Broken wheel on suitcase

Malcolm

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Sep 2, 2013, 6:42:05 PM9/2/13

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During our recent holiday a dash along a railway platform resulted in a
jammed suitcase wheel having a massive flat spot on it (SWMBO pulling
the case so the problem was not diagnosed immediately, only that the
case was 'hard to pull')

Case was bought from M&S a few years ago but no help from there.

Anyone with any experience of this problem?

The wheel is in a unit which fits into the corner of the case. I can
try to post some pics if that would help

Malcolm
(long time luker who values the expertise on this group)

harryagain

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Sep 3, 2013, 2:42:36 AM9/3/13

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"Malcolm" <race_...@outlook.com> wrote in message
news:l03481$me$1...@dont-email.me...

IME you will be lucky to find a new wheel that is just right.
I have built up the"flat "with layers of areldite in the past.
Trouble is, it doesn't stick well to some plastics.

fred

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Sep 3, 2013, 3:30:27 AM9/3/13

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If it was possible to take the wheel off its axis you might find someone with a lathe who would turn one for you from a material of your choice.

Or perhaps if you found some plastic pipe with the same internal diameter as the external diameter of your wheel you might be able to fashion two 'tyres' to slip over both wheels.

I once saw a ride-on mower with a wooden wheel on it

Part Timer

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Sep 6, 2013, 9:54:38 AM9/6/13

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Pics might help. I have an Antler soft (as in collapsible) bag with two
wheels at one end. They look remarkably like roller blade wheels
(rubbery) and it looks like a simple job with an allen key to remove
them from their units. It doesn't get enough use to have worn them out
yet, and it's anyone's guess whether the bag would be in a fit state to
take replacements by that stage anyway.

Mathew Newton

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Sep 6, 2013, 3:52:47 PM9/6/13

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On Monday, 2 September 2013 23:42:05 UTC+1, Malcolm wrote:

> Anyone with any experience of this problem?

I've replaced several in the past. They're normally just standard rollerblade wheels. Take some measurements and look on the likes of eBay. There are websites set up for cabin crew that sell them but usually at seemingly inflated prices for the same thing.

Access to the wheel carrier fastenings is usually behind the interior fabric but this usually zips out so no need to cut anything. A couple of carriers have been held on with rivets so I've ended up having to drill them out and replacing with bolts.

Mathew

Jim K

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Sep 6, 2013, 4:48:45 PM9/6/13

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after stashing the 3 kgs of "vim" in the lining ;>)
wink wink....

Jim K

Lobster

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Sep 7, 2013, 8:52:53 AM9/7/13

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Mathew Newton <mathewja...@googlemail.com> wrote in
news:b8130a7e-03c7-4102...@googlegroups.com:

I have been officially *banned* from repairing suitcases here.

A couple of years ago we had a wheelie case in which one of the metal
struts around the outside (ie, inside the case but behind the lining) had
been snapped by evidently being stoved in by a baggage handler. I repaired
this pretty effectively and simply (I thought) by 'splinting' the broken
struct with a length of wood, holding it in place with cable ties. Solid
as a rock, apparently.

Disaster struck however - the very next time we flew, we happened to pack a
3-litre red winebox in this case. When it appeared on the baggage carousel
at our destination, the case was obviously sitting in a puddle. Oh Christ,
I thought... turns out that one of my cable ties had managed to rotate
around the strut such that the cut end of the cable tie was poking into the
case, and had somehow punctured the winebox. Most of the contents of the
case were duly trashed (never mind the embarrassment in the baggage reclaim
hall). Not a great start to the holiday.

Anyway; just about got away with that one; however this year I repaired
another wheelie case in which the handle assembly was pulling away from the
body of the case. This one was borrowed by No. 1 Daughter this summer, who
went off with friends. She maintains that when her luggage appeared on the
carousel it was completely demolished and the only thing preventing her
stuff from being strewn around the airport was the flimsy zipped lining of
the case. She therefore 'had' to throw it out and buy a new one to return
home with (guess who got to pay for that), so I never got to inspect the
evidence; however despite the fact that I strongly suspect filial foul play
(I reckon she didn't lock the handle away or something) and that it wasn't
my repair which failed, needless to say my reputation as Family Suitcase
Repairer is now shattered. :(

--
David