How To Repair Leaking Suncast Hose Reel

After 2 years my Suncast Side Tracker hose reel leaked badly.

About seven years agone I purchased a Suncast Side Tracker STA100 hose reel. For the get-go 2 years information technology worked wonderfully and leak free. Since then it'southward leaked similar crazy, showering the wall and wasting lots of water. Clearly something needed to be stock-still. Here's how I fixed it.

I don't really use my hose reel also often. Subsequently all, being in Toronto, Canada, garden hoses are actually only used in the summer, especially when the kids want to absurd off by running in the sprinkler. In the fall, earlier winter returns, I take the hose reel off the wall and store the reel and hose in the garage.

Though no i else really notices, wasting water annoys be. Hither in Toronto, all h2o that comes out of the tap is drinkable, pregnant that information technology has been filtered, cleaned, disinfected, and fluoridated. To simply waste water is to waste matter all the free energy and technology used to brand it condom to drink.

So it took me 5 more than years to get effectually to fixing it. Yeah, afterwards a couple of years I did brainstorm to enquiry what could be wrong, but really a hose reel is not high on my priority list. Of course, all the retailers that sell Suncast products do not sell their parts. As a client y'all buy, and if annihilation breaks, you bargain with the manufacturer. My search begins.

Going to the Suncast site I observe that the Side Tracker model has been discontinued, though parts are still available in a well hidden cranny of their site. Clearly maintenance is non a priority for them either. I suppose they look people to throw their leaky hose reel out and buy a new one. Do I really want Chinese workers to pump me out yet another one and pay $30CAD, when my hose reel leaks? No, that is non the reply equally I will non waste the world'due south resources in such a frivolous manner.

Parts Diagram of the Suncast Side Tracker STA100 hose reel

Subsequently finding the parts diagram for my hose reel, information technology was clear that two o-rings needed replacing: role #11 "O-ring For In-tube #209, 260040" and part #12 "O-ring For In-tube #208 0260029". Why there are ii differently numbered o-rings I do not know, every bit they are the same dimensions.

Suncast will sell me these ii o-rings, one costing $0.10US, the other costing $0.96US, and charge me $0.39US for shipping and $two.50US for treatment, for a yard total of $iii.95US. All for two o-rings.

So I scoured the internet and some documentation said that I could find these o-ring locally at "better plumbing and auto parts stores". Afterward visiting 3 local plumbing stores they all said the same matter: Information technology's cheaper to spend the $3.95US on the internet and don't bother looking locally. Thankfully the Pickering Partsource store had what I was looking for: two o-rings with dimensions 5/8″ ID 7/8″ OD 1/8″ thick, in black, $0.51CAD each.

With a minor screwdriver and some care I mounted them onto my reel, and added some automotive axle grease. In under a infinitesimal, Voila! My leaky Suncast is cured for at least another 2 years. At least this time I know where to go replacement o-rings locally.

Is information technology not possible to repair products that break or vesture out? Do we always have to throw out broken products and buy new? Certainly Suncast should know that the simply wearable items in their hose reel were these two o-rings, and that they'd leak after a couple of years. Putting the dimensions of the o-rings into the instructions would accept been a improve customer service initiative, rather than aircraft 2 rubber o-band over international borders. While I capeesh the power of the internet, sometimes fixing locally beats ordering parts internationally.