How to Make a Hose Reel Out of a Tire Rim

On this page (8 sections)

1. What do you need to make a hose reel from a tire rim?
2. How do you clean and prepare the rim?
3. How do you mount a tire rim so it spins?
4. How do you wrap the hose and stop it kinking?
5. How do you connect the hose to a homemade rim reel?
6. How do you keep the hose clean and the reel working?
7. When is a store-bought reel the better choice?
8. Which route should you take for hose storage?

To make a hose reel out of a tire rim, clean and degrease a steel rim, drill or cut a center hole for an axle bolt, and mount it so the rim spins freely on a wall bracket or a post stand. Wrap the hose around the rim barrel and fit a swivel or leader hose at the end so you can connect and drain it.

This is a cheap repurposing build. A spare rim costs little or nothing, and the rest of the parts are hardware-store items.

The work is mostly cleaning, drilling and mounting, not fine woodworking.

What do you need to make a hose reel from a tire rim?

You need one steel tire rim, an axle bolt and nut, a mounting bracket or post, a swivel fitting and basic hand tools. A leader hose and a spray nozzle finish the job.

Gather the rim first. A 14 to 16 inch steel rim with a straight barrel works well, and a rim that still holds air is less likely to be cracked.

Avoid rims with bent flanges, deep rust or a damaged bead seat.

For the axle, a length of 1/2 inch threaded rod or a long bolt works. Add washers and a lock nut so the rim spins without working loose.

You also want a drill with metal bits, a wrench set, degreaser, a wire brush and spray paint for the rim.

The parts list in plain terms

• Steel tire rim, cleaned and painted
• 1/2 inch threaded rod or axle bolt, with nuts and washers
• Wall bracket or a 4x4 post and post anchor
• 1/2 inch NPT swivel fitting with a garden hose thread adapter
• Short leader hose and a spray nozzle
• Drill, metal bits, wrenches, degreaser, wire brush, paint

Skip a rim that is too wide or too narrow for your hose length. Measure first so you don't build a reel that overflows.

How do you clean and prepare the rim?

Strip grease, brake dust and loose rust before you drill or paint, because a dirty rim is hard to handle and paint won't stick. Clean metal also makes the build safer when you cut or drill.

Scrub the rim with a degreaser and a stiff brush. Rinse it and let it dry fully in the sun.

Use a wire brush or a sanding pad on rust spots, then wipe the dust off with a clean rag.

Check the rim for cracks, especially around the bolt holes and the bead seat. A cracked rim can fail under the weight of a full hose, so set it aside and find another one.

Paint the rim with a rust-resistant spray if you want it to last outdoors. Two thin coats beat one heavy coat, and let each coat dry before the next.

A painted rim is also easier to keep clean around the garden.

How do you mount a tire rim so it spins?

Bolt the rim to a bracket or post through its center hole, with the axle as the pivot, so the rim turns like a wheel. The mount must carry the weight without wobbling.

Wall mount

Drill a center hole through the rim if it doesn't already have one large enough for your axle. A step bit makes a clean hole in steel.

Fit the axle through the rim, then through a metal wall bracket, and tighten a lock nut so the rim spins but doesn't wobble. Fix the bracket to a wall stud or a masonry anchor.

A rim full of hose is heavy, so never hang it from drywall alone. Check the load rating of your anchors and the bracket before you trust them.

Post stand

Set a 4x4 post in the ground with concrete or a post anchor and let it cure. Bolt the bracket to the post at a height that keeps the hose off the ground.

This option suits a reel that sits near a garden bed rather than against a house.

Either way, leave a little clearance behind the rim so the hose doesn't rub the wall or post as it turns. A few inches is enough.

Test the spin by hand before you wrap any hose.

How do you wrap the hose and stop it kinking?

Wind the hose in wide, even loops around the rim barrel and keep light tension, which stops it from crossing itself and kinking. Feed it by hand rather than pulling it fast.

Start with the male end at the swivel and work outward. Lay each loop next to the last one and press it down gently as you go.

If the hose starts to twist, stop and let it straighten before you continue.

Our guide to how to roll hose on hose reel covers the winding motion in more detail. The same method works on a rim.

Fit a guide near the rim if the hose wanders. A short length of pipe bolted to the bracket, or a plastic ring, keeps the hose centered.

A hose reel with hose guide does the same job on a store-bought unit, and the idea is easy to copy on a rim. Drain the hose before you store it.

A full hose adds weight and water can freeze inside the coil in winter.

How do you connect the hose to a homemade rim reel?

Use a swivel fitting at the rim center so the hose end can turn with the rim without twisting the connection. A fixed connection will kink and leak as the rim spins.

Most garden setups use 1/2 inch NPT threads with a 3/4 inch garden hose adapter. A 90 degree swivel gives you a clean run to the spigot.

Grease the fitting now and then so it keeps turning.

The Awesir swivel is built for this kind of job. It has 1/2 inch female NPT inlet and outlet threads and a ball-bearing 90 degree swivel that lets the hose turn without kinks.

Awesir rates it to 5000 PSI and includes a grease fitting for maintenance.

Its nickel-plated steel suits water and mild corrosives. Awesir says it fits several steel hose reel brands, so match the thread size to your rim build before you order.

How do you keep the hose clean and the reel working?

Rinse the hose, drain it and store the rim reel under cover so dirt and sun don't wear the hose. A quick wipe of the rim keeps grit out of the coil.

Pull the hose out straight when you use it, and wind it back in loose loops. Don't drag the hose over sharp edges or leave it lying in mud.

A dirty hose wears faster and is harder to coil.

Check the axle and swivel each season. Tighten a loose lock nut and add grease to the swivel fitting.

Repaint any rust spots on the rim before they spread.

In winter, bring the hose indoors if you can. A frozen coil can split, and the rim itself holds water in the bead area.

Drain both before the first hard frost.

When is a store-bought reel the better choice?

Buy a reel when you want a wall mount, a swivel and a hose in one box without drilling a rim. A rim build is cheap and satisfying, but it takes time and a few metalworking steps.

If your wall space is tight or you want the hose off the ground, the Giraffe Tools wall reel mounts in minutes with a 180 degree swivel bracket and an auto rewind system. It holds a 130 ft retractable 1/2 inch hybrid hose with a 5 ft lead.

The dual anchor bracket gives a stronger hold than a single point. Giraffe Tools backs it with a 2 year warranty, and the maker says not to store it outdoors in freezing weather.

For a decorative wall reel with a shelf for tools and nozzles, the Liberty Garden 704 is cast aluminum with brass fittings and holds 125 ft of 5/8 inch hose. It arrives fully assembled.

Mounting hardware isn't included with the Liberty Garden reel, so plan for that. For long hoses and big yards, compare a heavy duty hose reel cart or a hose reel cart with wheels before you decide.

Which route should you take for hose storage?

Making a hose reel out of a tire rim is worth it if you have a spare rim, a drill and a wall or post to mount it on. The build costs little beyond hardware, and the result holds a typical garden hose without fuss.

Pick the rim build for a low-cost, custom reel near a garden bed. Pick the Giraffe Tools wall reel if you want auto rewind and a hose included.

Pick the Liberty Garden 704 for a cast aluminum wall reel with a shelf. Pick the Awesir swivel if you build your own and need a fitting that turns without kinking.

Whichever route you choose, keep the hose drained, wound in loose loops and off the ground. That one habit does more for hose life than any reel design.

Frequently asked questions

Can you use any tire rim to make a hose reel?

Use a steel rim that still holds air and has no cracks or bent flanges. Aluminum rims can work too, but they are softer and harder to drill cleanly.

Skip rims with deep rust, splits or damaged bead seats.

How do you attach a tire rim to a wall?

Bolt a metal bracket to the rim center and fix the bracket to a stud or a 4x4 post set in the ground. The bracket must let the rim turn without wobbling.

A post stand is the safer choice for a heavy rim.

What size hose fits on a tire rim reel?

A typical car rim holds roughly 50 to 75 ft of 5/8 inch hose. Smaller rims hold less, and wide rims hold more.

Measure the rim width and the barrel diameter before you wrap a long hose around it.

How do you stop the hose from kinking on a rim reel?

Wrap the hose in wide loops and keep light tension as you wind it. Feed the hose by hand rather than pulling it fast around the rim.

A guide ring or a short length of pipe bolted near the rim helps keep the hose centered.

Do you need a swivel fitting on a homemade rim reel?

Yes, a swivel fitting lets the hose end turn with the rim so the connection does not twist and leak. A 90 degree swivel with 1/2 inch NPT threads fits most garden hose setups.

Grease the fitting now and then to keep it moving.