Why will my hose reel or cord reel not retract?

Why will my hose reel or cord reel not retract?

Insufficient Spring Tension

Adjust the spring tension by adding wraps of hose. Pull out approximately 10 feet of hose. Hand feed the hose back up through roller bracket assembly until the loop is large enough to slip over sheave. Add two or three wraps until desired tension is achieved. Do not exceed spring capacity. Watch our “How to Adjust Spring Tension” videos on our Technical Videos page for more help.

Hose / cord reel mounted on ceiling above 16 feet

Must special order heavier gauge spring steel for drive spring to overcome weight of hose / cord extending from reel. Control handle weight must also be considered. Contact Reelcraft for further information.

Latch mechanism engaged with drive spring coiled to solid height

U-bolt hose clamps on sheave assembly not positioned correctly.

Hose / cord fully extended will not retract

Latch mechanism engaged with drive spring is coiled to solid height. U-bolt hose clamps on sheave assembly are not positioned correctly.

Product supply to reel, rigid, plumbed in

If a flexible connecting hose is not used between hose reel inlet and hard plumbing, you stand the chance of causing excessive bind to main shaft and hub bearings causing reel not to retract. This will also void the warranty.

Reel mounted on uneven surface

Bolting the reel down to an uneven surface will distort the side frames causing a bind on main support shafts and restricting smooth retraction of the hose.

Wrong guide arm position

If the guide arm is in side wind position for ceiling mounted reels, the hose / cord is bending at a 90° angle over roller bracket assembly. This can cause excessive loss of spring tension. Adjust the guide arm to coincide with how the hose / cord reel is actually mounted. U-bolt clamps may also need to be adjusted.

Broken main spring, broken spring arbor, corrosion on shaft and hub

Replace broken part with new. For corrosion: disassemble reel and remove corrosion, lubricate and reassemble.