Air Hose Reel is stuck extended

[Andy Griffith]

I must have pulled the hose out too far or something because my reel (coxreel) is stuck in the extended position. It is locked up solid, will not budge an inch.

Guess I'll have to shut the valve off and take it apart? Anybody else run into this?

I'm guessing that spring in there is under some tension, could be exciting.

Thanks

 

[Abbott]

Slow and easy...good luck with this!

 

[egdede]

Slow and easy...good luck with this!

I didn't read all of the thread

This time you did.

 

[larry_g]

Andy
You might try wandering around the cox site; http://www.coxreels.com/industrial_manufacturer/support.html

to see if there is help there and if not call there tech line.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[babzog]

 

[Abbott]

This time you did.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

The ratchet mechanism is exposed on the side, behind one of the supports. You should be able to grab the drum and continue turning it (folding the hose over backwards) till the ratchet drops off the last of the three teeth and then you can release it and it will take back up.

You won't accomplish anything by pulling on the hose at this point, but you can continue to turn the drum in the normal direction of rotation that it turns when the hose is being pulled out. You won't hurt the hose to fold it over.

Charles

 

[Elroy]

You should be able to grab the drum and continue turning it (folding the hose over backwards) till the ratchet drops off the last of the three teeth and then you can release it and it will take back up.
Charles

Charles is fully correct with the sole exception that if the internal coil spring becomes solid before the dog drops off then you're screwed.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

Attached are two pics of a China made hose reel that is a clone of the Cox. This one I bought at a flea market for $10. The inner end of the spring had the hook broken off. I carefully opened the side panel and wrapped aircraft safety wire around the spring in about three places to contain it and pulled out the inner end and bent a new hook on it. It works, I just haven't wound a hose on it yet. I have two more identical units that I got from Lowes when they had them on for $25 each in some stores and I got two stores to price match them. Again, its a clone of the Cox.

The first pic shows the bracket and the pencil is pointing to the area where the dog is located.

The second pic shows the three ratchet teeth, there are three sets of these teeth on a plate that turns with the drum. and the pencil is pointing out the dog. Just pull somewhat on the drum and use some tool to raise the dog up, and then the drum can rewind.

Charles

 

[caper]

I've had this problem before when the hose is out to almost the end.There is so much strain from the spring on the locks that pulling on the hose does nothing.Have you tried turning the drum by hand enough to release the lock?

 

[joe_mahma]

Attached are two pics of a China made hose reel that is a clone of the Cox. This one I bought at a flea market for $10. The inner end of the spring had the hook broken off. I carefully opened the side panel and wrapped aircraft safety wire around the spring in about three places to contain it and pulled out the inner end and bent a new hook on it. It works, I just haven't wound a hose on it yet. I have two more identical units that I got from Lowes when they had them on for $25 each in some stores and I got two stores to price match them. Again, its a clone of the Cox.

The first pic shows the bracket and the pencil is pointing to the area where the dog is located.

The second pic shows the three ratchet teeth, there are three sets of these teeth on a plate that turns with the drum. and the pencil is pointing out the dog. Just pull somewhat on the drum and use some tool to raise the dog up, and then the drum can rewind.

Charles

Thanks, Caper! My similar situation is not yet fixed, but I APPRECIATE the input and your excellent photography. My unit is a mid-priced Sears, and I'm hoping I can get the ratcheting mechanism released WITHOUT it blowing up in my face--if you know what I mean.

I'd be grateful for any other ideas you might have. Thanks again, Joe Walburn, Athens, OH

 

[Ed Barthel]

i had that happen before on a Reel craft. should work the same so what i did is while holding the reel, release the latch holding the reel then with the hand holding the reel turn it clockwise which is the direction the hose will return into the reel. do this slowly until you feel the spring doing it on its own... make sure your hands are constantly on the wheel to keep control of the return speed, you dont want the hose slapping you silly.

 

[Andy Griffith]

Ed, thanks for replying to the thread. I completely missed following up on this thread that originally posted in 2010. I try to be diligent in thanking people for taking the time to reply but missed this one.

My belated thanks to all that provided input.

I did get it to release and retract using info from this thread and a different approach on my part. I had been trying to get it to release while working on my own from the top of a ladder. That was futile, too much tension on the reel, not enough hands, nor stability. So I put a block and tackle above the reel and pulled the big lag bolts out so that I could lower the reel to standing height floor level. Waited until my son got home and using some pry bars and his muscle we got it to release and retract.

I also put a wrap of yellow electrical tape on the hose roughly signifying when there was only one wrap left on the reel.

And here is an updated link to the technical information that Larry originally posted. The drawings can be helpful in understanding how the mechanism works in detail.

http://www.coxhosereels.com/Cox-Reels-Technical-Support.html

 

[lutherking]

I had the same thing happen this morning on my vevor retractable air hose reel.. over extended it and made it worse by extending it further intill it was jammed in both directions..

The solution turned out to be quite simple..

The locking mechanism is behind the single arm to the right.. you probably wouldnt need to disassemble it.


I removed the 4 screws that hold that arm in position, try rotating it and check if you can access the locking mechanism, if not then remove the center nut, remove the arm completely and replace the center nut so the reel is back in the same position.. (make sure you remember the exact position of the reel if it comes off.. kinda like timing chain logic here)

Then all you need to do is rotate the reel slightly(i think it was counterclockwise but use your own common sense here) and the locking latch will dislodge from the snug locked position.. then use the screwdriver to manually lift it away from the gear teeth and the reel will automatically start winding back again..

Hope this helps someone..