Bicycle Mechanics - threaded collar for free play adjustment

I decided to pull my seat post yesterday. I wanted to renew the grease having had a stuck seat post in the past. I got this hybrid three years ago, a Diamondback Maravista.

When I had it out of the bike, I started messing with the adjusting nut at the bottom.

Before I was finished, I took it all apart and looked at all the pieces.

Of course, I had to mess with the "threaded collar for free play adjustment" which is just a couple three inches below the seat with a rubber sleeve attached to the top of it.

I took it over to the shop where I bought it. The owner was out, but the mechanic who was there fooled with it for a little bit doing the things I'd tried at home. He finally suggested coming back when Dave the owner was there. He never, ever seen anyone unscrew the threaded collar. He had never even imagined unscrewing it. He didn't want to try it on a new bike.

I tightened up the bottom nut, and it seems to ride fine.

Everything except the "threaded collar" went back together. Just wondered if anyone has an idea of how to get it back to being threaded.

Let me guess - it's a suspension seat post?

Let me guess - it's a suspension seat post?

Yes. The threaded collar is supposed to reduce wobble/free play in the part of the seat post which actually attaches to the bicycle seat. There's a square metal bar coming down from the seat to the collar. Loosened the collar reveals a round plastic sleeve which sticks out of round part of the seat post which goes into the bicycle frame. As part of the collar there are four wedges which push into the round plastic sleeve or grommet. Don't seem to be able to push them in far enough for the threads to engage. Of course, once it is pushed, turning the collar is a trick anyway. The threads are very fine.

I went by the shop and caught Dave this afternoon. He had a mechanic a few years ago who figured out how to fix my problem. I'm not the first one to unscrew the threaded collar. Unfortunately, he can't remember how Jeffrey did it. If I can bring it back after the season, he'll be happy to mess with it. I found that encouraging. There is a solution! I shall let to problem cook on the back burner. Perhaps, I'll have a flash of insight.

I decided to pull my seat post yesterday. I wanted to renew the grease

Would this be a good place to say "If it ain't broke don't fix it"?

Absolutely, but it had been three years since I'd checked the seat post. I have had them get stuck in the past. The seat post is still not broken. I couldn't resist, often can't resist, taking things apart.

It took me weeks to get that pocket watch back together so that it would tick.