Swivel help -- my swivel is not level

[DarkShine]

Hi,

I installed a speed bag in my basement and have been using it for a little under a year now with a large speed bag. (Balasz ibox platform with a large lazer bag.)
I am mainly focused on using it to improve striking skills (accuracy, improving the brain connection for tensing the fist/muscles right as you land the hit, etc). I use it as a combo of low to medium intensity cardio + working on striking skills.

Anyway, I got a new smaller bag and swapped it out--when I was doing so I noticed the uhook swivel is not level. It is noticeably slanted, so the uhook doesn't hang straight down. The bag ends up not quite hanging straight on it because the ubolt is slanted.

I am not sure how much of an impact this has on the bag behavior--should I worry about swapping out the swivel? I need to break in the new bag so I'll probably hit it for an hour tonight... I am pretty sure I'd have noticed if it was slanted when I first installed it, but I haven't really inspected it since then. Just wondering how much of a difference this is making on the bags behavior, and whether I can just ignore it or if I should replace the swivel...

[DarkShine]

I read around on the forums and decided to give the evo 14 a shot. Now to start working on side-hitting stuff... I've mostly stuck to using both arms doing punch & block with one arm, then punch & block with the other. I think incorporating some hook or side hits would be good for skill work.

[BagBoy]

So it worked ok with the first bag.. but not the new smaller bag. Is it the bag or the swivel?
Can you post a picture? Does it say 'made in India' on the swivel?

I once had a ringside that looked like it was made of play-doh! Returned it.

[DarkShine]

After breaking in the 2nd bag a bit it is hanging much better. Here is what it looks like now:


how wide is my monitor

[Mickey Dix]

Hello DarkShine and welcome to the forum. There is definitely something going on with that swivel from my experience with these u bolt swivels they can be very flimsy it almost looks like it is going to fall apart. Be careful it doesn’t come apart while hitting on it.I would replace it with the Arcswivel or the thrasher house swivel or both like Ralph suggested.Hitting on a ball hook will able you to hit the bag from all sides better and make it more enjoyable.Good luck

[DarkShine]

Yeah its weird, I'm fairly sure I would have noticed it was so slanted when installing the first bag, but I didn't really examine the swivel closely again until I was swapping out for the smaller bag.
On the other hand, i can be fairly oblivious sometimes so its possible it was always slanted like that.
Balazs says to firmly pull the bag downward while breaking it in to break in the loop; the swivel feels sturdy when doing that.

I will give the Evo a shot and then consider whether to try an Arc. If I want to try the Arc Pro, where do I buy one? I saw them on Etsy but no where else--is that the best spot to pick one up?

One complication is that due to the wall padding I have (you can see it in the picture above), the platform can't be adjusted any lower, and is currently at a pretty good height for me but if the ball+hook swivel has less overall length to it the bag may end up too high. I can relocate the platform if need be but we wanted to keep the non-wall-padded areas free for a future squat rack or other equipment, and my wife does a lot of kettlebell stuff and doesn't want to worry about space issues if she is doing overhead stuff like snatches.

[rdshackleford]

...If I want to try the Arc Pro, where do I buy one? I saw them on Etsy but no where else--is that the best spot to pick one up?

@arcswivel on Instagram. I stopped selling on Etsy because they started doing offsite advertising without my requesting it, and then charging outrageous fees on the sale. Instagram works and I can do venmo or paypal

[dad]

First thing WELCOME, as you can see from the response a lot of good caring people. Looking at the image and I'm only speculating the heavier bag would help to balance out the offset weld job. With the lighter bag you may be ending up with a binding of the horizontal pin that may cause the problem. ENJOY THE JOURNEY

[dad]

Sorry, forgot to mention you can never go wrong with an arcswivel.

[Speedbag]

After breaking in the 2nd bag a bit it is hanging much better. Here is what it looks like now:


how wide is my monitor

Welcome DarkShine.

The problem you are showing with that U-Bar swivel (Some call them a D-Swivel) is pretty common from what I've seen. These types of swivels have gone through a long evolution, (like many others) and each newer "version" has usually been larger, cheaper and worse than the previous model. Mass produced speed bag equipment, particularly swivels change from year to year, seeking cheaper cost and higher profits. Capitalism, right? From my experience, the older versions of this type (10-15 years ago) were much better than todays version. Unfortunately most "whole speed bag systems" from the main manufactures come with this type of cheaply made swivel.

Years ago, on the older versions I found it possible to make them usable with taping the bag to the center of the U-bar, I show that here.

https://speedbagcentral.com/speed-bag-swivels/

But with the large, shaky, poorly made swivel you have I'm not sure that would help.
As a few have said earlier in the Thread, there are better swivel options available. Chainlink models have pretty much disappeared but various BALL HOOKS are available.



Evo series

https://www.thethrasherhouse.com/evo-14-series

https://www.instagram.com/thethrasherhouse/

Video of thrasher ballhook in action

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=geCIwb91BWE

ARC

https://www.instagram.com/arcswivel/

View the ARC in action

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gSrjIPlr7mY

You will notice that none of the major speed bag manufacturers or retailers currently make or carry ball hooks, so the ones above are custom made by speed bag enthusiasts (forum members) that have the passion, skills and ability to make their own ball hooks. This trend has been going on for about 10 years, with different "custom" self-made ball hook models coming and going, (all made by Forum Members I might add) ALL that I have used were good and maintained the simple basic purpose of the ball hook swivel. The main differences has been (1) the materials (metal, plastic or other types) and (2) the method of bag attachment to the device. The above current models are both brilliant in design and function. Among custom made swivels the single biggest issue has usually been "Availability", since the individual making them has to be making them now or have some inventory, neither of which is predictable when every swivel depends on 1 person making them, one at a time. Both of these current swivels have been around a few years, going through different "version" improvements. They have excellent action and are high quality products. I suggest you get one or both while they are available.

I know a few other forum members are currently "creating" their own ball hook creations, but they are not "ready yet." Throughout the history of this forum (open 2006) there have ALWAYS been members designing and creating (or trying to..) their own versions of a "better speed bag mouse trap", including Bags, Swivels and Boards. Unfortunately none has made it to the level of mass production. YET. but you never know...

Some people will argue that the "Ball Hook" swivel is a bit hard to use, control or learn on. Personally I'd say Baloney to that. Personally I find it much harder and frustrating to use a poorly designed, junky, clunky swivel (sort of like your U-bolt). And they yield a much lower quality workout IMO. IF a bagger "has control" or feels good on a U-Bolt and then struggles when moving to a Ball Hook, then that (too me) indicates they are getting away with a lot of poor punch contacts that the poor design of the swivel lets them get away with. All that shaking and vibration kills the bag action and also forgives poor punching contacts. For them, a good ball hook will help them become a better, more repetitively precise bagger. And it does not take long. From my own experience with new baggers, they get better on a ball hook pretty quick after struggling with a junk swivel for however long they have. Some of this depends on "how you want to use the bag". If you are only going to hit basically from the front, or front to back, ..then a U-Bolt will work fine although shaky and perhaps warped, as yours appears. But IF you want to hit from ALL AROUND the bag, (termed "Bible Style", vs, front "Boxer Style"), You will eventually want a current ball hook swivel.

I hope this helps. Hope to meet you at our next Gathering July 7-10, July 2022


#KeepPunching

[Travis1965Comet]

I have a upgraded Title lightning speed swivel if interested. I installed premium bearings from Japan as the stock bearings are garbage. The loop was also not bent right so I fixed that as well. Title sent me a new swivel so I repaired this one. I also put better bearings in the one I use.

[rdshackleford]

ugh. is that the swivel that came with the Balazs iBox? I have an identical looking one that came with my Everlast adjustable platform. Its... uh... I guess, a swivel?

lol.
p.s, Travis, hang in there. your swivel experience will get better very soon.

[DarkShine]

Ok got & installed the Evo swivel.
One thing I notice is that 3 of the 4 screw holes are stripped or something--only one of the screws grips when I tighten, the others can just spin forever. So when I start hitting it the swivel comes loose.
I assume I can just rotate the swivel a bit and drill new holes in the base? (I've never swapped out a swivel before.)

I did hit it just a little (couldn't do much with the loose swivel), and it is significantly harder than the u-bolt.
I kept getting it into a state where the bag is just going in a circle up close to the base.
So I guess I have some work to do

[Dutchman]

Old time carpenters trick, glue wooden matchsticks (with the tip cut off, of course) into the stripped out holes. If need be you can drill new pilot holes, but you should be able to start the screws without having to do that.

[DarkShine]

Thanks for the trick Dutchman--I didn't have matchsticks so I used toothpicks. Worked really well; I glued them in last night and put the screws back in today, the swivel is now nice and tight.

Now I just have to get used to the ball swivel--with a few minutes practice I could get it sort-of right for a few hits before it went off in its "I'm gonna do a circle now" thing with the bag just merrily spinning along in a circle right up next to the platform.
The angle (from straight on, just adjusting up/down the hit location) I hit the bag at also needs to be more precise--with the uhook I feel like many angles worked fine. With the ball hook some angles the bag doesn't react well and won't do a proper bounce off the platform.