My Handy Lockup Bar is not working. I took the bar apart thinking that the mechanism might be dirty, but that doesn’t seem to be the problem. Along with the NR-255 Cam Rider, NRS-23 Spring, and NS-399 Block Extension I also found 4 washers. Do the washers actually belong in the lockup bar? It seems that someone was trying to get the Block Extension to work and used the washers to make the mechanism long enough to actually extend the Block. When moving the NR-253 Cam via the handle it does not engage or disengage the Block Extension. I cannot figure out what the set screw does in the NR-253 Cam. Does anyone know? Do you think NR-255 Cam Rider and NRS-23 Spring are worn and need replacing? Or is there another problem I’m not understanding? Any insight would be greatly appreciated!
Eric, what I should have said was that the cam may need to be flipped in the bar.I have seen Positive Lockup bars that have been disassembled and cleaned and the cam reinstalled with the set screw facing down. From the second photo it appears that right end has the extension block. If so, then the cam is correct.
Yeah, it’s an eccentric cam, but there is a single hole in which to insert the handle. It would take an altered design of cam to change that position.
The washers compensate for wear to contact surfaces and to loss of spring strength. These could be considered normal for Vandercooks of any age today.
Thanks, Paul. That makes sense that the Cam is an eccentric and might need to rotate. There was slight movement when the handle pointed all the way toward the block extension. It seemed like the block extension would have moved more if there was more room to push the handle in that direction.
Now, how on earth do I remove the handle? It is really stuck in the Cam. I sprayed WD-40 where the cam and handle meet and propped the handle up to help it seep in. I’ll let that sit overnight and maybe the WD-40 will loosen things up.
Cam NR-253 may need to be rotated in the bar. It’s an eccentric. The smaller inner circumference should push cam rider NR-255 out as it turns.
The set screw for cam NR-253 fastens the handle.
Cleaning and lubricating with graphite should also help, but you may still need one or more washers.