Rebuild a CAP OB-86B barbell

[59phinz]

This is my first attempt at a post like this, so bear with me!

I placed an order for a new Texas Power Bar, so I figured I could now risk rebuilding my OB-86B, in hopes of eliminating the lateral play in the sleeves. As the CAP has worn (it's three years old), the lateral play has increased, now it's to the point where it's annoying during squats. I really like the CAP bar, and plan to us it for deads, leaving the new TPB in the rack.

I tried finding a thread about rebuilding this popular bar, but couldn't find any where someone documented beyond seeing the end clip inside the end cap, so I figured I'd document my rebuild.

Here is a before photo:


Remove the end cap snap ring using snap ring pliers:


You can now slide the sleeve back towards the center of the bar, and are able to see the bushing at the end cap:


The end cap slides off freely (you can see this is a well cared for bar, as there is plenty of 3in1 oil in the end cap):


Here's a view with the end cap removed:


Slide the bushing toward the center of the bar to get a clear shot at the clip on the bar end:


More to come!

[KBKB]

More to come!

Excellent post. Looking forward to seeing the rest of the rebuild!

[59phinz]

To take the bar apart any more, you must remove the end clip. I removed the clip by striking the open end of the clip sharply with a soft faced hammer just enough to make a gap between the shaft and the bottom of the clip:

Insert a screwdriver into the gap and pry the end clip off (pushing straight down on the screwdriver):

Here's what all the internals look like when removed:

A closer look at the bushing shows metal shards and dried out old grease (my first hint there was something nasty in this bar):

After pulling the sleeve off, I was able to see inside... What a mess! Tons of metal shards and dried out grease:

The whole length of the sleeve looked like this inside:

[59phinz]

Here's the now naked shaft:

Close up of where the sleeve meets the knurl (I was surprised how poor the surface quality was, this must be where the metal in the sleeve was coming from):

I ran a rag through the sleeve to clean out the gunk (a brand new white rag):

Just like cleaning a gun! I Used a chunk of PVC to force the rag down the sleeve:

This is the rag after a single pass, note the metal chips stuck in it:

After running the rag through a couple of times, I got a fresh rag and used metal polish (Flitz) to clean all the residue from inside the sleeve. Here's a shot of the now clean interior, 007 style. In this shot, you can see that the bushing has a lateral seam, a surprise to me, and another likely source of the metal chips:

[rlundregan]

Great post so far--repped!

[trimble006]

Great post so far--repped!

This.

I'm not sure I've seen a barbell rebuild like this before - great pictures! Really interesting. Thanks!

[59phinz]

Before reassembly, I polished my shaft, then greased it liberally with a high quality lube

I greased the sleeve and end bushing and reinstalled them, then tapped the end clip back on with a soft faced hammer:

Next, I slid the sleeve back down over the end bushing and clip. Now ready to reinstall the end cap:

I polished the end cap, then filled the end cap with a good amount of grease (this is what will fix my problem with lateral sleeve play):

Due to all the grease in the end cap, you have to really press hard against it to be able to install the snap ring. Once the snap ring is in place and excess grease wiped off, the rebuild is complete:

After rebuilding both sleeves, my bar is better than new, with zero lateral play in the sleeves and a much faster and smoother spin (both selves were full of the same metal chips and dried grease, even though they were both well lubricated with 3in1 oil).

Back in service:

[Stasher1]

Excellent thread.

Repped.

[CliveWarren]

I'd like to see what a machinist would have to say. My impression is that you may have been creating some of the problem by introducing the 3-in-1 oil. AFAIK, you may have been washing the grease out of the bushing with the oil. I know WD-40 is the culprit of many lock problems, as it flushes out the grease then evaporates. However, these bushings may be oil impregnated. If that's the case I'd have soaked them in the 3-in-1 overnight (perhaps under gentle heat) then cleaned everything up and then reassemble dry.

I think Mech6 would probably have some good guidance here.

[ICEcap2]

Great info on the rebuild.

I love the plate!

[Cleveland33]

I'd like to see what a machinist would have to say. My impression is that you may have been creating some of the problem by introducing the 3-in-1 oil. AFAIK, you may have been washing the grease out of the bushing with the oil. I know WD-40 is the culprit of many lock problems, as it flushes out the grease then evaporates. However, these bushings may be oil impregnated. If that's the case I'd have soaked them in the 3-in-1 overnight (perhaps under gentle heat) then cleaned everything up and then reassemble dry.

I think Mech6 would probably have some good guidance here.

I was thinking similarly - I've always gone by either grease or oil, never both. And it seems like an excessive amount, when I put oil in my bar, it's two drops tops and that lasts a long time.

[rlundregan]

.....when I put oil in my bar, it's two drops tops and that lasts a long time.

This is good to know. Whenever I oil my bar to prevent rust, I also run a little oil down in the sleeves--all the way around. That is considerably more than 2 drops here and there. I had no idea that I was flushing grease out of where it needed to be.

[morebarbell]

Very nice step-by-step demonstration!

[59phinz]

I was thinking similarly - I've always gone by either grease or oil, never both. And it seems like an excessive amount, when I put oil in my bar, it's two drops tops and that lasts a long time.

That's exactly what I was doing since I got the bar new, 2-3 drops of 3in1 oil on each end cap (tipping the bar to let it run into the sleeve) and wiping the bar itself with a light coat of 3in1. I don't think my treatment of the bar is a big factor in why it needed to be rebuilt, I think it was mostly due to the rough surfaces left on the bar and sleeve after manufacturing. Once there is metal suspended in the grease, it moves from being a lubricant to an abrasive.

The amount of grease I added was what was required to eliminate the lateral slop in the sleeves.

[59phinz]

I'd like to see what a machinist would have to say. My impression is that you may have been creating some of the problem by introducing the 3-in-1 oil. AFAIK, you may have been washing the grease out of the bushing with the oil. I know WD-40 is the culprit of many lock problems, as it flushes out the grease then evaporates. However, these bushings may be oil impregnated. If that's the case I'd have soaked them in the 3-in-1 overnight (perhaps under gentle heat) then cleaned everything up and then reassemble dry.

I think Mech6 would probably have some good guidance here.

It's quite possible the drops of 3in1 I've added contributed to drying the grease out in the first place, but the metal particles in the grease were likely a bigger factor.

Some of the higher end bushing bars have oil impregnated bronze bushings (oilite), but the lateral seam weld in the CAP bar indicates that their bushing isn't that type (I'd have been surprised to have an oilite bushing in a $120 bar).

If I'd reassembled this bar dry, it would still have a ton of lateral slop in the sleeves, its the grease between the end cap and the floating bushing that is needed to keep the bar sleeves tight.

[GarageIron]

Awesome.

On spread but owe you.

[Accutron]

I need to get some of that grease for my car door hinge.

Just to ask is it okay to pile on the grease to fix the floating bushing that is needed to keep the bar sleeves tight, so its just filled up with grease?

Will rep on recharge!

[59phinz]

AFAIK, you may have been washing the grease out of the bushing with the oil. I know WD-40 is the culprit of many lock problems, as it flushes out the grease then evaporates.

I took a look at my 3in1 oil, the label has the caution "contains petroleum distillates", so you're correct, it will wash the grease out of the sleeve. Doh... Wish I'd bothered to read the label before I made it part of my maintenance routine! From now on, my 3in1 oil will only be used on the bar, with none going down the sleeves.

[59phinz]

Just to ask is it okay to pile on the grease to fix the floating bushing that is needed to keep the bar sleeves tight, so its just filled up with grease?

The bar just got a wipe of grease, as did the floating bushing, then I piled the grease into the end cap and let the excess push back out. So really, there is just a blob of grease in the gap between the end cap and the floating bushing (the bushing is tight inside the sleeve, so the grease won't push past it). Since the bar has no adjustment on the mounting point of the sleeve, there is really no option other than grease to eliminate the lateral play in the sleeve.

[Mech6]

That's exactly what I was doing since I got the bar new, 2-3 drops of 3in1 oil on each end cap (tipping the bar to let it run into the sleeve) and wiping the bar itself with a light coat of 3in1. I don't think my treatment of the bar is a big factor in why it needed to be rebuilt, I think it was mostly due to the rough surfaces left on the bar and sleeve after manufacturing. Once there is metal suspended in the grease, it moves from being a lubricant to an abrasive.

The amount of grease I added was what was required to eliminate the lateral slop in the sleeves.

This. I agree about the metal shards. Nice rebuild.

[Mech6]

I'd like to see what a machinist would have to say. My impression is that you may have been creating some of the problem by introducing the 3-in-1 oil. AFAIK, you may have been washing the grease out of the bushing with the oil. I know WD-40 is the culprit of many lock problems, as it flushes out the grease then evaporates. However, these bushings may be oil impregnated. If that's the case I'd have soaked them in the 3-in-1 overnight (perhaps under gentle heat) then cleaned everything up and then reassemble dry.

I think Mech6 would probably have some good guidance here.

Maybe. I never use WD-40 except to clean stuff. Completely misused by people. Meant as a water repeller, not a lubricator. I would just wash everything out with gas/varsol and re-grease. Seems to work for everything

[obey46]

Sub'd and bookmarked. Great instructional thread!

[dragon360]

Sub'd and bookmarked. Great instructional thread!

Same here. Really helpful.

[Seatard]

Without an actual grease seal won't the grease just be squeezed out and the play come back after a while? It seems that a shim could take the place of the grease if someone were interested in a more permanent adjustment of the sleeves.

[59phinz]

Without an actual grease seal won't the grease just be squeezed out and the play come back after a while? It seems that a shim could take the place of the grease if someone were interested in a more permanent adjustment of the sleeves.

Grease is pretty thick, and without heat or a degreaser, I think it'll stay there for a long time. If it does end up squeezed out, I can always add more. A spacer would work, but you would still need grease to get rid of the last tiny bit of lateral play in the sleeves.

[Terpgym]

Great job on this thread.

Looks like there's only one washer in the design of this Barbell. But looks like a beefy one. By comparison, it appears that Ivanko and Rogue use multiple washers on their bars. Ivanko uses 2 washers, and Rogue uses 1 full washer and 1 set of half-moon washers. I saw a video with the owner of Rogue Fitness, where he discussed the fact that the early Rogue bars only used one washer, but that they decided to add the set of half-moon washers, presumably for durability.

http://www.searasports.com/products/...snap-ring-kit/

http://garagegymguy.files.wordpress....l-assembly.jpg


Discussion of design change in Rogue barbells from 1 washer, to 1 washer plus one set of half-moon washers:
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=QJiANZS0amY



Until recently, the internal construction and workings of these barbells seems to have been a closely held secret, but this thread is certainly a giant leap forward!

[rlundregan]

Bumpity Bump Bump!

[yorky55]

I have the same Cap bar ,I did the same about a month or so ago,I had just a little side play which was gone when I cleaned & regreased everything, didnt have any metal to clean up like yours,I just recently got the Texas Power Bar & really like it ,the knurling feels very good compared to the smoother Cap bar,I seem to lift more with the TPB for some reason.

[dragon360]

Hadn't wanted to bring this thread back from its resting place (though it was informative) but when I first tried this out on my bar, I had an issue removing the horseshoe collar as the two ends (prongs) rest below the surface of the bar. so when hitting with a rubber hammer, there was very little contact and the collar remained in place.

I've been thinking of giving it another go but don't have any good ideas on removing the horseshoe collar apart from using the soft-faced hammer (which did not work). Wondering if any one else has had a similar issue?

I had planned on asking our Canadian guru Mech but even he has to rest and holiday at some point!

[snova031]

Hadn't wanted to bring this thread back from its resting place (though it was informative) but when I first tried this out on my bar, I had an issue removing the horseshoe collar as the two ends (prongs) rest below the surface of the bar. so when hitting with a rubber hammer, there was very little contact and the collar remained in place.

I've been thinking of giving it another go but don't have any good ideas on removing the horseshoe collar apart from using the soft-faced hammer (which did not work). Wondering if any one else has had a similar issue?

I had planned on asking our Canadian guru Mech but even he has to rest and holiday at some point!

Are you talking about the retaining ring? If so, you need a set of retaining ring pliers. I have these channellocks:

http://www.amazon.com/Channellock-92...1416134&sr=1-7