Adjustable bar got stuck - Help!

[M3rl1n]

Hi All,

I recently bought two second hand airush kites with one Smart bar for both of them. The Smart bar is adjustable, it allows you to remove bar ends and add some additional tubing for more length. Well, I have managed to undo one end however the second is just stuck. I've tried everything by now: boiling, hot, warm, cold, soapy water, wd40, vinegar, hitting, pulling, twisting, screaming, crying, singing but the bloody thing just won't let go.

Does anyone knows any other ways of getting the aluminium unstuck? please help.

[davesails7]

I had one of the first smart bars when Airush came out with these adjustable bars. Was great at first, but left it in the larger setting all summer flying big kites in light winds. When the wind picked back up in the fall, I tried to go back to the shorter setting, but the parts were permanently fused together.

I tried some of the things you listed, but nothing worked. I think it's an issue of steel and aluminum parts in salt water causing corrosion between the two parts. I go the button moving, but the bar would not budge, completely fused together.

Airush supplies a lubricant with the bars now that you are supposed to apply regularly inbetween the parts. Mine didn't come with this.

Airush recommended pulling the bar apart and rinsing inside with freshwater after every session, but that is a real pain. I don't have access to freshwater where I kite, so when I get home I have to unwind all of the lines, wash the inside of the bar, then wind the lines back up? Not worth it!

On the plus side, I thought it was a great bar other than this issue. Especially the chicken loop, I think it's just as good as the North one.

[hmattar]

I have one bar from my 17m. Never removed the end. Sometimes I leave the bar inside a bucket of fresh water to remove salt. Let me try to remove the ends i'll post the results later.

One side was hard to get out. Bought it on christmas used like 10 times.

[ronnie]

They used to make windsurf booms that adjusted the same way. Now no-one uses that adjustment system on aluminium booms because it corroded and jammed.

I used to push the adjusting spring inside, soak the corroded boom with white vinegar for a while and then pour boiling water on the thicker diameter part before trying to hammer it in or out a bit to break it free.

With the Airush bar, you might be able to twist the end to get it to free up after pouring boiling water on it. I wouldn't recommend hammering it.

[M3rl1n]

I DID IT!!!!!

So, finally I managed to get the second end of the bar off. Turned out to be a two men job.
First I poured Coke into all holes on the bar and started blowing into the holes hoping that the air will push Coke into those places that are stuck. I did this several times, however i'm not sure whether it helped or not. Then, I took two pieces of timber and screwed them together having the stuck end of the bar between. So, it looked like letter T . The I stuck the other end of the bar into a road drain (in between two metal pieces) and tried to twist the top bit with a timber, wasn't too successful to begin with but together with my mate manage to twist the top end of the bar and take it off.

I didn't have any tools, so had to use whatever was available, like road water drain
Well, now it's sorted and i'm happy. Will have to make sure i put WD40 inside after every session or so.

[windtzu]

Whoa, sorry to hear about your bar getting stuck. I too have a smart bar with about a season's use on it. Remembering back to the days of stuck push pin windsurfing booms, I made sure I kept the Airush bar lubed from day one. Airush recommends using lanolin grease. A small packet came with the bar, that is until my mini poodle got a hold of the packet licked it clean of it's contents. It didn't harm her (it's only sheep wool oil) but I was on search for it's replacement. It's not something you come across everyday, at least in the US. Eventually I found it, of all places, at my local pharmacy. It turns out lanolin grease comes in the form of "nipple cream." Women use it for soothing chapped nipples when nursing.

So every third or fourth session, I take apart the bar and clean it with fresh water. After wiping the bar and pins clean, I reapply the nipple cream, oops I meant lanolin grease. It only takes a few minutes and my bar after at least thirty sessions, still comes apart like new. I hope this helps.

[ac17]

Try spraying it and letting it sit / soak in for 15mins, with Lanolin Lubricant (available in an aerosol can). Worked on both my jammed bars.
Says on the can won't wash off in water or become tacky either. Bar ends now moving ultra smoothly again, even after a few sessions. Very easy to apply. Works its way in. Just use sparingly, because it is so lubricating that your stopper ball won't work if a drop gets on the rubber coated center lines. However, is easy to clean off with baby wipes.

[nikalaitzian]

I DID IT!!!!!

So, finally I managed to get the second end of the bar off. Turned out to be a two men job.
First I poured Coke into all holes on the bar and started blowing into the holes hoping that the air will push Coke into those places that are stuck. I did this several times, however i'm not sure whether it helped or not. Then, I took two pieces of timber and screwed them together having the stuck end of the bar between. So, it looked like letter T . The I stuck the other end of the bar into a road drain (in between two metal pieces) and tried to twist the top bit with a timber, wasn't too successful to begin with but together with my mate manage to twist the top end of the bar and take it off.

I didn't have any tools, so had to use whatever was available, like road water drain
Well, now it's sorted and i'm happy. Will have to make sure i put WD40 inside after every session or so.

BEWARE!!!!! corrosion can easy snap your bar and go to a death loop....that bar sucks man....you have to lubricate it every time and even then its dangerous.

[noel]

I DID IT!!!!!

So, finally I managed to get the second end of the bar off. Turned out to be a two men job.
First I poured Coke into all holes on the bar and started blowing into the holes hoping that the air will push Coke into those places that are stuck. I did this several times, however i'm not sure whether it helped or not. Then, I took two pieces of timber and screwed them together having the stuck end of the bar between. So, it looked like letter T . The I stuck the other end of the bar into a road drain (in between two metal pieces) and tried to twist the top bit with a timber, wasn't too successful to begin with but together with my mate manage to twist the top end of the bar and take it off.

I didn't have any tools, so had to use whatever was available, like road water drain
Well, now it's sorted and i'm happy. Will have to make sure i put WD40 inside after every session or so.

BEWARE!!!!! corrosion can easy snap your bar and go to a death loop....that bar sucks man....you have to lubricate it every time and even then its dangerous.

Says the team rider for Epic. I usually bite my tongue on the this stuff but I have not seen any problems with the Airush Smartbar although I have seen quite a few problems with the Epic bar. 2 snapped lines on new bars, 2 bar ends ripped off the bar, at least 4 broken "U" clips on the chicken loop (3 broke doing lessons and 1 during a kite loop) and 2 broken (but warranteed) trim straps. We stopped using the bars in the school here. Love the kites but the bars are not up to par. BEWARE!!

[nikalaitzian]

I DID IT!!!!!

So, finally I managed to get the second end of the bar off. Turned out to be a two men job.
First I poured Coke into all holes on the bar and started blowing into the holes hoping that the air will push Coke into those places that are stuck. I did this several times, however i'm not sure whether it helped or not. Then, I took two pieces of timber and screwed them together having the stuck end of the bar between. So, it looked like letter T . The I stuck the other end of the bar into a road drain (in between two metal pieces) and tried to twist the top bit with a timber, wasn't too successful to begin with but together with my mate manage to twist the top end of the bar and take it off.

I didn't have any tools, so had to use whatever was available, like road water drain
Well, now it's sorted and i'm happy. Will have to make sure i put WD40 inside after every session or so.

BEWARE!!!!! corrosion can easy snap your bar and go to a death loop....that bar sucks man....you have to lubricate it every time and even then its dangerous.

Says the team rider for Epic. I usually bite my tongue on the this stuff but I have not seen any problems with the Airush Smartbar although I have seen quite a few problems with the Epic bar. 2 snapped lines on new bars, 2 bar ends ripped off the bar, at least 4 broken "U" clips on the chicken loop (3 broke doing lessons and 1 during a kite loop) and 2 broken (but warranteed) trim straps. We stopped using the bars in the school here. Love the kites but the bars are not up to par. BEWARE!!

yes youre right....i use to have many problems with my bars....but you know when you start from the begining with parts from another company you cant control the quality.Eventualy you are going to have fails.Now with the new bar alll the problems are solved..Nice, simple and clean.I use to be a team rider then for Airush..Broke 2 bars and finaly i used an old slingshot bar.