Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 2: Making a simple car tire swing
• Method 2 of 2: Making a horizontal car tire swing
• Tips
• Warnings
• Necessities

If you'd like your kids to play outside more, try making it more fun outside. Hanging a car tire as a swing on a rope is a great way to give an old car tire a new lease of life while creating something fun that your kids can enjoy for years to come. All you need to make the perfect car tire swing is some tools and a little bit of knowledge, especially with your kids' safety in mind.

To step

Method 1 of 2: Making a simple car tire swing

1. Find an old car tire that is no longer used. Make sure the tire is relatively clean and still strong enough not to collapse under the weight of the people sitting in it.
   • In that respect, the bigger the car tire, the better.It is important that, even if the children need enough space to sit in the car tire, a very large tire will be very heavy and weigh too much for a standard tree branch. Use common sense for the optimal balance between the size and weight of the branch you choose.
2. Clean the car tire. Thoroughly clean your car tire with soapy water and a good cleaning agent, scrubbing the outside completely and rinsing the inside well. If you can get a dirty tire clean, it is perfectly suitable.
   • Use WD40 or a cleaning agent especially for car tires to remove stubborn dirt. People are going to sit on this tire, so the more grime you can get rid of, the better. Also make sure to remove any residue from the cleaning agent!
3. Find a suitable branch where you can hang the car tire. The tree branch itself should be thick and sturdy, with a minimum diameter of about 25 cm. Make sure the tree is large and healthy, with no weaknesses that could make the tree unstable. A single ash or oak is usually best.
   • The branch you choose will affect the length of the rope you will need. A good height for the branch on which a tire swing hangs is about 3 meters.
   • The branch should stick out far enough so that the tire can swing freely along the tree. While it is unwise to hang the tire swing from the end of a branch, you should also hang the swing no less than three feet from the trunk.
   • The higher the tree branch, the higher the tire swing will be able to swing. If you are making a tire swing for a very young child, it is therefore better to choose a branch that hangs slightly closer to the ground.
4. Purchase a rope. Buy about 15 meters of rope. This should be quality twine that will not fray or break with a weight.
   • There are several types of rope you can use for your car tire swing, such as heavy climbing ropes or ship's rope, but you can also use chains. A galvanized chain will last longer on a simple swing, but rope is easier to use, likely to do less damage to the tree branch, and easier for the kids to hold.
   • In addition to using quality twine, fraying can be prevented by applying a hose or sleeve along the length of the rope where fraying will occur first (where it comes into contact with the tree, tire and hands).
5. Drill a number of drainage holes in the tire. Because the swing is hanging outside all the time, rainwater will be collected in the car tire. To prevent this, drill 3 holes in the tire where the bottom should be.
   • Be careful while drilling the car tire. There may be metal strips on the inside that you can hit with the chuck. In any case, keep in mind that you can hit another layer while drilling.
6. Use a ladder to get to the branch. Make sure you position the ladder firmly so that you don't fall off. Asking someone to hold the ladder for you while you climb it is a wise precaution.
   • If you don't have a ladder, you will have to find another way to get the rope over the branch. Find a roll of duct tape or something similar in weight and tie it to the end of the rope. Then throw the duct tape over the branch, which will automatically pull the rope over the branch. If the rope is hanging over the branch, loosen the duct tape, or whatever you used for weight, from the rope.
7. Place the rope on the tree branch. Position the rope so that no knots or irregularities of the branch rub against it. You can also wrap the twine around the branch several times, just to make sure it doesn't slip.
   • If you bought covering for the rope, this part of the rope should be covered on both sides with material that prevents wear (where it rests on the branch).
8. Secure this end of the rope to the tree branch with a bowline or anchor stitch. (Do not use a square knot. The square button is intended as a button for providing first aid. If you pull on either end, this knot will come loose.) Make sure the button is secure. If you are unable to make the right knot, find someone who can.
   • If you have thrown the rope over the branch from the ground, you will first have to knot a slip stitch on the ground and then tighten it so that the rope is taut at the branch.
9. Tie the other end of the rope around what will be the top of the tire. Again, don't use an overhand knot to tie the rope to the top of the car tire.
   • Before making the knot, you will have to assess how high the car tire should hang. The car tire should not hit any obstacles on the ground and should hang high enough so that your child (ren's) legs don't drag on the ground, so it should be at least 30 cm above the ground. On the other hand, the strap should not hang so high that your child cannot sit in it. Make sure the tire is the right height before you tie it.
   • Don't forget to make sure the drainage holes are at the bottom of the tire, with the top then facing the holes.
10. Cut away any excess string. Tie the tail of the rope so that it doesn't accidentally get in the way or come loose.
11. If necessary, cultivate the ground under the swing. Sprinkle mulch or dig over the soil so that it softens when you land on it, or if the child jumps (or falls) off the swing.
12. Test the swing. Check that the tire is well positioned for rocking. Before you let others on the swing, you first test the construction yourself, with someone there in case something goes wrong. If all goes well, you and your kids can start rocking.

Method 2 of 2: Making a horizontal car tire swing

1. Find a car tire that you can use. It should be relatively clean and in a good enough condition so that the sides do not tear when weight is put on it.
   • You can choose any size for the tire you want to use, but keep in mind that a very large tire can weigh a lot. You need a lot of space if several children are going to sit in the car tire, but a very large tire weighs too much for an average tree branch.
2. Clean the car tire completely. Thoroughly clean your car tire with soapy water and a strong detergent, scrubbing the outside and inside completely.
   • You can also use tire cleaner to clean the tire.
3. Find a suitable branch on which to hang the tire swing. It should be thick and sturdy, about 25 cm in diameter and 2.7 meters from the ground.
   • Make sure you choose a large and healthy tree, and look for signs of whether the tree is unstable or dead inside.
   • Make sure the point where you attach the swing to the branch is far enough away from the trunk so that the swing doesn't bump into it. This means that you have to hang the swing at least one meter from the trunk.
   • The distance between the branch and the tire also determines how far the swing can swing. The longer the rope, the higher the swing will be able to reach, so choose a branch that hangs a bit lower if you're making a swing for a younger child.
4. Purchase all materials. You will need to purchase 3 "U-bolts" with 2 matching washers and nuts for each side of the bolt. In other words, you need four washers and four nuts for each U-bolt. In addition, you will need to purchase approximately 3 meters of rope, 6 meters of good quality galvanized chain, along with an "S" hook large enough to hook 3 rings of your chain over it.
   • This should be good quality rope that will not fray when a weight is attached. There are several types of rope you can use for a tire swing, such as heavy climbing rope or ship rope.
   • Instead of an S-hook you can also use a carabiner, connector link, or a safety swivel hook. These alternatives give you the option to detach the swing easily, but will cost you a little more money.
   • The chain does not have to be very heavy. When you purchase the chain, check that the weight that the chain can bear is in proportion to the chain you wanted. Make sure the chain is of a quality heavy enough to support a third of the weight of a few children. More than a third is not necessary, because you use 3 chains over which the total weight is divided.
   • Fraying of the rope can be prevented by putting a protective sleeve around it where it comes into contact with the tree.
5. Drill a few drainage holes in one side of the tire. This will be the bottom of the swing. The holes will ensure that rainwater does not collect in the tire, but is immediately drained.
   • Be careful while drilling the car tire. There may be metal strips on the inside that you need to drill through.
6. Place your ladder under the branch. Make sure the ladder is secure, on a solid surface.
   • If you have a friend or relative helping you, ask someone to hold the ladder.
7. Wrap the twine around the tree branch and tie the ends together. Wrap the twine around the branch several times before securing it with an overhand knot.
   • You will have to attach the S-hook to the rope at the bottom of the branch. Secure the hook to the rope so that the rope cannot slip off the hook.
   • Make sure the knot is secure. If you don't know how to tie the knot, ask someone else who can do it for you.
8. Cut the chain into 3 pieces, each of the same length. You will have to determine the length by deciding at what height the strap should hang. Measure down from the S-hook to where the top of the tire should be. This will be the length of each of the chain sections.
   • The car tire should be high enough so that a child can sit in it without dragging his or her legs on the ground, i.e. at least 12 inches off the ground. The belt should also not hang too high, to ensure that children can climb in and out by themselves.
9. Hook one end of the chain to the bottom of the S hook. Close the S-hook by clamping it with pliers so that none of the chain parts can fall off.
10. Pick a spot and drill holes for the U-bolts. Make sure they are equidistant around the top edge of the tire before drilling the holes for each end of the U-bolt in the sidewall of the tire.
    • Position the U-bolts so that they are close to the outer edge of the tire, along the circle of the tire, not across it. The outer edge of the sidewall is the strongest part and will keep the tire from deforming when it is hung up.
    • Remember, the drainage holes should be at the bottom, and the top of the tire should be opposite where the U-bolts will be attached.
11. Thread one of the U-bolts through the end of each chain section. Make sure that the chain does not twist at the top.
12. Fasten the U-bolts to the car tire. Have someone help you hold it up so you can tighten the U-bolts. Put a nut and washer around each side of the nut before inserting them through the holes on the inside of the tire. Then attach a washer and nut to the threads on the inside of the tire so that the sidewall of the tire is sandwiched between the two washers and nuts.
    • If you do this on your own, place the tire on something high enough to tighten the U-bolts. If the tire you have chosen is particularly heavy, this is probably a good idea anyway, with or without an assistant.
13. Check that the swing is in the right position before you start swinging. Test your handiwork with someone else who is watching, in case something goes wrong, before you let others onto the swing. If everything goes well, your children can start playing with it right away!

Tips

• Different types of tires such as car, truck or even tractor tires can be used to make tire swings.
• Periodically check your tire swing rope for wear. After being exposed to the elements for several seasons, the rope may need to be replaced.
• An alternative method of hanging a car tire swing is to use eye bolts and a swing chain. Hook the chain into the eyebolts after attaching them to the branch and tire. When using this method, you should periodically check the eyebolt connections to the branch and band to make sure they are still tight.
• Instead of using a regular tire, you can also make a swing with something else. For example, you can use a chair without the legs, or cut a car tire into a different shape to make it easier for you to sit in it.
• Decorate the tire swing with paint. If you paint the entire exterior with paint that can take a beating, your swing will be more attractive with the added benefit of keeping clothes cleaner because they no longer come into contact with the old tire (no matter how well you cleaned it).

Warnings

• Tell anyone using the swing not to step on it, but to go to sit; standing while swinging with a tire swing is dangerous.
• Indicate that there is a limit to the number of people who can sit on the car tire at the same time, at most 1 or 2. The strength of the tree branch is limited.
• Do not use a car tire with steel straps on the inside to make a car tire swing. They can shoot through the rubber while swinging and cause injuries to the children.
• Do not leave children alone on the swing to make sure they handle it properly.
• A tire swing can injure swingers and those who push. Tell all swingers and pushers to be careful and not push the swing too hard.

Necessities

• A car tire, size of your choice (ask at a garage, tire store, etc. for tires that are no longer in use or are cheap)
• 15 meters of good quality rope
• Power drill
• Plastic hose
• Scissors
• Duct tape (optional, you can use this to make the knots even stronger)
• Instructions for making an overhand knot
• Ladder
• Spade and mulch
• A suitable tree that is strong enough