Why Bowflex Dumbbells Get "Stuck"
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- Опубликовано: 19 ноя 2024
- Describes two ways that Bowflex adjustable dumbbells (Selecttech 552, 1090) can get "stuck": 1) the dial won't turn, and 2) the dumbbell won't come out of its cradle.
Both of these are due to locking features that are there for your safety. Understanding the mechanics of the locking mechanisms makes it pretty easy to figure out what is wrong when the dumbbells seem to be stuck.
This video doesn't address cases where the dumbbells are damaged or faulty. However, it may help to understand how they are supposed to work.
Just by luck, I bought these in February 2020, just before the pandemic hit and they got really difficult to find. I think they are great - one of the best $300 that I've ever spent (that was the list price/pair at the time).
Three years later and this dude is still fucking delivering god teir info. The business might be going out and unable to help but you fixed it in 5 min.
thanks for the video, dumbelss were stuck and watching this have now been unstuck, cheers champion
Do the dumbbells still work properly?
Thanks Chris! I couldn't shake it but stuck my foot on the base, removed the dumbbell, put it back in, repeated and then was able to adjust it. I just told my husband that I am THE woman! (thanks to you :) )
Top comment 🙌🏿
Your comment helped me much faster than watching this whole video. Read this and had it out immediately.
Do the dumbbells still work properly?
@khalidqureshi3168 yes!
Love your choice of soundtrack! 🤘🏼
Thanks for this video! The Bowflex dumbbells that we have are about 9 years old, and they have these problems but this video helped me get it unstuck. It's surprising that they haven't fixed these manufacturing issues in this many years.
Glad the video helped you! I think this is an engineering issue, not a manufacturing issue. A perfect design wouldn't allow the user to make the "mistakes" that cause the two problems discussed in the video. But they need to be even more careful that there's no way for the plates to fall off. They had to recall the adjustable barbell (www.consumeraffairs.com/recalls/nautilus-recalls-bowflex-selecttech-barbells-021621.html ). Personally, I think the dumbbell design is great, and once I understood the mechanics of the safety locking, I've had no problems. I hope the same is true for you!
@@chrissatterlee4287 so can the dumbell plate fall when we workout?
@@yanz_77 Not unless they are damaged. If anything, the safety mechanisms work too well, which is why people think they are stuck when they are really just keeping you from doing anything that would allow the plates to fall out when they are out of the cradle. I don't know how the barbells worked, but they aparently had some flaw that made them less safe than the dumbbells.
@@chrissatterlee4287 thanks
@@chrissatterlee4287 Hello, have you already weighed the dumbbells to check that they are the indicated weight because some models do not ..
After I followed these suggestions, my dumbbell was still sticking. I sprayed the locking parts with silicone lubricant and wiped them down. After that I gradually went through all the weight increments and the lubricant worked it’s way through. It’s worked smoothly ever since.
This is what i am thinking as last resort
Dude! Thanks so much! I haven't been able to use my dumbbells for 8 months and now I can!
Thank you so much for this video!!! It solved our issue with setting them at the highest setting!! My husband tried for a week to fix them - after this video I stuck my foot on it and yanked it out and I effectively became
More powerful than he. Best day ever. He’s more than twice my size - so he was very impressed.
I love this story!
Way more helpful than the repair video from the actual bowflex channel lol thanks man
Thanks a lot. I didnt know about spring loaded button . My dumbells got stuck and i thought of reaching out to support team. You saved my day
Thank you big time.
Your tip on the button cradle was my problem. The metal piece was bent too far forward. I use a flathead screwdriver to bent it back.
Do the dumbbells still work properly?
Excellent video. Thank you for clearly and comprehensively explaining. I was able to easily correct my issue after watching.
Do the dumbbells still work properly?
Since posting this video, I figured out one more thing. Especially when I had the dials set to the max, I was reaching my fingers too far around the handle and unknowingly rotating the handle toward my thumb while lifting. This causes it to catch on the hook. Now I'm more careful to lift straight up. And if it does catch, I turn my hand away from my thumb, and it releases. I don't need to do the shaking that I show in the video at 2:23.
As Peter Ruiz pointed out, the stands that are available from Bowflex help with this problem. For space and aesthetic reasons (my gym is our bedroom), the stand wouldn't work for me. But I have fastened the cradles to a piece of plywood, and it accomplishes the same thing. Obviously, there are other benefits to the stands, such as not having to bend over and risk back injury. So I'm not saying that this is a substitute for the stands, but it's been a nice improvement for me. I posted a video:
ruclips.net/video/ktSpIWL2Kjo/видео.html And the instructions are here: www.instructables.com/Wood-Base-v2-for-Bowflex-552-Dumbbells/
OH. MYGOD. IVE BEEN FIGHTING WITH MY DB FOR THE PAST 45 MINUTES AND THAT COMMENT SAVED ME. THANK YOU
The issue that I'm having is that although the bar is all the way down in the cradle the release buttons are not making full contact, thus I am unable to turn the dial at all. I've inspected it for obstructions but I can see none. Have youcencountered this issue, and if so, do you know of any fixes?
@@Cavario_the_mind_plug I have not had many problems with mine at all, but I have read a lot of comments on this video! Check to see if the metal "button presser hooks" are bent down. A few people have reported this problem.
Thank you!! I was beyond frustrated with a stuck plate and was able to fix it in about 5 min with your instructions.
Super helpful! Thank you. When I opened the box, I thought they were trash because they wouldn't move. Watching this helped me get it right somehow and they move freely now.
Do the dumbbells still work properly?
@@khalidqureshi3168 Yeah they work great! I can't even understand now how I ever had a problem with them. There's something very powerful about adopting the right mental model when approaching a complex object like this.
@@khalidqureshi3168 Yes they work perfectly! I can't even understand now how I ever had trouble with them. I guess adopting the right mental model made a huge difference.
I found that my 552 sometimes get stuck if one of the plates are not seated into the cradle properly. Lifting the problematic plate out of the cradle, and making sure it's properly seated usually solves the problem (for me).
Yes, this happens to me too. It's usually when I've got them set to 45 or 50, and the only ones left in the cradle are the small ones at the end. If you don't lift straight up, one of the small plates can get slightly lifted too and then drop back crooked. I've gotten used to always looking at the plates in the cradle before putting the dumbbell back down.
Thanks so much for this! I got our bowflex dumbbell stuck just awhile ago and because of your video, I was able to fix it! Thanks again!!!
Do the dumbbells still work properly?
Great "how to" video. Explains everything clearly. Thanks for putting this together.
Got my new dumbbell stuck. Video helped. I put my foot over cradle and lifted it. I put dumbell in cradle but changed it to other side. Dial worked. Problem solved. Thanks.
Super helpful. Clear explanation. Was tryna get this fixed for like an hour.
Do the dumbbells still work properly?
This was extremely helpful and with it I managed to fix my dumbbell. Thank you!!
Do the dumbbells still work properly?
Thank you!!!! I just got mine and tried to use them for the first time yesterday and one was stuck. Thanks to your video, it's unstuck and I know what to do if it ever happens again.
Do the dumbbells still work properly?
Thanks man. My dial got stuck right in the middle of workout and one of the weights was out of line. Thanks for showing how it works
Do the dumbbells still work properly?
What worked immediately is picking up the part that’s stuck and dropping it into the platform, this makes it work again 👍🏻
I'm not a handy person at all but your clear explanation on how it works helped me. Thanks!
Thanks you! I was struggling for 10minutes, but fixed it in 2 sec after your video!
spent 1h trying, this helped a lot and fixed in 2mins
I've been doing 1 dumbbell workouts for a month now. Thank you kindly sir. !!!😁
This video helps so much, my weights fell out and the button push and reset to 5 saved me
Helped a lot, thanks man. Mines got stuck yesterday, because my nephew was playing with it, and set it in improperly, and it got stuck.
Thank you. Mine were stuck on 50lbs and wouldnt turn. I lined up the arrows, lifted slightly, then with both hands push down firmly. I heard a click and it was fixed
Tq buddy, due to ur video i manage to save from buying new set and remedy my old one
Awesome video, I have a pair of similar ones by fitness master and one of them was stuck in cradle and knobs were jammed. I followed your video and its all fixed now :)
Do the dumbbells still work properly?
Thank you! Clearly explained, and helped me quickly solve my issue with a stuck dial. Much love!
Do the dumbbells still work properly?
Ohmygodddd. THANK YOU SO MUCHHHH! You have no idea how this has helped me! Now I can use my dumbbells again!!
Thanks! Got mine working. It shipped with a dial that wouldn't turn and was able to fix it after watching this video!
I tracked my issue down: one of the black rubber feet on the cradle had come off and somehow ended up inside the cradle. Very hard to spot, and prevented the weights from sitting properly.
Thanks for the video. Mine got stuck after setting them down. First time in like 10 years. After getting them unstuck, I used some spray lube up inside of them and now seem to be fine.
I got the product in this "stuck" mode on arrival and I got so confused. Thank you for the video.
Lol that’s why I’m here
Do the dumbbells still work properly?
@@khalidqureshi3168 yea still works well
Thanks this save me a ton of time. One of my weights broken and I couldn't turn the dial after ordering a new weight.
I knew there had to be a button to push somewhere but I just didn't find it until you pointed it out. Thanks!
Thx mate, fabulous vid. Diagnosed the issue with my adjustable bells within 2 mins.
Hey Chris - thanks for sharing this info! My dumbbell is stuck in the base and I haven't been able to turn the dial or pull it out by pressing my foot on the base and pulling the weight. I'm not able to squeeze my finger underneath the little black button underneath the dumbbell handle that releases the weights - any other suggestions for getting it unstuck?
Hi Justin - If it is stuck in the cradle, it does mean that the notched ring on at least one end must be engaged with the metal tab (aka "button presser hook"). If that is the case, that dial should be able to turn (in theory). Are the dials on both ends not turning? Are both dials pointing perfectly at one of the weight markings? Does it look like both ends are equally seated in the cradle, or is one end a bit higher? It's really difficult for me to speculate on what your particular problem is without seeing it in person. And I have never had mine get really stuck, so I don't have first hand experience with these cases. Unfortunately, most commenters who have had the really stuck situation have not followed up to say if they ever solved it.
I have the same problem. Three days in & I keep trying. I do a lot of RUclips troubleshooting for all kinds of things & this is the first one that has stumped me. It’s impossible to get out. I’ve tried everything. Is there a notch underneath that I can reach with slim tool? Either debris is under there or something is really wrong :/
It’s fixed!! Hot damn! I just looked through thread for replies w/ similar problems and found the solution on when 1 side is hopelessly stuck. I put dial on 5lbs at the non-stick side & wiggled. It worked! Thanks.
@@nikis3533 mine are still not turning. Very frustrated/
AWESOME VID...MA MAN... LOOKED AT OTHERS WHICH WERE NOT SO ACCURATE AND GOT ME OUT OF A JAM!! MANY THX 💪💪
Thank you !
This video is very helpful
Thank you so very much for a detailed no nonsense video. Thank you again
Thank you so much! After 10 years or so , I finally know how to fix them 😂
this guy is incredible, saved me a few 100 bucks!
Didnt full answer my question BUT it caused me to look at like you were and I reseated the 30lbs they seemed to be off, ty!
Thanks. Got some info that helped even though it wasn't the same brand. Bonus points for Orion.
Very helpful ! I couldn't figure out how to unstuck them and it helped 💪💪
Thank you for making this. Helped me fix my weights!
Do the dumbbells still work properly?
@@khalidqureshi3168 yes, still working well.
Woah, mine are fixed. They were broke after a house move and sitting in storage for months. One wheel wouldn't turn no matter how much violence I used.
I prised the dumbbell out of the cradle by pulling from the end which did work until the whole thing popped out.
From there I removed all the weight plates by pressing the black button, brushed down all the parts of dust, and applied general purpose lubricant to the button, the teeth of the metal cog, and down into the centre of the cog. Spun it round a bit so it settled in, put it back together, and it all works smoothly now!
I assumed the movers had abused/dropped it and the mechanism was destroyed but no, it must just have seized somehow.
Fixed my problem in 30 seconds! Thank you
thank you so much we thought ours were broken but we just needed to press on that button on the weight
You deserve the noble prize. Thank you
Thanks! I thought I had to buy a new one but got it unstuck thanks to this video!
This video just saved my life
Video was a lifesaver, thank you
my little hook thing in the base was bent town a bit and didn't fully depress the button
Incredibly helpful! Thank you!
Thanks brother. I had to step on mine to release it.
Thank you! You saved me from returning them!
Thanks chris they work like a charm cheers
This was exactly what I needed, thanks!
Nice acoustic cover of Orion 👍
Thank you, I've gone a year without picking up my dumbbells before looking this up, fixed it in 20 seconds and I feel dumb now.
Thank you for this video! I was freaking out thinking I broke it and had to answer to my wife 😅
Thank you! I was just able to fix my dumbbells, thanks to your video!!
Thank you for posting this! You definitely helped this mechanically challenged lady in getting them unstuck!
Thank you! Stepping on the base plate worked!
Exactly what I needed. Thanks!
Video helped me tremendously! Thank you very much for the video!!!
Hi Chris one of my my button presser hooks seems to have broken off and it’s not sturdy now, it’s pressing against the closest weight and isn’t pushing the button as a result. Any idea how I can fix this?
I'm a big fan of repairing anything that is repairable, but I'm not sure there's a good way to fix your problem that won't just break again and be a frustration. I think you'll have to buy a replacement cradle/base. Search eBay for "Bowflex dumbbell cradle". Make sure you match the one you have - Series 1 (older, gray) or Series 2 (black, like mine) and of course 552 or 1090.
Thank you had mine freed up and back to new in under 5 minutes
I have one that is stuck. I thought it's a goner. Thanks for the fix!
Hi Chris, just got the new bowflex dumbells that are 90lb, it seems that the 20lb plate gets stuck while selecting other weight, the plate is still attached although it's a lower weight when it should still be attached to the base. Any fix on this or recco?
Hi Syed. Is this happening with both dumbbells or just one? If it's both, then my first suggestion would be to weigh the dumbbells in each of the settings. Is the weight really wrong? It isn't obvious what combination of the plates is used for each setting (and since I have the 552s, I'm not sure exactly what you are describing with your 1090s.) If it is just one that does this, then something is definitely wrong and you may be able to figure it out by comparing the good one with the bad one. The rings that choose which plates to retain or release for each setting are pretty robust, but can be broken if you drop the dumbbells. I really doubt that you have broken your brand new dumbbells already, though. And when they do break, they would tend to fail to pick up the plate rather than the other way around as you describe.
This was incredibly helpful; thank you.
thank you! good thing I looked it up, i thought I was gonna have to buy a new one
I bought the stands for the 552 and 1090s. Using them I feel avoids alot of those issues
Good point, Peter. The problem with the cradles snagging on the hook and lifiting up with the dumbbell when it is set to the max (2:23) doen't happen if the cradle is held down, as it is with the stand. For space and aesthetic reasons (my gym is our bedroom), the stand wouldn't work for me. But I have fastened the cradles to a piece of plywood, and it accomplishes the same thing. Obviously, there are other benefits to the stands, such as not having to bend over and risk back injury. So I'm not saying that this is a substitute for the stands, but it's been a nice improvement for me. I put the instructions here: www.instructables.com/Wood-Base-for-Bowflex-552-Dumbbells/ I may post a short YT video if I get around to it.
Big help, your last idea fixed my issue with the weights being stuck in base. Thank you
Bro.. thanks a lot man. Had this happen to me in the middle of a workout and couldn’t find away to fix it
Any idea on where to purchase an extra cradle. I have the 90 lb adjustables and the cradle broke on one. Bowflex customer service was unable to help me. They said they have “no spare parts”?
That's annoying! I just looked on eBay, and one is available for $100. Search for "Bowflex 1090 cradle base". That seems like a lot for just the cradle, but that's your call. You could save the search and get notified when one comes along for less, but you don't know how long you'd be waiting.
Hold on. I think they were lying to you. Looks like you can order it for $77.99 from here: parts.bowflex.com/product/orderview/91182/9768/1352124 (I dont' know how much shipping is.)
@@chrissatterlee4287
Thank you sir, I will look into it. Great video tutorials!!
Fantastic video! So helpful!!!
Thanks for this so informative and it works! Brilliant
Hi, I have the same dumbbells, 3/4 dials can spin even when out of the base. Can you help me to fix that?
That is strange. Try pushing the buttons on those ends and compare with the one that works. It sounds like maybe they are staying pushed in even when there is nothing pushing them in. Is it possible that something sticky got into the dumbbells? You might try spraying some silicone spray lubricant (or WD40) into the buttons, and see if that stops them from sticking.
Thank you! Your video solved our problem!! 🙌🎉
My dumbbell is stuck randomly on one side. I checked the spring loaded button on that side and it seems to getting stuck down and when it comes up it is just loose and not setup correctly. Is there any way to fix this?
I don't know. Maybe try spraying some silicone spray in the cracks around the button and see if that gets it working right. But it sounds like something might actually be broken in there. You might want to check out one of the RUclips videos that go into more detail on what the internals look like and how to disassemble and repair them. For example: ruclips.net/video/QNCMfap7YOc/видео.html
I have had mine for 4 years never had any issues!!
What if one end keeps spinning and weights are stuck on and the release button won't release them? Some internal issue and will have to take apart maybe?
Yes, this is not normal. I've never needed to take mine apart, so I can't say exactly what is wrong. There are other YT videos that should be helpful with that, e.g. ruclips.net/video/HRrg9e4Gd3Q/видео.html It's possible that you just need to tighten the bolt. Good luck!
@chrissatterlee4287 the lugs had all worn away on the selector so were slipping out of the grooves as they were flattened and too wide. I've filed the lugs back to fit in groves and put tiny screws to replace the round lugs. It's kind of working but will need to buy a replacement selector.
@@wanderingrjt Just curious - how many years have you had your dumbbells and how often do you use them? I'm guessing that you've gotten more use out of them than 99% of everyone that has them.
@chrissatterlee4287 I bought them July '22 and use them 4-5 times a week
When you put the metal plate piece on. Make sure the longer of middle holes is on the bottom. It’ll look like a smiley face. That’ll set both sides to 5lb when assembled.
Thanks mate. Great video and a huge help
Thanks man you saved my life
Thanks fam! Managed to fix my dumbellsss
Thank you, Doctor! 👍🏻👍🏻
Thank you. It was very useful.
Thx you so much mine was stuck your video just help me 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼
I see some on Amazon form another company for half the prices are the the bowflex really worth it
I bought mine when they were $300 (early 2020, just before pandemic.) They have definitely been worth that for me. But I have no experience with less expensive options, so I can't say if it is worth paying more for Bowflex. For me, it was pretty important to have small increments between settings. If the others are comparable (or if that doesn't matter to you), then it's mostly a question of how durable they will be and how easy they are to adjust. The Bowflex have been very reliable for me, but I am careful with them. They must not be dropped. If you read through the comments on this video, some people definitely have had problems with the Bowflex, but it's probably a pretty small fraction of the number out there. This video has over a quarter million views, so they must have sold many millions.
Very helpful video that helped me fix my rotating problem - thanks!
But what did u do?
@@cam1newton162 you gotta lift the dummbell off and look for the white button near the handle and press that to be able to release and turn it
I just got a set of 552's and this was very informative. Thanks much !
Same here
You saved me from just wanting to chuck my stuck dumbells out the window. Your info helped me fix the problem, thank you so much!