Reconstructive Surgery for a Suitcase

Suitcases with wheels and extendable handles are a boon to travelers. But, something heavy resting on your suitcase can bend the telescoping handles during your flight so they no longer extend. That is what happened to this suitcase.

Step 1: Examine the damage

The telescoping tubing for the extendable handle is below a zippered lining. By opening the zipper, the mechanism is visible.

It was not just that the tubing was bent. Its mount was shattered, too. In the larger rectangle you can see the plastic is broken so one set of tubes is now free floating. To the right of my index finger you can see a long crack that breaks the mount into two pieces. Part of the socket for the right tubes is broken away. The smaller rectangle shows a dimple in the tube from a bend caused by something heavy on it. This all happened during only a one hour flight. Normally, we have no damage to our luggage. The rest of the suitcase is too good to discard just yet.

Once a humorous flight attendant apologized for the delay in taking off. He said, "The machine that normally rips the tags from your luggage is broken and the crew had to do it by hand." The damage to this suitcase lends credence to his statement.

Comments

[jbpitcher]

I made a repair on a suitcase that had the "legs" broken off, but instead of using a block of wood I used a piece of 1 1/2 " black poly pipe (find in plumbing section). It is cheap and you only need about 14 inches. I drilled holes in the pipe to match the existing holes in the suitcase, used small bolts and washers to secure it. It is light weight and also makes a convenient handle when lifting the suitcase in and out of the trunk of a car. It is also weather proof. Just thought you would like to know.

[Phil B]

Thanks for sharing your idea. It sounds like a good one. Does it want to roll when you lift by it?

[rimar2000]

Well done, Phil. I had to do a repair like this a year ago or so. It is unacceptable the way the airlines mistreat people baggage.

[static]

While I don't know much about it, but I'd have to guess the airlines are between a rock and a hard place when it comes to baggage handling. A kid glove treatment that protects the luggage, may take so long, the customer would complain. Perhaps the baggage manufacturers, could design a stronger telescoping design? Of course that may add to the cost of the luggage, creating a new course of complaints. Anyway if I knew all the answers, I'd be the richest most powerful person on Earth. In the mean time you we going to have to rely on those like Phil B for after the fact solutions. :) Good job Phil...

[Phil B]

During my college years I worked in both a United States Post Office and a grocery distribution warehouse. In both places I saw people who were efficient and yet careful with boxes and people who were sloppy and rough in their treatment of other people's property. I have watched workers place baggage onto the conveyor belts taking luggage up into the belly of the plane. They always seem to drop it about six inches onto the belt. They could just as easily place it on the belt without the drop. Anyway, thanks.

[Phil B]

Thank you, Rimar. I thought about filling the space between the two tubes with a piece of oak so it runs the length of the suitcase. That would add a lot of strength for the tubes. But, 95 percent of the time we have no damage to our luggage.

[Dzwiedziu]

It's nice, but... awwwwwwww.... I was hoping for total-suitcase-modding xP

[Phil B]

Thanks. By temperament I do not often modify something unless there is a very practical purpose.

[Dzwiedziu]

Well to be clear I was hoping for practical, as well design mods when I've written "total" :] But when I've started to think about details I got to the point where more research is needed.

[Phil B]

My wife uses these suitcases. She is better with things pertaining to fabric than I will ever be. Any modifications would have to pass her approval.

[ThreeWestCreative]

http://www.sciplus.com/search.cfm/term/handle/start/99/maxrows/98/srch.fp/1

you can also get a new handle here for $4.95

The Incredible Growing Handles
Better get these beauties before the staff takes them all home: telescoping extension handles (new ones) from the rolling-luggage industry, and we think they're the niftiest things since, well, rolling luggage. Attach them (along with wheels) to tool boxes, build your own rolling storage cases, create pull-out work spaces under desktops or workbenches. This dream handle has dual 1" wide x 3/4" rectangular black steel shafts, 4-1/2" apart, with a 2-draw telescope action and a push button in the handle. The shafts float in a steel bracket that allows the handle to be recessed into a case. This is saw-offable, however, so the handle could also be independently mounted on the outside of a surface. The handle extends 20" for an OA length of 33-1/2"

[trayo]

What about replacing a broken button (the whole part that connects the two poles)?

[Phil B]

I have not needed to do that, yet. A lot would depend on your suitcase. We have some with a release button you must depress to raise the handle, and we have some you simply pull up. I think I would begin with a piece of wood, perhaps 1 x 2 inches and make a handle to fit over the ends of the tubes. If the release mechanism was too complicated to make work with a homebrew handle, I might just disable and remove it so the tubes simply slide when the handle is pulled.

[neuralstatic]

it might need a release button (of some kind), so the handle won't extend while under the control of baggage handlers.... i bet the wouldn't miss a chance to mess it up if it did extend like that "on its own"

[lemonie]

The last time I had one of these the wheels collapsed. That was something I couldn't fix... L

[Phil B]

I have thought more about your question regarding broken wheels. I would probably jettison the old wheels entirely and start fresh with two fixed casters with rubber wheels. These are available at most hardware stores. I would keep them no larger than 1 1/4 inches in wheel diameter, maybe even a little smaller. I would drill new holes and mount them where I could on the bottom of the suitcase with screws and self-locking nuts. If necessary, I would make a new extension foot to level the suitcase. See steps 12 and 13.

[lemonie]

Thanks for the response, I can see how that would have worked. I just stopped using the thing and traveled lighter... L

[Phil B]

So far we have not had any damaged wheels. Zippers too worn to hold the suitcase closed have been the final blow on our suitcases.