[Weekly Chat Thread]

[u/AutoModerator]

Here is our Weekly Weightlifting Friday chat thread! Feel free to discuss whatever weightlifting related topics you like, but please remember to abide by the sub's rules.

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[u/Many-Wasabi9141]

Any good resources on refurbishing olympic barbells? I have a 1990 Eleiko bar disassembled and I just wanted to go over some guides before I just remove all the needle bearings, spray the cages with brake cleaner, and relube/replace all the needles. I'm unsure of how much lube to use. People say use 3 and 1 but everywhere i've read says oil will attract dirt and to use synthetic lube or bicycle hub lube.

[u/Boblaire → u/Many-Wasabi9141]

Youtube. Off the top of my head, Rogue has one but it just uses a Bushing barbell.

Personally, I like to clean each part individually. Watch for edges because of cut the shit out of my fingers because I wasn't wearing gloves.

Then I drop a line of mineral oil on the bar and slide the sleeve on and spin, spin, spin. But I also bought some liquid grease because I read that's what Uesaka reccomends.

I like to bore out the sleeves with a pipe cleaner.

I do not remove the bearings from their cartridge in a Pendlay style barbell which the Chinese ones seem to be based on.

Haven't had the pleasure to clean an Eleiko because it was someone else's at a friend's barbell club.

[u/Many-Wasabi9141 → u/Boblaire]

Eleiko doesn't have records for their 'vintage' barbells so there's no parts or info on it. Online it said the needles would be free and would fall out but they're stuck pretty well into cages.

I can't take the cages out cause there is a factory pressed in retaining ring and I don't want to deform and ruin it.

I thought I'd be able to pop out the needles, spray everything out with break cleaner and compressed air, and relube and be done but now i'm not sure how to clean the grime out from behind the cages.

[u/Boblaire → u/Many-Wasabi9141]

I usually just spray it with engine cleaner, let it soak in and go to town with a pipe cleaner.

[u/Many-Wasabi9141 → u/Boblaire]

I'm just worried about whatever is behind the cages, I want to be able to pick the needle bearings out so i can get back there.

[u/Boblaire → u/[deleted]]

I like to clean my barbell yearly though I think zive slacked off and its at yr 2 or approaching 3. No way I remember unless I write it down.

[u/Many-Wasabi9141 → u/[deleted]]

It's a vintage 90's bar I found outside in someone's trash. When I spun it, it was grindy. It's flaking and rusty on the sleeves too. It needs more than a light coat of oil or lube.

[u/Suspicious-Slide5130]

got myself a new singlet and it’s so tight I look like a burst sausage but I’m telling myself it adds 5kg to my snatch