I was on my last set of deadlifts and when I set the bar down (hard, but I didn't drop it) the collar broke. Is this normal? It's a cheap bar from Dick's ($99 300lb. set) and the collar looked like cheap steel. Should I see if Dick's will replace it? I'm quite puzzled (and pissed since I have to improvise to finish my workout) :nope:

They SHOULD just give you a new one... it can't hurt trying, might as well ask em and find out.

How much weight did you have on the bar? Unless you loaded it up with like 1000 lbs. or something, then the bar was a piece of junk and they should replace it. I'd at least make an attempt...you were using it for the intended purpose and it just broke.

How long ago did you buy it?

No, I only had 300lbs. loaded on the bar. The "bar" didn't break but rather the collar. I have no idea unless there was a stress fracture in the metal and it finally broke.

I've had the bar just over 1 year.

Same thing happened to me on the barbell of a 300# weight set. Mainly I bought it for the plates but still even though it's cheap you'd hope it would hold up a little better than it did. I had someone weld it back together and it was never the same, but kept it as an extra bar. Mine broke doing deadlifts also; but granted I didn't stay within it's rated limit. Not sure if they'd do anything for you after a year, but you could try and see. Ultimately you could use a better bar.

Just to update--

I took the broken bar back to Dick's yesterday. I went to the back of the store where the weight equipment is kept and found no one working. I walked to the front counter and explained my dilemma (broken bar/no receipt). The counter guy said they probably couldn't do anything but to go back to the weight dept. and speak with the fellow working (who had oddly appeared now). Told him what happened and he said that "shouldn't of happened--let me get the manager." He gets the manager and she said no problem they'll exchange my bar for me...woot :tucool:

So, a big :tu: for Dick's even if the bar is a POS :D

Yay :D

Are you regularly tightening the screw at each end of the bar? These, on many bars, will loosen quite quickly. You need an allen key, although you can get it "snug" simply with your baby finger; there's no need to have it mission-critical tight, but certainly over time it's important to check this sometimes.

Are you regularly tightening the screw at each end of the bar? These, on many bars, will loosen quite quickly. You need an allen key, although you can get it "snug" simply with your baby finger; there's no need to have it mission-critical tight, but certainly over time it's important to check this sometimes.

Oh, is that all that happened? Yeah, that's not a big deal, you can just re-tighten it. I thought he meant something physically went wrong/broke with the actual steel piece of the collar.

Yes, I had been tightening it once every week or two. Also, no the bar did physically break as in metal split and shot across the room :D

Do yourself a favor and buy a high quality bar like Glenn Pendlay sells. You can drop it from overhead all day and it won't break. They are designed for it. I love mine. I bought it after I broke two cheapos I had in the same workout.

http://store.wfwclub.com/crossfitbar.html