Any ideas how to change a speed bag bladder?

[Pegasos]

I ve got this speed bag and it becomes soft just hours after i fully inflate it. So i guess the bladder is faulty. I tried to take it out but couldn't it seems to be glued (?) inside. Are there different bladder sizes or does one size fit all? Any info appreciated.

[Roc Stone]

Hi Pegasos,

They probably did glue around the valve, you basicly just have to try and gentley pry this area loose. To do this I suggest you turn the bag partially inside-out by pushing the bottom of the bag through, and out the top of the bag slit. Don't turn it completely inside-out, just far enough so you can access the inside of the bag where the air valve hole is with your fingers.

With the bag in this position you are also ready to be able to install the replacement bladder. Position/aline or fix the bladder valve in the hole of the speed bag, now pinch together, just using your fingers, the bag and the new bladder from the outside of the bag around the hole where the valve is exposed. Once you have a firm grip of the speed bag and the bladder (from the outside of the bag) return the bag to its normal shape by draging the bladder eyelet back to its normal deflated state, by doing this the new bladder should get sucked through the bag slit. Now with the new bladder inside the bag you will need to inflate, to do this on a soft uninflated bag just keep a grip on that area you have pinched so you can insert the needle. With the needle inserted you can let go of the bag and proceed to inflate.

Hope this helps you out Pegasos

[ukspeedbag]

I had the same problem for weeks with one of my bags. To cure it I just kept wetting the valve and needle before inflating. I guess you have already tried this?

[Pegasos]

Roc Stone,

since you said that the bladder is probably glued in the inside of the speedbag, would i need to glue the new bladder too?

I mean, if the point of the bladder is not glued precisely to the point where the hole is at the leather cover of the speedbag, won't it be easy for the two points to get lost and so for the needle not to be able to go through both?


ukspeedbag,

i actually moisten the needle every time by blowing some hot air with my mouth, before i insert it. The speedbag gets fully inflated, then in an hour or so loses all inflation and becomes soft.

Which brings me to the question, what is considered to be a normal quantity of air lost from a healthy speedbag-bladder? I have a small size a medium size and a large size speedbags. In a period of 10 days, after full inflation, the medium size was still rock hard-fully inflated. The small size one was almost completely soft, and the large size one was fully soft, as if left uninflated for years!

When exactly do i know that a bladder has become faulty, after what percentage of air lost? I m confused.

[Pegasos]

I mean should i think of it in terms of loss of air as a car tire? As a bicycle tire? A something completely different from the above?

[Dutchman]

Sounds like the valve is bad. This is not an unusual situation. The other possibility is a pin hole in the bladder itself. As far as a new bladder, try to get one that has a snap in valve. While not really easy to install, it's much easier than gluing one back in with rubber cement like what was originally done. You may have to do a bit of research on this as not all the manufactueres use this type of bladder, and some have had offered the same model bladder with and without the snap in valve at the same time. I assume this had to do with a change in suppliers.
As far as air loss, natural rubber bladders are more porous than vulcanized ones, and the plastic ones are the least like to bleed down. Many feel that the latex rubber bladders are the most responsive and are worh the little extra maintenance. As far as how long it takes before it can be considered a problem, I would say that it should stay up through at least a few days before having to add air, depending upon what the bladder is made of. I have bags with latex bladders that take a week or so before I have to pump them up again. If you can't get through a good long workout without it getting soft,then definitely that's a problem.

[ukspeedbag]

I haven't had to inflate any of my bags for about 6 months now.

[Roc Stone]

Once you aline the position of the bladder and the bag is inflated the pressure should lock the bladder in place. I would have to concur with the Dutchman about those snap-on collard valves though, they are the way to go.

Again, when the bag is in a soft deflate state I insert the needle using the pinch method. However if there is a little too much air in the bag to do the pinch I put the bag between my knees with the valve facing up and by applying pressure with my knees I am able to make the bag solid enough to insert the needle.

It would be up to you if you prefer to re-glue the bladder or not, I didn't re-glue mine (didn't see the need). Make the job a little easier if it happens again.

As far as lubricating the needle prior to insertion I have found that dipping the needle in vaseline gave me very good results. For example I recently procured a Tittle double end bag, and in the set-up stage I fiddled around with the pressure, (I had already applied vaseline to the needle for the 1st inflation) but by the 3rd time I had adjusted the air, from then on the bag would loose about 30% of pressure, and be lucky to hold air for 2 hours. So I gave the valve a heavier dose of vaseline and have not had to pump the bag up since.

[Speedbag]

You can also test the air valve. Fill the bag up, then cover the top 2/3 of the bag in plastic and a towel, to protect it, ( don't want water getting down inside past the top threads) and leave the bottom part with the air valve open. Then with it fully inflated, I submerge it into the bath tub, hold it or secure it underwater and watch to see if air bubbles come out the bottom. If it sets at the bottom of a tub and no air comes out, then I'll hold it and squeeze it hard to put pressure on the sides as if I was punching it. Then you might see air escape the valve, which tells you it goes flat due to the force of punches forcing air out the valve.

Either way, if air escapes the valve, the valve is bad. You can do as Roc Stone said, blow it up one last time, and seal the valve with vaseline, or glue a plug into it. But it will probably blow and then you will have to change it anyway or get a new bag. changing bladders is a pain....

A good friend of mine puts oversized bladders into his bags, meaning he'll put the bladder for a 10x7 into his 8x5. that way, the bag leather stops the inflation of the bladder, but there is never enough pressure in the bladder to blow the seams. Since the bag leather is fully inflated, the bag feels full and hits very well, with little or no strain on the bladder.

I have never done that, but it works for him, and he can pound a speed bag too dust. Never broke one yet.

[EL Ortho]

Hi there, I own an Everlast Gyro Ball with the model number 4210 on it, but the bladder has the number "4232" on it. The bladder has failed and refuses to inflate. Furthermore, having successfully removed the bladder I attempted to refit it, as practice for when the new bladder arrives.

Unfortunately, I have had no success, whatosever!

The bag has been drilled for two holes, one interior, of a small bore, through the leather, and a larger exterior hole through the yellow plastic.

I have found it practically impossible to refit the old bladder, as the plastic head of the valve simply will not fit.

I came close to getting it to go through by tieing two strands of copper wire, threading them through and then pulling slowly. The head of the valve started to go through alright but then the copper started to slip. Encouragingly, I had difficulty getting the head back out again, so obviously the copper method was working. Still......

.............

This is the bag...

Any help would be appreciated. I don't have the strongest hands, and the leather loop prevents me from turning the bag anywhere close to fully inside out.

Thanks again.

[clark-kentski]

The valve on the new bladder will be an inch or so long to make it easy to pull through the hole when done you trim off the excess.hope this helps

[Roc Stone]

Otherwise try needle nose pliers.

[jackmcmanus21]

i was just going to say use pliers....this could do the trick for ya