What is this material?

[Wade Lippman]

Someone had a trailer with a "free" sign on it, so I took it home even though I have no use for it.
It is an earlier model of this. https://www.trailex.com/products/pc/Single-Light-Duty-Carrier-SUT-220-S-7p39.htm

The rubber parts that hold the axle to the trailer are worn out. The manufacturer sells a new set of 4 pieces for $60, but if I knew what the material was, I expect I could buy it for a fraction of that. So... what is the material called and where would I buy it?

Attached are photos of the axle and of the material. It is fabric laminated between two pieces of rubber.

A second, rather less important, question... the large piece of fabric goes in, then the axle, than the flat piece of fabric, and then a thick sheet of aluminum.
The flat piece of fabric is not in good condition, but it is completely supported by the aluminum piece, the axle and the trailer; it doesn't do much of anything except sit there. I can't see any compelling reason to replace it if I have to buy from the manufacturer. Am I missing something?

[Doug Garson]

Looks like you could fabricate it from some scraps of rubber conveyor belt material if you can find some or possibly from the sidewall of a large truck tire.

[Jim Koepke]

Looks like a catastrophe waiting to happen.

Do you really want to take a chance of whatever you are hauling ending up all over the highway to save a few buck$?

jtk

[Rick Potter]

Bingo...........

[Rob Luter]

Duct tape could be part of this solution. It might make for a good story later.

[Bill George]

Got the trailer for Free and you Need to spend $60 it fix it? Really.

[Doug Garson]

Would you spend infinitely more to repair something than you paid for it? :cool:

[John Stankus]

It looks like that is the "suspension" for the axle. If the rubber on the left side of the middle photo fails, the trailer "body" will drop to the ground. (or at least as near as I can figure).

[Thomas McCurnin]

Buy the part. You now have a $60 trailer. Still a great deal.

[Jim Koepke]

Would you spend infinitely more to repair something than you paid for it? :cool:

What if it needed tires?

This sounds like if someone gave you a car for free but it was out of gas, it would just sit in you yard until you could find gas for free.

jtk

[Doug Garson]

What if it needed tires?

This sounds like if someone gave you a car for free but it was out of gas, it would just sit in you yard until you could find gas for free.

jtk
Now you're getting it. :D

[Brian Runau]

The rubber piece has a design failure level built into it. As others have said, avoid the catastrophic failure, don't rube Goldberg it without knowing this. Brian

[Roger Feeley]

Would you spend infinitely more to repair something than you paid for it? :cool:
I found a 70’s vintage Kirby Vacuumat a thrift store. I pointed out that there was no beater bar. I offered them $2 because the cord was in new condition. The beater bar was $16.

I was in the shop cleaning it up when a friend called me.
friend: “What are you up to?”
me: “I’m polishing my Kirby.”
friend: “Oh, is that what they’re calling it these days?”

[George Yetka]

I would fabricate a metal clamp around rubber. That way if the rubber fails it will rattle a little and not kill anyone.

Think this with a flat piece under it508451

[Bill Dufour]

I would fabricate a metal clamp around rubber. That way if the rubber fails it will rattle a little and not kill anyone.

Think this with a flat piece under it508451
Seems like it should of had that piece from the factory.
In the first picture, the pieces on the left, that look like the curved strap.... are they metal or just rubber?
You could just use George's metal strap and some nested radiator hoses of differenr t diameters. That is almost my plan for my planer cart suspension.
Bill D

[glenn bradley]

Would you spend infinitely more to repair something than you paid for it? :cool:

If it would prevent a future cost of liability / repair that I cannot guess at . . . probably. :)

[Bill George]

So your driving down the road towing your rebuilt with a 2 hole conduit clamp and used radiator hose trailer and it comes apart... on the road. It sways a bit comes loose and then hits the car alongside, killing a kid in the back and wrecking that car. I wonder if saving that $60 was worth it?

[Bill George]

Would you spend infinitely more to repair something than you paid for it? :cool:

Ever restored a car or tractor?

[Wade Lippman]

Being a "woodworker", I was going to put a wood block above the strap taking up most of the room. If the strap breaks it can't go very far.

[Wade Lippman]

Seems like it should of had that piece from the factory.
In the first picture, the pieces on the left, that look like the curved strap.... are they metal or just rubber?


Just rubber. There is a capacity of 200 pounds and they must figure the rubber is plenty strong for that.

[Wade Lippman]

Yes, I believe it is conveyor belt material. Those who say I must buy from the factory part assume that they use better material than I can buy myself. That is certainly possible, but I doubt it.

The bottom piece is pretty much just a spacer, with thick aluminum reinforcing it. Even if the rubber vanished, it wouldn't affect much of anything.
The cheapest I can buy the right size for on Amazon is $30. That is the same price as 2 top pieces from the factory. So, I ordered the top pieces and will reuse the bottom pieces. Buying my own material would give me a bunch of extra, but I doubt I will ever have any need for it. Using theres will save me from figuring where to put holes.