3-Inch Caster Falling Apart

[Matanuska]

Happened to me in Dallas too, several years ago. Ordered replacements from SS and haven’t had any problems since. Must have been a bad batch.

[roy_okc]

I recently had one of the casters on a rolling cart suddenly come apart. The cart didn't get moved all that often and the weight was far under the casters' rating, but it has sat in hot sheds and garage for its life. As I recall, I bought them, from Woodcraft, and put them on around a dozen years ago. I guess polyurethane casters have a finite lifespan.

[roy_okc]

Update on above post... A couple days ago I replaced the casters on the cart, using some 5" that I had bought but ended up not needing for another purpose. Not one, two, or even three casters had gone bad, but all four. Three had the urethane over an internal different material "rim" completely come apart and most of the pieces fall off. The fourth had numerous cracks and a few missing pieces but hadn't yet fully come off. I'm not sure what led to their demise, especially at the same time, best guess is heat or cold. These were not cheap casters, at least not at the cash register; I think at that time they were $25 each, I might have got them on sale for $20 each. The replacements were bought off Amazon for $30 for the set of four. Remind me in another dozen years and I'll let you know if they held up that long, LOL.

[Thompson]

Will the top of the Wheel rub on the Caster Assembly?

[chapmanruss]

Thompson,

Welcome to the Shopsmith Forum.

You asked,

Will the top of the Wheel rub on the Caster Assembly?

which I am guessing you are wondering about my previous comment. Not all Retractable Caster sets made for the Mark 5/V models in the past are the same. When changing from the original 2" Wheels to the 3" Wheels there is an issue with the earlier Retractable Castor sets. Below is an example of the earlier sets where the Foot Pedal is closer to the End Bracket. The 3" Wheels hit the Foot Pedal when swiveled around to change rolling directions.

_

Retractable Casters - Mark 5 Greenie.jpg (196.2 KiB) Viewed 652 times

.
Later the Foot Pedal was moved farther away from the End Bracket and no longer interferes with the 3" Wheels.

_

Retractable Casters - Mark V Gray.jpg (509.26 KiB) Viewed 652 times

.
When changing from the original 2" Wheels to the 3" Wheels on the earlier Retractable Castor Sets some have trimmed the Foot Pedal so it no longer interferes with the 3" Wheels.

Those 3" Wheels are different in their construction than the 2" Wheels. Note the wheel position in relationship to the post between the two sizes. The 3" Wheels have more of an offset. The 3" Wheels use a compression ring (In the red circles) to hold them in place the same as the 2" Wheels.

_

premium_caster_set.jpg (77.09 KiB) Viewed 652 times

.

I hope this answers your question. If not correct me as to what you are referring to. Always happy to help.