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BlackButte's avatar
BlackButte
Explorer
Aug 29, 2020

Rieco Titan motor caps disinegrating

Less than two years out the plastic caps on my jack motors were disintegrating. After a year I can see the replacements are doing the same. I imagine the UV light is doing the damage. They start sloughing powdery residue, the center of the caps start separating and if you try to remove a cap it'll crumble apart.

My unit is stored outdoors but I'd think the caps would last longer than a couple of years. If these did have to be removed to operate the jacks manually they would surely come apart and have to be replaced.

I'm thinking of trying to cover them some way to protect from the UV rays. Maybe coverring them with a same size circle of 3M tape.

Have any of you had this issue and what have you done to protect the caps?

18 Replies

  • Rieco did send me new ones along wiht a replacement motor when one of mine failed just inside of the warranty peiod. Their customer service was great for me at that time. I do like the way the powdercoating is holding up comparred to the Happijacs I had. It is also nice not to have to fight the rust on the inner tubes like I had to with the Happijacs.

    But I do have to agree with dhull that the nice folks at Rieco dropped the ball big time on the caps they are continuing to use. When you buy a dog you shouldnd't have to pay for the fleas... and then keep paying for them...and pay again.

    Thanks for the great ideas and info.
  • Mine did same. I called them on it. They said I could get new ones. I said I wasn't going to pay to replace them every 2 years, I'd put soup cans on them first. They did send me a free set! Yeah I'm now putting the 303 on them. It's just ultra cheap plastic! I have a 1970 aluminum Gamefisher boat sitting out back that has a plastic emblem on it now only riveted on at one end that you can still bend. It's not brittle! So don't tell me you can't make good plastic...
  • jdc1's avatar
    jdc1
    Explorer II
    How about using that stuff that they advertise on late night shows, FlexSeal?
  • 303 is great on rubber and fiberglass.
    For plastic I'd paint it. I did it on my swimming pool valve cover.
    Might be good idea to sand it a bit and clean with alcohol before painting.
  • I wondered about the 303 type stuff but have never used it. How often would it need to be reapplied?

    I'd like a one-time action solution. Maybe a spray on rubberized coating or bedliner type product?