Now that school is back in session, there are probably still some projects that need to be finished and, maybe, even a thing or two you have forgotten about.  It happens to the best of us.  One thing that can stop you dead in your tracks and create some problems is bleacher issues. American Athletix wants to give you a few do-it-yourself ideas that can help make your life easier and your bleachers safer and more reliable.

1. The picture in this blog shows a nice clean drive roller on a very clean floor.  Keeping both the floor and rollers clean will make it more likely that your power units will be able to completely do the job of getting the bleachers all the way open and all the way closed.  Cleanliness is next to friction in the bleacher world because clean rollers slip less, giving more grip to the process.  That reduces wear on the power units and aids a sure and safe opening and closing process.  Sweep the floors before opening the bleachers. Run them in and out a few times and make sure they are opening and closing all the way.  If you find something you need help with, give us a call.

2. Check the wall and floor anchors.  When they are loose, you are, almost always, on the way to problems. Loose anchors change the angle at which bleachers, whether they are manual or motorized, torque open and shut. If the foundation of anchors is not tight, there is more stress on the motors and on the other components.  One or two loose anchors gives birth to more, so keep them tight.  Don’t be afraid to send someone under the bleachers with a wrench to make sure they are in order.  It is time well spent that will pay off in safety, reliability, and decreased repair bills.

3. Tip three applies to both indoor and outdoor bleachers.  It is of equal importance to both wood and aluminum planks.  Due diligence involves having someone walk each plank on the outdoor and indoor bleachers.  They will walk the foot planks, seat planks and will look at the riser planks.  They are looking for wooden planks that are broken, cracked, checked or warped.  You or your designee is looking to make sure the fasteners are tight and that none of them are missing.

On the aluminum planks, you will, not only, check for fasteners, you will be watching for tears in the aluminum which can catch clothing and cut skin. You will be looking, closely, for planks that are bent.

By no means, is this an exhaustive inspection. These are DIY things that you can do frequently.

Again, feel free to call us and we will be happy to help. By the way, if on the rare occasion that one of your coaches has a bad game and, is in need of a quote, he might want to avoid the words of soccer player Ruud Gullit who showed he was obviously not a math teacher when he said, “We must have had 99% of the match, it was the other three percent that cost us.”