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Spider dolly wheel replacement

  • 1.  Spider dolly wheel replacement

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 10-30-2025 15:57

    One of the wheels on a spider dolly disintegrated while the piano was being moved as shown in the attached picture.  The piano is on stage at a local university and they have asked me to put in one replacement wheel.  Can anyone advise on the best way to lift this side of the piano so that I can get the new wheel in?  I am wondering if a floor jack would work to lift since it only needs to be lifted a couple of inches.  Or maybe someone has a better idea.  I would greatly appreciate any help.  Thanks a bunch. 



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    Dylan Weiss RPT
    Greenville NC
    (434) 589-1167
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  • 2.  RE: Spider dolly wheel replacement

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 10-30-2025 19:11

    Dylan,

    I would think one of those automotive type hydraulic floor jacks (lever type) should fit under there. If not, I saw a "low profile" style on Amazon that probably would.

    Just thinking...if this wheel is toast, doesn't that imply that the others are not far behind?

    Peter Grey Piano Doctor 



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    Peter Grey
    Stratham NH
    (603) 686-2395
    pianodoctor57@gmail.com
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  • 3.  RE: Spider dolly wheel replacement

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 11-01-2025 11:35

    This worked great. Thank you!



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    Dylan Weiss RPT
    Greenville NC
    (434) 589-1167
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    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Spider dolly wheel replacement

    Posted 11-02-2025 11:23
    I recently did this job using a regular
    X type car jack from my car! I have small
    square 2x4 blocks to place under the leg
    part of the dolly. Works just fine! 

    I discovered that one wheel was totally
    breaking apart. Upon further inspection
    I saw a crack in each of the other 2 wheels.
    So all three needed replacing. I would look
    for a line or crack in the other wheels. Whatever the material these are made of, they
    don't last like you'd hope they would. I got
    my replacements from Schaff, if that helps explain it. Colson has an online store and
    you can order from them as well. There appear to be 2 types of wheel material. I've had to replace both types. One type delaminates differently than the other which cracks and crumbles. Is this planned failure?

    Glad you found a solution.

    --
     Richard Adkins 
     Keyboard Tuning and Maintenance
     Curator of Instruments 
             
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    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: Spider dolly wheel replacement

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 11-01-2025 13:35

    Harbor Freight has low profile high lift automotive jacks. You may want Hamilton or Faultless casters. Pricey but worth it.



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    Parker Leigh RPT
    Winchester VA
    (540) 722-3865
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    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: Spider dolly wheel replacement

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 10-30-2025 19:17
    We just did this on a 9' spider dolly at the university. Used a car jack as suggested. We only had to raise the arm of the dolly about 1 1/2 inches to replace the caster. We did do all 3. 
    This was especially necessary as the new casters (Schaff heavy duty) were much higher quality and slightly larger diameter.
    Nancy Salmon RPT





  • 7.  RE: Spider dolly wheel replacement

    Posted 10-30-2025 19:30

    If it was me i would just lift the leg and slide a 2x4 (or a couple books) under the low part with my foot. Just got to get weight off the wheel is all.

    -chris



    ------------------------------
    On the page, it looked....nothing.
    The beginning, simple, almost comic.
    Just a pulse - bassoons, basset horns, like a rusty squeezebox. And then suddenly, high above it..an oboe, hanging there unwavering, until a clarinet sweetened it into a phrase of such delight.
    This was no composition by a performing monkey!!

    865-986-7720 (text only please)
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 8.  RE: Spider dolly wheel replacement

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 10-30-2025 21:14

    Yes, one could simply lever it up with a 6' 2x4 and stick another one under to hold it up. Simple solution if Jack can't jack.

    Peter Grey Piano Doctor 



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    Peter Grey
    Stratham NH
    (603) 686-2395
    pianodoctor57@gmail.com
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    Original Message


  • 9.  RE: Spider dolly wheel replacement

    Member
    Posted 10-31-2025 11:19
    I make a lever using an old pin block. Thanks Archimedies. Check casterdepot.com for replacements

    Sent from my iPhone




  • 10.  RE: Spider dolly wheel replacement

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 10-31-2025 12:51
    Put blocks of 2x4 directly under the piano leg portion of the dolly on the other two legs. Use a scissor jack placed on top of that sturdy Hidrau bench near that leg under the key bed. Protect the underside of key bed with scrap wood or another 2x4. Replace all three wheels, or the entire caster.

    The two by fours under the dolly for the casters that you’re not working on will prevent the Dolly from springing up or the casters rolling while the piano is lifted with the jack.


    Joe Wiencek
    NYC




  • 11.  RE: Spider dolly wheel replacement

    Posted 11-02-2025 23:11

    Instead of the "jack in the box", I have a simple bottle jack from Harbor Freight with an appropriate length of 4x4 to lift grand pianos. With a dolly, when one corner of the piano is lifted, that corner of the dolly will rise unless chocks are placed under the other two wings. So for your purpose, just raising one corner will lift enough to allow for removal of either the wheel or the whole assembly for replacement. Schaff has either the 1 1/2" or a wider 2" replacement castor assembly available. It's a pretty quick job. If one wheel is bad, I'd bet on the other two not being far behind!

    Ron Koval



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    Ron Koval
    CHICAGO IL
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