like it. I will say it fits better if the aircraft owner has enough space behind the tail to fit something the size of a wheelbarrow. So there's an excuse to clean out the back of your hangar.

 

[Low Pass]

Update on my Plane Spotter experience. The item arrived in a timely fashion. Box completely intact and everything inside in new condition, minus the plastic cover on the controller power receptable. Assembly wasn't too bad. There's a YouTube video posted by the manufacturer that is very helpful. The written instructions are kind of marginal. One thing that might cause some confusion is the color coded dots on the pieces. Issue is that the Plane Spotter and the Chore Warrior are assembled differently - the axle is installed in reverse of the wheelbarrow. So there's one point where the colored dots are completely opposite of what you'd expect. Just watch the video.

Performance wise - it pulls my -8 very well. I have a slight uphill run (1:30) into the hangar and it *pulls* well. Pushing uphhill is a challenge. The tailwheel slipped off the attachment once. I paid closer attention afterward and managed to keep it moving OK. The attachment needs some type of tail wheel restraint when pushing. As for tricycle gear they are reportedly working on an attachment. I'll check their status on this today, but may end up just making an adapter that attaches my old "Cessna" style tow bar to the Plane Spotter. (Update - Chore Warrior said they'd have a solution for tricycle gear end of Feb 25).

 

[777Dave]

I’ve had a chance to experiment with my Spotter recently and I’m generally quite pleased with. Lots of power to push and pull, even when transiting my door tracks. The only issue at this point is that the tw slips off occasionally when I’m pushing and turning at the same time. I’d like to devise something to lock the tw in but that would make it more difficult to slide the tongue in and out….
For the time being, this is working

 

[Scott Hersha]

I’ve had a chance to experiment with my Spotter recently and I’m generally quite pleased with. Lots of power to push and pull, even when transiting my door tracks. The only issue at this point is that the tw slips off occasionally when I’m pushing and turning at the same time. I’d like to devise something to lock the tw in but that would make it more difficult to slide the tongue in and out….
For the time being, this is working

I had the same issue with mine, so I modified it to fit on my tailwheel extended axle bolt (from FlyBoys). It took me a couple tries to get what I wanted. I started with just using 3/4” plywood to capture the bolt, but then decided I wanted something made of metal. I started with steel, but couldn’t figure out how to carve it in the shape I wanted and then bend it to bolt directly onto the square steel tube on the plane spotter. I ended up with 1/8” thick aluminum and spacers made out of plywood. These are materials I had on hand. I patterned it after DanH’s homemade tow bar (the yellow one in the pics). I don’t know how to weld either…

Works great now. Very easy to position it and manipulate turns.

 

[rockwoodrv9]

Did anyone ever modify for a nose wheel plane?

 

[Scott Hersha]

I think they are working on that.

 

[777Dave]

update. My light has quit working. .