| How to Make a Tire Swing Aug 22nd 2012, 20:00 Hanging up a tire swing is a tradition dating back almost to the invention of the tire. It's a fantastic way to recycle an unwanted old tire and to make something fun for your kids, or even for the local kids if you can hang it somewhere safe (and permitted). Here is how to hang a tire swing. - Find a suitable old, unwanted tire. The bigger the tire, the better but just be sure it's still in good enough condition to bear the weight of people and not split.
- Clean the tire. Use detergent and water to wash the tire and rub off dirt, grease, etc. Use WD40 or similar to remove stubborn grease spots. People will be sitting on this tire, so the more gunk you remove, the better.
- Find a suitable tree for hanging the tire from. This will impact the length of rope you'll need. Good dimensions for a tire swing are about 9 feet (2.7 meters) from the solid tree branch to the ground. The tree branch itself should be thick and sturdy, around 10 inches (25cm) minimum.
- Purchase the rope. Obtain about 50 feet (15.2 meters) of rope. It should be quality rope that won't fray or break when weight is applied to it.
- As well as quality rope, fraying can be prevented by the application of tubing down the length of the rope where fraying is most likely (wherever it comes into contact with the tree, the tire, and hands).
- Drill some drainage holes into the tire. Since this will be left in the rain, water will accumulate. To make the release of any accumulated water easy, drill three holes in the tire at what will become its base.
- Use a ladder to get up the branch. Be sure to position the ladder safely so that you don't topple off it––having a friend hold it steady as you climb is a wise precaution.
- Place the rope over the tree branch. This part of the rope should have anti-fray tubing at either side of it (where it rests on the branch).
- Secure this end of the rope to the tree branch using a square knot. Make sure that the knot is solid; if you can't do one, have someone who can do so fix this part.
- Tie the other end of the rope around the top part of the tire. Keeping the drainage holes at the bottom, the top of the tire becomes the opposite side to the holes. Again, use a square knot to secure the rope around the top of the tire.
- Trim off any excess rope. Check that the swing is sitting well for swinging.
- Hang the tire about a foot (30.5cm) off the ground, or more; this is to make sure that you don't kick the ground when swinging.
- Fix the ground beneath the swing. Add mulch or dig over the ground to make it a softer surface for landing when jumping (or falling) off the tire swing.
- Test the swing. Before allowing others on the swing, test your handiwork with a spotter nearby in case anything goes wrong. If it works well, you're good to go.
- Different types of tires, such as car, truck or even tractor tires can be used for making tire swings.
- The higher the tree branch, the higher the tire swing will take its occupant when swinging. Therefore, if you are learning how to make a tire swing for a small child, chose a branch that is lower to the ground.
- An alternative method for hanging a tire swing is to use eye bolts and playground chain. Hook the chain onto the eye bolts after securing them into the branch and tire. If you chose this method, you must be sure to check the eye bolt connections in the branch and tire frequently to be sure they remain secure.
- Check the rope of your tire swing periodically for wear and tear. After several seasons in the elements, the rope might need to be replaced.
Edit Warnings - Tell anyone using the swing that they must sit on it and not stand; standing is dangerous when swinging on a tire swing.
- Tell all swing users not to stand behind another person when that person is swinging.
- Limit the amount of people on the tire to one or two at most at a time. The tree branch only has so much strength.
- Don't use a tire with steel belts inside when making a tire swing. They can pop through the rubber and cause injury to children while swinging.
- Never use tires that are covered in dirt or oil when making tire swings. This can cause the riders to get filthy. Give tires a good wash down with heavy duty detergent first; if a dirty one cleans up well, then it should be okay.
- Supervise children when they are using the tire swing to be sure they are using it properly.
Edit Things You'll Need - One tire, your choice of size (ask for unwanted/cheap tires from mechanics' garages, tire stores, etc.)
- 50 feet (15.2 meters) of quality rope
- Drill
- Plastic tubing
- Scissors
- Duct tape (optional, you can use this to tape the knots for strength)
- Square knot instructions
- Ladder
- Spade and mulch
- Suitable strong tree
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