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How to load a hose reel cart

Updated: 22 October 2026

How to load a hose reel cart, on the empty models in this set, is the short piece between the tap and the axle, then a joint that stays dry, and only then the long wind. Peter F. used the Hozelock 2398 sheet, the Draper 25060 scope, and the review complaints on the ASINs in the [hose reel cart without hose comparison](/hub/garden-watering/hose-reel-cart-without-hose). This is not a filmed build. A qualifying purchase can earn us a commission at no extra cost to you. Fit the tap link before you wind the whole hose. Stop if water sprays from the hub.

How to load a hose reel cart, on the empty models in this set, is the short piece between the tap and the axle, then a joint that stays dry, and only then the long wind. Peter F.

Our top picks

Gardena Gardena CleverRoll M Easy 60 m

Best overall

Gardena Gardena CleverRoll M Easy 60 m
9.0/10about £79.99
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Hozelock Hozelock 2398 cart reel 60 m

Best value

Hozelock Hozelock 2398 cart reel 60 m
8.4/10about £49.21
View offer
Draper Draper 25060 hose reel cart 45 m

Alternative

Draper Draper 25060 hose reel cart 45 m
8.4/10about £31.99
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.Leader hose and drum hose
  2. 2.Axle, spring, and connectors
  3. 3.First water test
  4. 4.Rewind and put away

Leader hose and drum hose

The long hose lives on the drum. A shorter link stays between the outside tap and the cart. On the Hozelock 2398 sheet the inlet is marked 1.5 m. That mark belongs to that leaflet. Do not assume it on a CleverRoll or on the Draper 25060. If your only hose is already only just long enough, do not steal 1.5 m off it. If the remaining length may not fit, read hose reel cart capacity before you force the last turns on.

Axle, spring, and connectors

On the Hozelock 2398, people name the support spring and the internal connector. Follow that sheet rather than a guessed sequence. At least one UK review needed a second person. A Hozelock video title mentions springs and spindles. That video was not used as steps here. On the M Easy and L Easy, tool-free means no spanner in the title. Reviewers still call the paper poor. Hozelock fittings seat more willingly than other brands. A weep is a washer or a crossed thread, not a reason to crank tighter. The feature split is on the Gardena vs Hozelock hose cart page.
Gardena Gardena CleverRoll M Easy 60 m

Testsieger

Gardena Gardena CleverRoll M Easy 60 m
9.0/10about £79.99
View offer

First water test

Put only a little hose on the drum for the first test. Open the tap slowly and look at the axle. If water weeps, turn the tap off and reseat the washer. One CleverRoll S review describes a connector blown off under pressure. Do not force it back on while the tap is open. Stop and call a plumber if the outside tap is new, if you cannot find an isolator, if a check valve is seized, if you are about to grip a plastic thread with pliers, or if water still sprays from the hub after the washer is seated. Water Regs UK treats hose-union backflow as a tap fitting. A cart does not add that protection.

Rewind and put away

Rewind only after the inlet joint has stayed dry. If the cart has a hose guide, keep your hand on the crank and let the guide lay the layers. The guide still needs the hose on without twists. If there is no guide, as on the 2398 and the Draper, use your free hand and stop before the drum is packed solid. On the L Easy, one crank broke when the drum was wound tight. Before a frost, disconnect the cart and drain it. WaterSafe's note is that water left in a fitting is what splits it.

Common questions

What goes on the drum, and what stays between the tap and the cart?
The long hose you measured for the beds goes on the drum. A short link stays between the outside tap and the cart so the drum can stand away from the wall. The Hozelock 2398 sheet marks 1.5 m on the inlet side. That figure is for that sheet only. The Draper 25060 instructions used here do not give a leader length. If your hose is already only just long enough, keep a separate leader rather than cutting the watering length short.
Why do people mention a spring on the Hozelock 2398?
The support spring and the internal connector are the parts UK reviews get wrong from the picture sheet. The order on the 2398 leaflet matters, and clipped pieces fight you if the previous part is already home. At least one build needed a second person. Follow the 2398 sheet for that spring. This page does not replace the diagram with a guessed sequence.
Should I test for leaks before the hose is fully wound?
Yes. Connect the leader, put only a short length on the drum, and open the tap slowly. Look at the axle and the connectors before you commit the whole hose. A weep is easier to reach when the drum is almost empty. Winding fifty metres over a damp hub means unwinding fifty metres when the drip shows up on the patio.
What if the connector weeps?
Turn the tap off and let the pressure drop before you touch the fitting. Reseat the washer and check the thread is not crossed. On the 2398, reviewers report that Hozelock fittings seat more readily than other brands. If a connector has blown off under pressure, as in one CleverRoll S review, leave the tap shut and do not force it back on. Spraying from the hub after the washer is seated is a stop, not another turn of the crank.
When do I stop and call a plumber?
Stop when the fault is the tap or a thread you would damage, not the drum. That includes a new outside tap, no isolator, a seized check valve, or a plastic thread you are about to attack with pliers. Water spraying from the hub after the washer is seated belongs in the same stop. Backflow protection on a hose-union tap is a tap fitting under Water Regs UK. It is not something you add by choosing a different cart.

Related pages

Empty hose trolley buying guide

Hose reel cart without hose

Best hose reel cart without hose for a typical garden

Empty hose reel cart: thicker hose, fewer metres

Gardena vs Hozelock hose cart: guide or lower price

Sources

Public UK sources from the research digest, plus the amazon.co.uk prices, stars and review counts captured for these seven listings. Last reviewed 22 October 2026.

  1. Hozelock, 60 m hose cart (2398) (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  2. Gardena UK, hose trolleys (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  3. Gardena UK, CleverRoll L Easy Metal (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  4. Draper, garden hose reel cart 45 m (25060) (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  5. Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999 (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  6. Water Regs UK, hose union taps (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  7. WaterSafe, disconnect the hosepipe before winter (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  8. Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 22 (retrieved 21 October 2026)