I recently picked up a tru temper steel tray wheelbarrow at my last trip to the dump. It was missing the tire, rim and shaft but otherwise in great shape. After buying a tire and shaft for 35 bucks, I found the wheelbarrow was on sale for 38 bucks!

On your barrow, is there any reason you couldn't buy some 1X6 treated lumber and make a flatbed model for hauling bulky stuff?

{{gwi:310279}}

Well I was off to Ace Hardware to see if they would truly be the "Helpful hardware place." The first guy looked around but came up empty handed. The next guy was a nice young teenager, who turned out to be the most helpful and considerate. He found the tray and proceeded to the cashier to see if they could indeed sell it to me. They had the trays, but "couldn't sell them separately". I pressed them on this as nonsense and finally the cashier relented and said she would "return the old wheelbarrow and give us a replacement". Great I thought... until some other guy said "Why are you doing that? It's not our fault it broke. That's not our product." So now cashier has second thoughts and calls another store's manager. Denied.

So here I am with a pile of True Temper crap purchased from Ace Hardware losers. Ace won't help their customer and claims True Temper won't send them a tray alone. Somehow this all seems like bull caca. I mean do they really expect me to believe that there has never been a set of wheelbarrow hardware parts missing a tub in the shipment? What happens then? Do they through away the hardware because it is "impossible" to get a tray delivered to the store?

Stay tuned... I'm planning on speaking with the regional manager next. We'll see if Ace Hardware stands up for customer service or tells me to take my business elsewhere.

I wonder... is what I'm asking for really out of line? Why am I so worked up over this. By the way, to purchase the tray by way of buying the whole thing again... $104 + tax. Ouch.