Guys, check the use-by date on your condoms !

[dubselector]

So it seems modern rubber doesn't even last 12 months Fitted new wiper spindles seals b4 xmas last year

 

[ozziedog]

Now that is scary. I think I’d be on the phone to your suppliers and ask them for a way of sending that picture to them so they can see. I don’t think for one minute they wouldn’t replace them for you but will the next ones be the same. If nothing else I think it’s worth drawing their attention to it and maybe they’ll stop selling them. Are you supposed to paint them on fitting ?

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,, it seems the same with most rubberised components

 

[james_stan]

That's apalling. You'd think Schofileds would like to know about that too.

 

[dubselector]

Well I've ordered new ones from Buttys Bits - says they are made of neoprene so hopefully they will last as long as my wetsuit - although that seems to get tighter round the waist the older I get

 

[andrewblackwell]

Neoprene rubber gives a good balance between having both oil & outdoor resistance. If those cracked washers were maybe EPDM rubber, potentially the best outdoor rubber material, but it gets swelled & split by petroleum based oils & greases. Any grease or oil used on the spindles could adversely affect EPDM if thats what rubber type those were by any chance.

All modern rubbers lack lots of the "good stuff" that made them work as intended years ago. Its mostly down to the ongoing banning of various harmful chemicals. Then theres also potential to make a cheaper rubber compound thats highly filled with poor ingredients, i.e. less actual rubber polymer. Easier for the factory to mould but poorer end use. The best rubbers for end use are always harder to work with.
Another factor is incomplete curing, if processed for too short a time in order to get production targets out.