dunebuggy31 Posted December 30, 2007 Share Posted December 30, 2007 I'm saving up to buy a good Power rack. With so many choices out there, anyone have any thoughts on the best power rack for the money ? Some options are the Powerline , New York Barbell and Yukon racks. Any thoughts on pros and cons of these companies, either in terms of rack durability or warranty satisfaction records of the companies? All input appreciated. thanx. rj Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MalachiMcMullen Posted December 30, 2007 Share Posted December 30, 2007 (edited) You know I was wondering the same thing. Any thoughts guys? I really need a power rack!!! Edited December 30, 2007 by MalachiMcMullen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
climber511 Posted December 30, 2007 Share Posted December 30, 2007 First determine exactly what you want the rack to be able to do - not only now but in the future. Do you need (or want) band hooks top and/or bottom? Do you need 1" hole spacing for the bench press area - 2" hole spacing - or is 3 inch spacing fine for your needs? Can you buy extra J hooks and extra safety pins easily and economically later? How about the chin up bar - will you ever use it? Height - if you ever think you'll do any overhead work - is the rack tall enough to let you do that? Does it have a "sumo" base to allow very wide stance box squats - or do you need that? Strength - will you or your training partners ever do 1000# quarter squats or drop a 500# bench press attempt onto the pins in it - and will it hold up to it if you do? I ended up selling the first rack I bought fairly quick because I didn't answer those questions before I bought it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MalachiMcMullen Posted December 30, 2007 Share Posted December 30, 2007 First determine exactly what you want the rack to be able to do - not only now but in the future. Do you need (or want) band hooks top and/or bottom? Do you need 1" hole spacing for the bench press area - 2" hole spacing - or is 3 inch spacing fine for your needs? Can you buy extra J hooks and extra safety pins easily and economically later? How about the chin up bar - will you ever use it? Height - if you ever think you'll do any overhead work - is the rack tall enough to let you do that? Does it have a "sumo" base to allow very wide stance box squats - or do you need that? Strength - will you or your training partners ever do 1000# quarter squats or drop a 500# bench press attempt onto the pins in it - and will it hold up to it if you do? I ended up selling the first rack I bought fairly quick because I didn't answer those questions before I bought it. Ok Chris, lets just say "yes" Any suggestions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vikingsrule92 Posted December 30, 2007 Share Posted December 30, 2007 The Lamar Power Rack is very nice. It doesn't have band pegs unfortunately, but it's a very high quality rack and I'd recommend it to anyone. Probably the best rack short of a commercial one from what I think and all of the things I've heard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
climber511 Posted December 30, 2007 Share Posted December 30, 2007 First determine exactly what you want the rack to be able to do - not only now but in the future. Do you need (or want) band hooks top and/or bottom? Do you need 1" hole spacing for the bench press area - 2" hole spacing - or is 3 inch spacing fine for your needs? Can you buy extra J hooks and extra safety pins easily and economically later? How about the chin up bar - will you ever use it? Height - if you ever think you'll do any overhead work - is the rack tall enough to let you do that? Does it have a "sumo" base to allow very wide stance box squats - or do you need that? Strength - will you or your training partners ever do 1000# quarter squats or drop a 500# bench press attempt onto the pins in it - and will it hold up to it if you do? I ended up selling the first rack I bought fairly quick because I didn't answer those questions before I bought it. Ok Chris, lets just say "yes" Any suggestions? I honestly couldn't find one with everything I wanted so I made my own. And yes I know that isn't a solution for everyone - that's why each person has to decide what features he needs and what can be afforded within a budget. Make a list of what you "need" - then one of what you "want" including any future "wish list" items. Then make a list and print out a picture of every rack you can find - no matter what the cost! Now within your budget - which rack might you buy that could be modified to be most like your ideal rack. As an example - it's not all that hard to have someone make a "lift kit" to make an elevated sumo base and raise the overall height several inches - anything from 4" x 6" wooden blocks with a groove in them to a nice welded or bolted on steel lift. Racks with round pins make it easy to have an extra set of J hooks made or an extra set of safety pins. Racks with the fancy square tube safety pins will make adding anything onto the rack almost impossible and bending one of those is nearly impossible to have fixed cheaply - and hey if you never plan to use anything heavy enough that you might drop something on it kind of defeats the whole purpose to me. Before I made mine - I had printed up pictures of probably 20 different power racks - then compared and made what I wanted. I have since made quite a few "add ons" that mount to it. Chin up - dip racks, straight chin up bar, rack mount Secret Weapon, rack mount gripper calibrator, rack mount reverse hyper, rack mount table top wrist curl, etc etc. Another thing that might be important to you is protecting the knurling on your bar - some racks have "pins" instead of padded J hooks - which will shortly wipe all the knurling off your bar where it hits - no problem maybe unless you want to squat with your new $700 Eleiko training bar on it. And sliding some Schedule 80 PVC over the round safety pins will do the same thing there plus add some strength and make it easy to center the bar too. Price is always the obstacle but by looking ahead - you can end up with pretty close to everything you want without breaking the bank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MalachiMcMullen Posted December 30, 2007 Share Posted December 30, 2007 I honestly couldn't find one... Hmmm, I think then the best idea for me would be to buy a basic rack. I could make stuff for it if needed or wanted. To eBay I go then Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dunebuggy31 Posted December 30, 2007 Author Share Posted December 30, 2007 From what I've seen online, I think my circumstances, in terms of both space and money, dictate that I get the New York Barbell power rack. Its gotten reviews as a sturdy structure and I think its got pin holes every 2". Thanks for all the input guys, and Climber511, thats some real good advice to consider before someone shells out couple hundred for a rack. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maidenfan Posted December 31, 2007 Share Posted December 31, 2007 Chris has good advice. I bought an elite rack (made by Williams Strength - www.fatbars.com) and its a bomb proof rack. The only problem? Its only 7.5' tall, which takes away my ability to do standing overhead work in the rack. If I had to do it all over again I'd definately make one myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Booyah!!! Posted December 31, 2007 Share Posted December 31, 2007 You could check out some used sporting goods stores or perhaps a second hand sports store Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Booyah!!! Posted December 31, 2007 Share Posted December 31, 2007 One feature I really like is at least 1 inch holes so I can get at least a solid 7/8 inch solid bar secured with a bolt or hitch pin clips at both ends so it cannot slide out. I figure this will save my life or prevent extra serious enjury when called on Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dubthewonderscot Posted December 31, 2007 Share Posted December 31, 2007 I had one made custom by MAC Barbell company out of Arlington, Tx. I had a height requirement and they cut down their commercial gym version to the right size for me. Great customer service and solid equipment. If you need contact info, let me know. Oscar Jacobson is a rep for them. Former Icelandic Olympian in the shotput. He knows his way around a power rack. Former Strength coach at University of Texas. Chris, If you were to build one for someone else with all the goodies you wanted, how much could you do it for? Just curious. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
climber511 Posted January 3, 2008 Share Posted January 3, 2008 I had one made custom by MAC Barbell company out of Arlington, Tx. I had a height requirement and they cut down their commercial gym version to the right size for me. Great customer service and solid equipment. If you need contact info, let me know. Oscar Jacobson is a rep for them. Former Icelandic Olympian in the shotput. He knows his way around a power rack. Former Strength coach at University of Texas. Chris, If you were to build one for someone else with all the goodies you wanted, how much could you do it for? Just curious. Weldon - it takes me most of a day to do an estimate on something like a custom Power Rack. That's why I try so hard to encourage people to "do it yourself". The savings come from trading your labor for whatever someone else would charge you to do that work - all DIY means is work instead of money. There are many advantages of course - the main one is you get what you want instead of what someone else wanted to make and sell. The short answer is estimates are a lot of work, often for nothing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
climber511 Posted January 3, 2008 Share Posted January 3, 2008 One feature I really like is at least 1 inch holes so I can get at least a solid 7/8 inch solid bar secured with a bolt or hitch pin clips at both ends so it cannot slide out. I figure this will save my life or prevent extra serious enjury when called on One thing I learned is that a machinist "loose" fit is quite different that what I called a "loose" fit. Be sure and explain to him how big you want the holes for your intended pin size. Too tight and it's a real pain to put the pins in and out - and impossible to get out if you bend one perhaps. Machinists think in thousands of an inch - if you tell him you want a hole for a 1" bar - that's just what he will give you - with very little to spare unless you tell him differently. And you're quite right - the safety pin must be secured so it cannot possibly wiggle out - hey the purpose is to save your life here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MalachiMcMullen Posted January 3, 2008 Share Posted January 3, 2008 One feature I really like is at least 1 inch holes so I can get at least a solid 7/8 inch solid bar secured with a bolt or hitch pin clips at both ends so it cannot slide out. I figure this will save my life or prevent extra serious enjury when called on One thing I learned is that a machinist "loose" fit is quite different that what I called a "loose" fit. Be sure and explain to him how big you want the holes for your intended pin size. Too tight and it's a real pain to put the pins in and out - and impossible to get out if you bend one perhaps. Machinists think in thousands of an inch - if you tell him you want a hole for a 1" bar - that's just what he will give you - with very little to spare unless you tell him differently. And you're quite right - the safety pin must be secured so it cannot possibly wiggle out - hey the purpose is to save your life here. Haha, true. A loose fit could be considered by some to be a slip fit. As in, the hole is 1.000" and the bar that goes in is .995-.999 It'll still slide in and out easy so long as the 1" hole was reemed but if it gets bent because, lets say someone drops a 200kg squat, you'd have a hell of a time getting it out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AP Posted January 6, 2008 Share Posted January 6, 2008 Chris has good advice. I bought an elite rack (made by Williams Strength - www.fatbars.com) and its a bomb proof rack. The only problem? Its only 7.5' tall, which takes away my ability to do standing overhead work in the rack. If I had to do it all over again I'd definately make one myself. If you have the height in your room (basement, garage etc) put your rack up on blocks. Bolt a few 2x4s under it and you should be able to get a lot of height though some are too tall even for that. Same thing if you want a sumo base to your rack or if the j hooks or pins are just a little off, a couple of boards or plywood can put your rack right where you need it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maidenfan Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 Chris has good advice. I bought an elite rack (made by Williams Strength - www.fatbars.com) and its a bomb proof rack. The only problem? Its only 7.5' tall, which takes away my ability to do standing overhead work in the rack. If I had to do it all over again I'd definately make one myself. If you have the height in your room (basement, garage etc) put your rack up on blocks. Bolt a few 2x4s under it and you should be able to get a lot of height though some are too tall even for that. Same thing if you want a sumo base to your rack or if the j hooks or pins are just a little off, a couple of boards or plywood can put your rack right where you need it. Thats a great idea and i've though about doing that. The only problem is I'll lose my ability to do band work from the bottom (rack has to be bolted to the floor to do that). It probably wouldn't cost too much to have some 2" x 2" extensions made w/bolt plates welded on ea side - that way I could keep it bolted to the floor. Heck, I could even have them drilled with safety pin holes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AP Posted January 8, 2008 Share Posted January 8, 2008 Chris has good advice. I bought an elite rack (made by Williams Strength - www.fatbars.com) and its a bomb proof rack. The only problem? Its only 7.5' tall, which takes away my ability to do standing overhead work in the rack. If I had to do it all over again I'd definately make one myself. If you have the height in your room (basement, garage etc) put your rack up on blocks. Bolt a few 2x4s under it and you should be able to get a lot of height though some are too tall even for that. Same thing if you want a sumo base to your rack or if the j hooks or pins are just a little off, a couple of boards or plywood can put your rack right where you need it. Thats a great idea and i've though about doing that. The only problem is I'll lose my ability to do band work from the bottom (rack has to be bolted to the floor to do that). It probably wouldn't cost too much to have some 2" x 2" extensions made w/bolt plates welded on ea side - that way I could keep it bolted to the floor. Heck, I could even have them drilled with safety pin holes. Screw the rack to the 2x4s and screw the 2x4s to your platform, you should be able to get enough strength to keep the rack secure even with a lot of band. If you figure 4 screws for each corner then if each screw held only 25lbs you could have 400lbs of band tension + whatever you rack weighs. I'd bet a good screw would hold quite a bit more than 25lbs too but I don't have a powerrack to even risk it on right now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mlstrass Posted January 8, 2008 Share Posted January 8, 2008 Fitness Factory Outlet is near Chicago and has some nice Body Solid power racks for a fair price... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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