# Any ideas on fixing a Smith Machine?



## Seanp156 (Dec 29, 2006)

If this doesn't belong in training, feel free to move it to open chat...

Anyway, I work at a rec center and the smith machine's having a problem...

The bar doesn't want to twist to catch the pins at the bottom part of the rack... However, it turns much more easily at the top portion of the rack. I've tried spraying some lubricant where I thought it would make a difference, but it didn't. I also tried to move the bases of the track outwards in case they were applying pressure to the bar at the bottom that wouldn't allow the bar to turn. That didn't help either?

Any ideas? I know it's a smith machine and many of you will joking say to tell people to use a real barbell, and if it were my choice, the machine would be gone and a power rack would be there, but that wouldn't go over too well...


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## P-funk (Dec 29, 2006)




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## fufu (Dec 29, 2006)

hahaha


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## fufu (Dec 29, 2006)

(Sean's boss staggers out of his office with a wife beater and dirty khackis with a half empty bottle of JD in his hand) Damn it boy! You better better fix that god damn machine if you know what's good for yah *hic*, grumble grumble grumble.


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## fufu (Dec 29, 2006)

Maybe it is bent? at the bottom?


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## Seanp156 (Dec 29, 2006)

You guys suck.


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## fufu (Dec 29, 2006)

lawl


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## fufu (Dec 29, 2006)

So you don't notice any differences from the bottom to the top?


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## Doublebase (Dec 29, 2006)

I seems like it is bent somewhere.  I would have tried what you did.  Maybe its catching on something.


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## Triple Threat (Dec 29, 2006)

Go to the dry cleaners, get a few dozen hangars, and let people hang their coats on it when they come in to workout.


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## Seanp156 (Dec 29, 2006)

fufu said:


> So you don't notice any differences from the bottom to the top?



I said I do notice a difference... The bar's easier to turn when it's up higher, and close to impossible when it's low.


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## fufu (Dec 29, 2006)

Seanp156 said:


> I said I do notice a difference... The bar's easier to turn when it's up higher, and close to impossible when it's low.



Right, but any difference in the shape of the tracking is what I meant.


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## Seanp156 (Dec 29, 2006)

Oh.... Well, I think from a front on perspective of the smith machine, it looks like \-/ but much less exagerrated of course... I tried taking the weights off and seeing if I could try to move the bases out, but it didn't work out too well... They moved a little, but kept wanting to move back inwards.


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## CowPimp (Dec 29, 2006)

Yeah, tell the people who run the rec center to call a trained professional to deal with it and pony up the dough.  Then, after he fixes it, take a sledgehammer to it.


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## KarlW (Dec 29, 2006)

Why would non parallel tracks stop the bar from rotating?


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## KarlW (Dec 29, 2006)

guess who? 
How could he?..........I know I know


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## Seanp156 (Dec 29, 2006)

KarlW said:


> Why would non parallel tracks stop the bar from rotating?



The only thing I can think of is there would be greater inward pressure on the bar at the bottom of the machine than at the top... Also, the bar will freefall from the top, but eventually it gets stuck before it hits the safety stops at the bottom when there's no weight on it. You so I'm pretty sure the rack's bent inwards.


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## KarlW (Dec 29, 2006)

Seanp156 said:


> The only thing I can think of is there would be greater inward pressure on the bar at the bottom of the machine than at the top... Also, the bar will freefall from the top, but eventually it gets stuck before it hits the safety stops at the bottom when there's no weight on it. You so I'm pretty sure the rack's bent inwards.


 

Sounds like it is, unless there's some other blockage near the bottom. But that doesn't explain the rotation to me, unless the hooks are hitting something. Can't you see or hear what is stopping it? Does it stop rotating with a clunk (hitting something) or does it get harder and harder to turn it (like it's being constricted)?


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## Seanp156 (Dec 29, 2006)

It gets gradually harder to turn like it's being constricted.


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## KarlW (Dec 29, 2006)

I'll look at ours tomorrow and see if I can find anything.  Sorry I can't picure the mechanism accurately enough to comment without seeing it.


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## Seanp156 (Dec 29, 2006)

This is the exact one at the rec center.


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## KarlW (Jan 6, 2007)

I had a look at ours and I can't understand how even if the rack is bent inward it would stop the bar rotating, unless the hooks get snagged on the frame or something. Maybe the bar itself is not perfectly round and is sticking to the tube (the horizontal tubing that the bar sits in) as it is rotated, or maybe there is some other blockage in the tube. Have you figured it out?


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## Perdido (Jan 7, 2007)

Sounds to me the vertical stantions were bent by improper loading. Was the machine recently moved or pushed over on it's side?
If the vertical stantions are not perfectly plumb the bar will bind. Cut a peice of wood to wedge or pull the bases in or out to hold the verticals in place then see if it still binds.
If that solves the problem then you'll need to find away to secure the bases to keep the verticals in possition or apply enough force to bend the stantions so they stay in a plumb possition.


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## Seanp156 (Jan 7, 2007)

Haven't figured it out, but it's not really my problem to solve... I was just bored at work and thought I'd try and figure it out. I might mention the wedging wood between the supports thing to my manager.


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## fufu (Jan 7, 2007)

Why don't you ask Smith? 

Bahaha!!!!!!!!!


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## Todd Shisler (Jan 7, 2007)

KarlW said:


> guess who?
> How could he?..........I know I know



is that you?

your in great shape... good job


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