I just wanted to share what I have done with Mcallister dolly. In fact I own two now.
I have spent most of my career on a Fisher or Chapman dolly. I was given a McAllister chassis from a key grip friend of mine about ten years ago, but it had no arm. I figured that because it's steering was In good shape and I know how to build things in my garage, I'd someday build an arm for it...
Fast forward about eight years... Well that dolly sat in my garage all that time and I never did anything with it. In the meantime I semi retired from the "rat race" of features and episodic TV and moved to a small community just outside of Sacramento CA. I now produce corporate films local TV spots etc. I invested in a Jimmy Jib package 25' height. Well all of a sudden that McAllister dolly was going to come in very handy because I wanted to use it as my platform for my jib; it's perfect for that.
The problem is that, for one, the dolly is too wide to fit through most doorways. So, I had to get out the cutter and modified the chassis from 33" down to 29" in width. Two the wheels were in bad shape and, like you, was tyring to find substitute wheels. the spindle was some odd diameter and couldn't find anything that would fit. Finlay I removed the spindles and took them to someone that had a lathe and had them turned to a common 5/8" diameter. I settled on a 10" grey wheel by Richmond. They are a semi soft solid rubber that will never need to be inflated and because they're grey, I don't have to worry about scuffing up some ones floor.
Now fast forward another two years. I'm doing a job for a local production company and out in there warehouse what do I see buried in a corner? yes another McAllister dolly with the arm in it this time. I quickly made them an offer and because it was old junk to them, I got it pretty cheep. I have done the same thing to this chassis, Reducing the width to 29", having the spindles turned to 5/8" and getting another set of my grey wheels. The only other modification I am making is to the hydraulic system. As it stands, the control valve is on the left and I need it on the right so I have had to flip flop the whole hydro system. I have just finished this process and charged up the system for the first time yesterday and it works great. I am waiting to get my spindles back this next week. I am coating the outside panels with that Rino lining so it will look cool and have a rubbery finish as not to scrape things. I'll use those skateboard wheels on aluminum channel to put it on track when I need to.
This has been a long project but when I'm done , this Mcallister will , in my opinion, be as good as a Fisher 9 or the Chapman Hustler.
If anyone has information on the history of these fine dollys please let me know. I would like to find out what years they were in service in Hollywood, anything tecnial etc.
bret@filmtoys.tv