The recurring wheel issues on my latest Stott V2 Max Reformer

wheel issues on my new Stott V2 Max Reformer

Some of you may recall that I had issues with the wheels and rails on my latest STOTT V2 Max Reformer Bundle I purchased in the spring of 2023.

Whenever the carriage would roll back and forth in the rails, an annoying squeaking sound could be heard. It was off-putting both to me and my clients.

I also noticed a build-up of debris in the rails and on the floor under this machine after class. I wasn't sure what it was but it looked like dust and dirt.

Upon closer inspection, I realized that the wheels were shredding in the rails--tiny bits of plastic were being pulled off--as the carriage rolled back and forth. It was happening during every class. None of my other machines do this.

The abnormal build-up of debris in the rails after use.

I notified Merrithew, the maker of the Stott machines, who promptly sent me a new metal frame and new wheels for the carriage bed (you can read they original post here).

I switched everything out--new frame, new wheels--and thoroughly cleaned the rails.

I thought the problem was fixed but my satisfaction was premature.

While the upgrades have certainly improved the performance of the machine, I notice that the wheels still shred. Not nearly as much as they used to--no more annoying squeaking sounds--but there is still an abnormal build-up of debris in the rails after use.

I notified Stott again who told me "the rollers you received are the same as what Merrithew has been using for the past 10+ years. There have been no changes to the manufacturing process, materials or manufacturer. We recently have had them tested in an outside lab as well."

I mention this because I was recently contacted by a Pilates studio owner in Ireland who said she's had the same problems with her Stott SPX Reformers: shredding wheels in the rails! She said she's heard from another studio owner in Ireland who's had wheel issues as well.

So I'm not sure what to think. Are these isolated incidents? Or has something changed about Stott's processes?

The reason I'm thinking about this is because I'm considering investing in a fifth reformer with tower and would love to stick with Stott because they have a long history of top-tier quality and performance, but I'm nervous about the wheels! It's such a huge amount of money to spend on a machine that might not be up to its usual impeccable performance.

In the end, I still use the compromised machine daily, but I don't like the excess build up of debris! I have to think that at some point the shredding will impact performance, but we'll see.

If that happens, I do hope that Stott honors the warranty.

Have any other Pilates studio owners out there experienced this? I'd love to hear from you!