"rubber" cab steps..

[DYNG]

So, I took my bumpers off to have them resprayed and carefully removed the 53 year old once rubber cab steps. Not too much effort. Have just spent an hour and a half getting them back on to the repainted bumpers, skinning two knuckles in the process. Not that I plan on doing it again, but any tips? I left them on a radiator for ten mins before I attempted the job as I thought it might make it easier. Nope.

 

[davidoft]

Leave them in very hot water for as long as you can , 30-60 mins

 

[DYNG]

Leave them in very hot water for as long as you can , 30-60 mins

Thanks, I did think about that... Sore knuckles today!

 

[ozziedog]

Warm / hot water really does soften them up then just gently keeping them warmed with my hot air gun helped. T.C.P. Is about as good as you can get for helping those bad knuckles but if you’re a grrt big Jesse, you can use savlon cream. That’s what all the little girls in our family use.

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,,,,Or I’ll send you some gloves next time

 

[DYNG]

Warm / hot water really does soften them up then just gently keeping them warmed with my hot air gun helped. T.C.P. Is about as good as you can get for helping those bad knuckles but if you’re a grrt big Jesse, you can use savlon cream. That’s what all the little girls in our family use.

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,,,,Or I’ll send you some gloves next time

Next time??!! Ain't doing that again..

 

[ozziedog]

Next time??!! Ain't doing that again..

It is ‘one of those’ jobs that we could all do a lot better the second time around. Like you say, it shouldn’t need another knuckle bashing stint

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,, but I could volunteer you as our expert

 

[static]

I had no problem installing new footstep rubber. I think that I sprayed some silicone schmutz on the underside. Certainly, you’re not re-using the 53-year-old ones? Are you? Tell me you’re not.

 

[DYNG]

I had no problem installing new footstep rubber. I think that I sprayed some silicone schmutz on the underside. Certainly, you’re not re-using the 53-year-old ones? Are you? Tell me you’re not.

Yep, I am, the rubber is FAIRLY hard but cleaned up ok.

 

[ozziedog]

I had no problem installing new footstep rubber. I think that I sprayed some silicone schmutz on the underside. Certainly, you’re not re-using the 53-year-old ones? Are you? Tell me you’re not.

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,,,Me too , I reused mine after a real good scrub

 

[GazWil]

I re-used mine as I want to keep as much of the original bitvas possible. Fid have fun getting them back though. Woukd probably stuggle now that I have office working hands

 

[static]

I appreciate everyone’s candor, your commendable commitment to reusing scarce resources and keeping the original bitvas possible, truly I do.

I might add, however (and I mean this in the nicest possible way) that you’re also a bunch of exceptionally thrifty cheap bastards.

Carry on. I’ll be the one muttering over here in the corner with my new rubber cab steps.

 

[ozziedog]

I appreciate everyone’s candor, your commendable commitment to reusing scarce resources and keeping the original bitvas possible, truly I do.

I might add, however (and I mean this in the nicest possible way) that you’re also a bunch of exceptionally thrifty cheap bastards.

Carry on. I’ll be the one muttering over here in the corner with my new rubber cab steps.

I was actually wondering if that was gonna get a mention along with the Brit attitude of make do and mend. That and the fact that most stuff you buy as replacements are tending to be made of Choccolatte or Mushmellows and sometimes mixed into an alloy sprinkled with Chinesium of the finest quality .

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,,,,cheap??? Possibly

 

[gas1man]

My new ones were a dogs......., Eventually put the originals back on, even though they weren't the best.

J & P

 

[DYNG]

My new ones were a dogs......., Eventually put the originals back on, even though they weren't the best.

J & P

I appreciate everyone’s candor, your commendable commitment to reusing scarce resources and keeping the original bitvas possible, truly I do.

I might add, however (and I mean this in the nicest possible way) that you’re also a bunch of exceptionally thrifty cheap bastards.

Carry on. I’ll be the one muttering over here in the corner with my new rubber cab steps

I appreciate everyone’s candor, your commendable commitment to reusing scarce resources and keeping the original bitvas possible, truly I do.

I might add, however (and I mean this in the nicest possible way) that you’re also a bunch of exceptionally thrifty cheap bastards.

Carry on. I’ll be the one muttering over here in the corner with my new rubber cab steps.

There you go, damned if I used the old ones, damned if I bought new ones. I'll put one old on to keep some people happy, and one new one to please others!

 

[ozziedog]

There you go, damned if I used the old ones, damned if I bought new ones. I'll put one old on to keep some people happy, and one new one to please others!

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,,and see which one falls off first

 

[67panel]

we are not tight Oz just economical, my old ones went back on.

 

[ozziedog]

There you go, damned if I used the old ones, damned if I bought new ones. I'll put one old on to keep some people happy, and one new one to please others!

we are not tight Oz just economical, my old ones went back on.

Not sure why, but I’ve got an unusual feeling that the older reused ones will last forever and three weeks but the newer ones may also survive just by the fact that these old vans just don’t get the caneing that they received as working commercial machines back in the day, whereas now they are mostly cosseted to a large degree. Just as well really as the modern machines need to do a mahoosive daily mileage with very little in the shape of maintenance and upkeep compared to the service intervals required back then.

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,, plus I am-a bit’Make Do And Mend’

 

[andrewblackwell]

Regarding rubber parts, if they are not facing harsh technical challenges like for oil or fuel seals, then lots of older rubber parts are likely to remain more durable than recently moulded ones. People immediately think that’s current cheapo parts to blame, which is only partly true. ( you can make a cheaper rubber using more inert fillers to load it up vs less polymer by ratio.)

But mostly it’s that recent rubber compounds are subject to ongoing REACH regulation where more & more ingredients are listed a Substances of Very High Concern, which is protect against human & environmental harm. These are then prohibited and with phased withdrawal from supply chains, so compounders and moulders have to reformulate regularly. Newer chemistry is rarely as robust as older forms, just like like modern paints and varnishes around the home seem crapper than years ago. I’m sick of repainting my fence for example.

At my work I am the elastomers specialist so we find it a frequent task to trial new rubber formulations to overcome the latest batch of withdrawn chemicals.

It’s so bad that even giants like 3M have decided to entirely withdraw their top performance Fluoro polymers by next year. They had so many concerns with the byproducts of manufacturing they’ve just bowed out of the market. Last year the Belgian govt even prohibited one 3M plant under Force majeure due to concerning findings in the blood work of local population.

 

[ozziedog]

Regarding rubber parts, if they are not facing harsh technical challenges like for oil or fuel seals, then lots of older rubber parts are likely to remain more durable than recently moulded ones. People immediately think that’s current cheapo parts to blame, which is only partly true. ( you can make a cheaper rubber using more inert fillers to load it up vs less polymer by ratio.)

But mostly it’s that recent rubber compounds are subject to ongoing REACH regulation where more & more ingredients are listed a Substances of Very High Concern, which is protect against human & environmental harm. These are then prohibited and with phased withdrawal from supply chains, so compounders and moulders have to reformulate regularly. Newer chemistry is rarely as robust as older forms, just like like modern paints and varnishes around the home seem crapper than years ago. I’m sick of repainting my fence for example.

At my work I am the elastomers specialist so we find it a frequent task to trial new rubber formulations to overcome the latest batch of withdrawn chemicals.

It’s so bad that even giants like 3M have decided to entirely withdraw their top performance Fluoro polymers by next year. They had so many concerns with the byproducts of manufacturing they’ve just bowed out of the market. Last year the Belgian govt even prohibited one 3M plant under Force majeure due to concerning findings in the blood work of local population.

Blimey,,, I think I understood about a half of what you’ve just told us but I definitely get the gist of the message. So that’s more of a ‘Why’ newer stuff ain’t got the muscle of the older stuff.

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,, Makes sense really