My new powertec utility bench .... Negatives

[Green Thumb]

Well... I got the PT utility bench and the negatives are as follows:
- incline adjuster is very tight when sliding between holes
- back pad is at a slight angle due to support placement being on the side

Pluses:
- Wide
- comfortable
- heavy
- sturdy

Overall, I am happy .... but the slant bugs me

[Dinotrainer]

Well... I got the PT utility bench and the negatives are as follows:
- incline adjuster is very tight when sliding between holes

Try some pledge furniture polish on that adjustment rod.

- back pad is at a slight angle due to support placement being on the side.... but the slant bugs me

That would piss me off too.

[Poncho428]

- incline adjuster is very tight when sliding between holes

You over tightened the bolt that mount the upper portion to the frame. I did that when I had my Powertec leverage machine. Back it off a 1/4-1/2 turn or so and it will loosen up. They use a self locking nut so it won't come off.

[BDI6942]

Well... I got the PT utility bench and the negatives are as follows:
- incline adjuster is very tight when sliding between holes
- back pad is at a slight angle due to support placement being on the side

Pluses:
- Wide
- comfortable
- heavy
- sturdy

Overall, I am happy .... but the slant bugs me

Something is bent then if your bench pad is angled. Shouldnt be at all. Mine isn't.

[Green Thumb]

Can someone please post pics of a side view of the PTU bench?

I am totally pissed off!!!!

Thanks

[BDI6942]

Can someone please post pics of a side view of the PTU bench?

I am totally pissed off!!!!

Thanks

I think I did of my bench in one of my posts(maybe the Lamar post), may want to check through my posts to see if you can find the pics of my Utility bench. If you cant find what your looking for, I can post some specific pics of mine for you tommarow afternoon when I get back home.

[Green Thumb]

I think I did of my bench in one of my posts(maybe the Lamar post), may want to check through my posts to see if you can find the pics of my Utility bench. If you cant find what your looking for, I can post some specific pics of mine for you tommarow afternoon when I get back home.

Thanks... I saw the pic.

I am going to call the store and exchange the bench for another one.
Hopefully they will not hassle me

[Green Thumb]

The store is going to swap out my bench for a new one.

I called the powertec customer service and the guy on the phone was clueless.
He said that a lot of the benches were at a slight decline and that i should just put some washers under the back pad to lift it up. IMO, that is bull crap. If I am spending this kind of coin on a bench, it better dam well be straight for bench press.
Oh well.. if this next one has the same problem, I give up. I am not being too anal am I?

[Dinotrainer]

....I am not being too anal am I?

Not at all, I wouldnt put up with that either. I remember when I put together the PowerTec WBLS I bought a few years ago (and have since sold), there were far too many 'compromises' in the construction. It took awhile, but I straightened it all out, by swapping some of the parts and 'modifying' others myself. Their quality control just plain sucks. I also remember thinking that there was NO WAY that thing could have the Max ratings it did, and I wasnt surprised when they were lowered (from 1000 pounds to 500 pounds on the lever arm). Hopefully nobody got hurt on it and found out the hard way.

[duck commander]

- back pad is at a slight angle due to support placement being on the side

mine is also like this. I thought that I could perhaps straighten it out a bit jus tby loosening the bolts at the bottom, lifting the one side up and retightening them. I did and it helped but it still isn't level. The bottom part that sits on the floor is level but the back pad is not. I'm going to email bb.com right now.

[Dinotrainer]

mine is also like this. I thought that I could perhaps straighten it out a bit jus tby loosening the bolts at the bottom, lifting the one side up and retightening them. I did and it helped but it still isn't level. The bottom part that sits on the floor is level but the back pad is not. I'm going to email bb.com right now.

Keep us 'posted' on how this situation gets handled. Also, anyone else reading this that has an affected bench, don't settle for that "washer under the back pad" nonsense. Return your benches for 'non-defective' merchandise. There certainly wasn't anything 'defective' about the money you paid .

[duck commander]

Keep us 'posted' on how this situation gets handled. Also, anyone else reading this that has an affected bench, don't settle for that "washer under the back pad" nonsense. Return your benches for 'non-defective' merchandise. There certainly wasn't anything 'defective' about the money you paid .

I chatted with Joggin' Jennifer last night on the live talk feature of bb.com. she was sympathetic and said that she would report it to Powertec and that they would get back to me next week. I've looked at and thought about putting a couple of washers on the lower side, but it would have to be in between the metal brace and the wood backing. I'm afraid that they would eventually just wear into and wreck the wood back. It DOES effect my lifting as my right shoulder is lower then my left. Hopefully Powertec comes through for me.

[michaelnel]

Maybe having the backrest 10% off square is another benefit of the 10% off coupon?

[Dinotrainer]

Maybe having the backrest 10% off square is another benefit of the 10% off coupon?

[1devil]

Well... I got the PT utility bench and the negatives are as follows:
- incline adjuster is very tight when sliding between holes
- back pad is at a slight angle due to support placement being on the side

Pluses:
- Wide
- comfortable
- heavy
- sturdy

Overall, I am happy .... but the slant bugs me

My bench has none of those problems. Adjusting is as smooth as can be and there is no slant at all to the pad on my bench.

[duck commander]

Here's the response I got today.

Hey Brian!

I heard back from Powertec about the benches. They let me know that due to the fact that these benches incline and decline, you are not going to get a perfectly level bench if you use a bubble level. You can use a washer place between the backrest pad and the backrest tube to shim it level. I hope this works! If you have any more trouble with the bench, let us know.

Please contact us if you need further assistance!

Thank you,

Jogging Jennifer


I responded that I wasn't happy with that answer and expressed my concern about the washers wearing into the wood backing. I asked her to pursue it further and that if that's Powertec's final answer then I'd like to return the bench.

Too bad because I DO like their equipment and Powertec has the potential to be a very, very good company. They just need to tighten up their quality control, improve their communication and build up their supply so people don't have to wait months for their equipment.

[1devil]

Here's the response I got today.

Hey Brian!

I heard back from Powertec about the benches. They let me know that due to the fact that these benches incline and decline, you are not going to get a perfectly level bench if you use a bubble level. You can use a washer place between the backrest pad and the backrest tube to shim it level. I hope this works! If you have any more trouble with the bench, let us know.

Please contact us if you need further assistance!

Thank you,

Jogging Jennifer


I responded that I wasn't happy with that answer and expressed my concern about the washers wearing into the wood backing. I asked her to pursue it further and that if that's Powertec's final answer then I'd like to return the bench.

Too bad because I DO like their equipment and Powertec has the potential to be a very, very good company. They just need to tighten up their quality control, improve their communication and build up their supply so people don't have to wait months for their equipment.

I'm not sure that you are going to find any bench that shows perfectly level with a bubble level.

[michaelnel]

I'm not sure that you are going to find any bench that shows perfectly level with a bubble level.

I just found one in my exercise room... Body Solid GFID-31.

[1devil]

I just found one in my exercise room... Body Solid GFID-31.

Well my powertec bench looks very level and works great. Is it perfectly level? I have not checked.

[C Man]

I thought the original complaint was that the main part of the seat was unlevel towards one side, so if you looked at the bench from the end it would lean slightly towards the left or right.

If it's just not flat level then how far can it possibly be off?

[duck commander]

I thought the original complaint was that the main part of the seat was unlevel towards one side, so if you looked at the bench from the end it would lean slightly towards the left or right.

If it's just not flat level then how far can it possibly be off?

That's correct. It leans right as your laying on it. Pretty noticably too; it didn't take putting a level on it to notice. It throws off your bench pressing as your right shoulder is lower then your left. I loosened the bolts that hold the base and lifted the one side up as far as the extra space in the holes would allow while forcing the other side down as far as it would go then retightened everything. that helped but it's still off. If Powertec can't help make this right I'd like to return the bench. I've never had a bench that was like this and I've had some cheapies over the years. Powertec is starting to get a bad rap around here what with their backorders and everything which is unfortunate because I DO think their equipment is really quality stuff. We'll see if they're willing to resolve this problem.

[1devil]

That's correct. It leans right as your laying on it. Pretty noticably too; it didn't take putting a level on it to notice. It throws off your bench pressing as your right shoulder is lower then your left. I loosened the bolts that hold the base and lifted the one side up as far as the extra space in the holes would allow while forcing the other side down as far as it would go then retightened everything. that helped but it's still off. If Powertec can't help make this right I'd like to return the bench. I've never had a bench that was like this and I've had some cheapies over the years. Powertec is starting to get a bad rap around here what with their backorders and everything which is unfortunate because I DO think their equipment is really quality stuff. We'll see if they're willing to resolve this problem.

Your bench sounds defective and should be returned. Like I stated earlier, my powertec utility bench has no lean to it. If I were you I would ask for a refund and buy another brand just based upon the bull**** response they gave you.

[Smokeeater]

Powertec= needs to be taught a lesson. Return the bench asap and tell "Jogging Jennifer" to inform her boss of these problems with the benches. Put a washer in this.......

[michaelnel]

Powertec can fix their numerous problems if they want to and devote the necessary time, effort and money to the problems.

I predict they won't, but they certainly CAN.

[michaelnel]

I remember a while back when I was considering a Powertec WB-LS. I emailed them to ask if it was possible to get a copy of the manual so I could better understand how the machine worked and what adjustments and exercises were available.

No answer.

I emailed them again, finally they emailed me back and said "No further info beyond what is on the website is available".

I emailed back and told them that's too bad, because I was ready to buy if I was convinced it would meet my needs, but absent that I wouldn't be buying one.

The woman's response was something curt, to the effect of "Doesn't matter anyway, they're out of stock so you couldn't get one anyway".

I decided right then they weren't a company I wanted to deal with, and watching this fiasco in its numerous permutations has done nothing but convince me I made the right decision.

[mtl]

Wow, Powertec's rep is really going down the toilet with all these shananigans they're pulling. I have a feeling they may soon get a taste of what happenes to a company when customer service wanes and the product, no matter how great it is, becomes in short supply.......not pretty. I agree with the others, send that bench back and buy something else. That bench is way to expensive to get second rate quality in return for your hard earned cash.

So Michael, do I take it you went with all Body-Solid equipment?

[michaelnel]

So Michael, do I take it you went with all Body-Solid equipment?

Body Solid and Powerline, all from the best gym equipment vendor in the online business, Jesup Gym Equipment. I have not ever regretted the decision.

[C Man]

Ok, that's completely understandable then. I'd be upset too if the bench wasn't level left-to-right.

[Paulie]

Thankyou for your post green thumb. This was the nail in the coffin for deciding between the Superbench and Powertec bench.

[duck commander]

Powertec can fix their numerous problems if they want to and devote the necessary time, effort and money to the problems.

I predict they won't, but they certainly CAN.

Sucks if they don't because they DO have some awesome products. I wonder how many have been discouraged just by the wait time. When I was ready to buy, I was ready to buy now as my weight bench was way inadequate and I wanted to get serious. I would not have wanted to put my lifting on hold for two months. I was fortunate to (somehow) get my rack in less then two weeks. I had to wait for my weight tree though which certainly wasn't as critical. That too is a really good product BTW.

In the future I will definately be looking to Jesup first to see if they have what I need.