Can old rubber parts be safely softened?

[Radio Fixer]

Have slippage on a metal cone to a rubber tyre on the Philips motor tuned.  The rubber is hard after 80 years and I wondered if there was a way of softening it for more grip?

Looked for O rings but nothing found so far of this size.  It is actually a shaped item anyway so if it can be resurrected it would be better.

thanks for ideas   Gary

[BusyBee]

I have nothing specific but I seem to remember coming across rubber lubricant in the past. It may have been with respect to sleeving on military or industrial cables but I would need to research for details. I have experimented with glycerine on surface rubber (notably part of double glazed windows which tends to crack in time) It appeared to soften them but I have not looked in depth.

Tracy

[ppppenguin]

If you google "restoring hardened rubber" you will get many results. As for which methods work best and which are voodoo I have no idea.

If the rubber has gone gooey then AFAIK there is no remedy.

[Murphyv310]

Hi.
Some success can be achieved by boiling the rubber for a few hours, simmering rather than a full boil has worked for me in the past. At the end of the day it depends how hard it's gone. I also remember one colleague also used the boiling technique but added I think glycerin, it's a while ago so don't quote me on that one.

[Murphyv310]

https://www.hunker.com/13414932/how-to-s...ard-rubber

[boater sam]

Xylene will soften vulcanised rubber.

[Radio Fixer]

OK. Thanks for the replies.

I have a spare motor and drive so will experiment on that first.

Also found this place: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/143922380690?hash=item2182713f92:g:LQoAAOSwFa9ftpm1&var=443186281357

If you visit the shop you will see that they do a huge range of O washers so might be handy.

I have ordered some of the right size which although not shaped like the original may work. It s an oft used cure on US radios that use tyres as part of the tuning mechanism.

Gary

[Diabolical Artificer]

There's some stuff called Rubber Renue that's supposed to be good and brake fluid is supposed to work. Vulcanising solution may work too.

Andy.

[pamphonica]

It probably won't work, but you could try "roller restorer". It's a spray used to get grip back on the paper feed rollers in inkjet and laserjet printers. Works well at that but may have no restorative properties!
-Jeremy