Having trouble coming up with the money to buy a metal/steel sled offered by many retailers in the fitness industry these days? Need something to take your leg development to a new level? Looking to improve your conditioning? Well I have a very inexpensive way to build a good quality sled that will help you achieve all of the goals listed above!

To build this sled, you will need to a few items that you may even have lying around your garage or hanging out in your basement under some laundry.


You will need:

• A car or tractor trailer tire (the bigger, the better IMO)
• An eye hook/ carriage bolt
• Some washers
• 1 nut

Tools needed:

• 1/2″ drill (preferably corded)
• drill bit

This is all you need to make this functional piece of equipment!

First, you want to start by selecting the right tire. I for one like a heavy tire that keeps me from having to add weight (I have two different tire sleds. One is for warming up and one is for working sets) and go through the process of trying to add weight to the sled. You will need to be able to secure the tire in place so it doesn’t roll around on you so I would suggest having a buddy there to hold that sucker in place.

After that, drill your hole. Try to find the center between the top and the bottom of the tire; I try my best to find the middle because no one honestly wants a tire sled looking more ghetto than it already is. One important factor that you must consider… Do not make the hole too big or the eye hook will shift and move around too much… I suggest having the eye hook with you when deciding what size drill bit to use so you don’t wind up going overboard. Once you are done drilling, you will now ‘thread‘ your eyehook through the hole in the tire; slide one washer on before you insert the eyehook and slid the other on before you thread on the nut.

That’s it! You have done it! Your tire sled is now complete and all you must do now is decide what handle to attach and which type of rope or strap you will use to bring it all together! As far as handles go, I would suggest a simple straight bar handle sold at your local gym outfitter; if you are still looking for the cheap way out, just use some pipe with a hole in it. Since I am a grip fanatic, using a 2 or 3 pipe would be best. Wooden dowels would be ok to use but if you go to heavy (like I do) with one wrong move, your new sled handle will splinter and snap in two.

Here’s one I made earlier :


Good Luck and I wish you all the best on your fitness journey!