Buying task · Rack-mount pulley systems
Rack-mount pulley systems
Which power rack pulley attachment fits your rack: base type, upright size, hole size, kit contents, cable length and each maker's rating in its own scope.
We may earn a commission if you buy through links on this page. How we make money
Picks that fit
- Titan Fitness Short Lat Tower Rack Attachment, T‑3 and X‑3 Series Bolt-Down Power RacksCheck price on Amazon
- Titan Fitness T‑2 Series Lat Tower Power Rack Attachment, 71 inCheck price on Amazon
- Titan Fitness Short Wall and Rack Mounted Pulley Tower V3 (80.5 in)Check price on Amazon
Short answer
Choose a rack pulley whose maker lists your exact rack, its base type and its hole size, then check what comes in the box and read the rating in the maker's own scope. Fit lists are narrow: Rogue's Monster Slinger fits only Monster Rack 2.0 models,[1] and Fringe Sport's Sidewing fits 75 mm metric "3x3" tubing but not true 3x3 racks.[2]
Picks that fitAll picks and how to choose
What a rack-mount pulley is
A rack-mount pulley bolts a pulley and cable to the uprights or a crossmember of a power rack. You load plates on a loading pin or a sleeve, and pull the cable from a low pulley or a high pulley. It turns a rack into a basic cable station without a separate machine.
The catch is that each mount is made for particular racks. Makers publish fit as named racks, upright sizes, hole sizes and exclusions. A listing that says a pulley "fits all racks" is marketing, not a fit statement; Bullet Pulley's homepage, for example, sells "aircraft-grade aluminum pulleys" without stating a rated load.[3]
We do not test pulleys. Every fit and rating on this page is what the maker states, for the product the maker names.
The decisions, in order
1. Identify the rack and its base. Bolt-down, flat-foot, fold-back and wall-mounted racks are treated differently. Rogue excludes wall-mount racks, the RM-390F Flat Foot and fold-back racks from the Monster Slinger, and says the rack must be secured to the floor.[1] Titan says its T-3/X-3 lat tower does not fit Flat Foot racks or T-3/X-3 racks bought before October 2021.[4] REP says only the PR-4000 and PR-5000 work with the Ares 2.0, and not flat-footed racks.[5] Start with how to identify your rack before buying a pulley.
2. Upright size. A rack sold as "3x3" may be true 3x3 (3 in per side) or metric 75 mm (about 2.95 in).[2] SYL sells its swivel pulley in 50, 60, 70, 75 and 80 mm upright variants and labels 50 mm as "2x2" and 75 mm as "3x3".[6] Those labels are nominal: 2 in is exactly 50.8 mm and 3 in is 76.2 mm.[7]
3. Hole size and mount spacing. Valor designs the RG-26's bolts for 1/2-inch frame holes.[8] The Monster Slinger uses 1-inch bolt assemblies and the Monster Lite Slinger 5/8-inch ones, with mounting holes 8 in on center.[1] Do not swap a maker's hardware to make a mount fit another hole size.
4. The maker lists your rack. Surplus Strength says the UPS Low fits 3x3 or 2x3 lower crossmembers at least 6.75 in tall, on racks with 1-inch or 5/8-inch holes.[9] Rogue says standard Monster Lite crossmembers lack cable holes and offers pre-drilled Monster Lite 3.0 crossmembers instead.[10] Use the maker's route, not a drill.
5. What is in the kit. Spud sells its Super Econo Pulley as the pulley only, with the cable sold separately.[11] Rogue's Monster Slinger base unit includes two pulleys, a 1/4-inch cable and two carabiners.[1] See what comes in a rack pulley kit.
6. Cable length. Spud says its 75-inch cable suits 6- to 7-foot racks and offers custom lengths.[11] Valor lists an 85-inch rubber-sheathed cable on the RG-26.[8] See cable length for a rack pulley.
7. The rating and its scope. Valor states 500 lb for the RG-26, with no test basis given.[8] Titan lists a 300 lb weight plate capacity for its T-3/X-3 lat tower.[4] Fringe states 200 lb only when the Sidewing is paired with its Gibbon Arms.[2] MIKOLO's 300 lb figure for the G3 is a maximum weight recommendation, and it says the tower must go into wood studs or concrete, not drywall alone.[12]
How to choose
- Write down your rack's maker, model, base type and purchase date.
- Measure one upright's outside width and the hole diameter; the rack upright size finder shows what each size is confused with.
- Keep only mounts whose maker lists that rack, or that upright and hole size, and check the exclusions.
- Check the box contents and cable length, then read the rating as the maker scopes it.
Three approved Titan attachments state both a named rack fit and a rating. Titan lists 300 lb for its T-3/X-3 lat tower and excludes Flat Foot racks and racks bought before October 2021.[4]
Picks that fit3 products
For a Titan T-3 or X-3 bolt-down rack bought in or after October 2021, choose the Short lat tower (SKU 401035).
More on choosing
For a Titan T-2 rack, choose the 71 in T-2 lat tower; Titan lists it for T-2 racks bought after September 2020. The Pulley Tower V3 (80.5 in) is for a wall or Titan's T-3, X-3 and bolt-down racks, not X-3 Flat Foot racks, and mounting hardware is not included. On Amazon, check that 'Ships from / Sold by' shows Amazon.com or Titan Fitness.
Lat tower for Titan T-3 and X-3 bolt-down racks
Titan Fitness Short Lat Tower Rack Attachment, T‑3 and X‑3 Series Bolt-Down Power Racks
Lat tower for Titan T-2 racks
Titan Fitness T‑2 Series Lat Tower Power Rack Attachment, 71 in
Pulley tower for a wall or Titan bolt-down rack
Titan Fitness Short Wall and Rack Mounted Pulley Tower V3 (80.5 in)
No rack? Wall-mounted towers are the other route, and each maker sets its own wall conditions. Follow the maker's manual for mounting.
Picks that fit2 products
MIKOLO G3: choose the plain G3 Cable Machine variant unless you want the aluminum pulleys (G3 Ultra) or the plate bundle; MIKOLO says to mount it into wood studs or concrete, not drywall alone.
More on choosing
Valor BD-62: choose the Cable Machine variant; Valor states a 200 lb maximum and wall studs or concrete. On Amazon, check that 'Ships from / Sold by' shows Amazon.com or the brand.
MIKOLO Plate Loaded Pulley Tower G3 (Wall Mount Cable Station)
Valor Fitness BD‑62 Wall Mount Cable Station
Every page on rack-mount pulleys
Guides
- Identify your rack before buying a pulley
- 2x2, 2x3 and 3x3 vs metric uprights for pulley mounts
- Pulley mount hole sizes: 5/8 in, 1 in and 1/2 in
- Pulleys on folding, flat-foot and wall-mounted racks
- What comes in a rack pulley kit, and what does not
- Cable length for a rack pulley: rack height and the maker's options
- Cable travel vs cable length
- Gym cable inspection and replacement parts
- 1:1 vs 2:1 cable ratio: stack weight vs what you pull
Tools
- Rack upright size finder: 2x2, 2x3, 3x3, 50 mm or 75 mm
- Cable setup finder: pick the pulley, tower or trainer you own
Rack-mount setups
- Rogue: Monster Slinger, Monster Lite Slinger
- REP: Ares 2.0, Athena side-mount trainer, Altitude cable attachment
- Valor RG-26 rack cable pulley, Fringe Sport Sidewing Bottom Pulley, Surplus Strength UPS Low
- Titan lat tower for T-3 and X-3 bolt-down racks, SYL rack-mounted swivel pulley, Spud Super Econo Pulley
Rack upright sizes
Key terms
Nominal size, hole diameter, hole spacing, bolt assembly, flat-foot rack, bolt-down rack, fold-back rack, cable length and stated load rating.
Everything in this topic
Guides
- 2x2, 2x3 and 3x3 vs metric uprights for pulley mountsHelps you tell whether your rack's uprights are metric or true inch tubing before you choose a pulley mount.
- Cable length for a rack pulley: rack height and the maker's optionsHelps you order the cable length your pulley maker offers for your rack height instead of guessing a generic number.
- Cable travel vs cable length, and how ratio changes itHelps you compare machines by the travel figure makers publish, without confusing it with the cable's part length.
- Gym cable inspection and replacement parts: follow the makerHelps you know when to take a cable out of use and why the replacement should be the machine maker's own part.
- Identify your rack before buying a pulleyHelps you collect the exact rack details a pulley maker's fit list asks for before you order.
- Pulley mount hole sizes: 5/8 in, 1 in and 1/2 inHelps you match a pulley mount's bolts to your rack's hole size before you order.
- Pulleys on folding, flat-foot and wall-mounted racksHelps owners of folding, flat-foot or wall-mounted racks check whether a pulley maker excludes their rack before buying.
- What comes in a rack pulley kit (and what does not)Helps you see which parts a pulley kit leaves out, so you order the cable, pin, carabiner or handles you still need.
Shortlists
- Rack pulleys with a stated rack fit and ratingHelps an owner of a named rack pick a pulley attachment its maker lists for that rack, with the rating in the maker's scope.
Tools
- Rack upright size finderTakes you from a measured upright size to the mounts whose makers list it, without treating a conversion as a fit.
Common questions
Is my 3x3 rack 75 mm or 76.2 mm?
It depends on the rack. Fringe Sport describes metric 3x3 tubing as about 75 mm (2.95 in) per side and true 3x3 as 3 in per side, and 3 in is exactly 76.2 mm. Measure the outside width of one upright. More in 2x2, 2x3 and 3x3 vs metric uprights for pulley mounts
Will a 75 mm pulley mount fit a 3x3 rack?
Only if the maker says so for your tube. Fringe says its Sidewing Bottom Pulley fits metric 75 x 75 mm tubing sold as 3x3 but will not fit true 3x3 racks. More in 2x2, 2x3 and 3x3 vs metric uprights for pulley mounts
Is 50 mm the same as 2x2?
Not exactly. Two inches is 50.8 mm. SYL Fitness labels its 50 mm variant "2x2", but that is a nominal label, not an exact conversion. More in 2x2, 2x3 and 3x3 vs metric uprights for pulley mounts
How do I measure my upright?
Measure across the outside of one upright, flat side to flat side, in millimeters and inches. Fringe advises measuring the outside width of one upright if you are unsure which 3x3 you have. More in 2x2, 2x3 and 3x3 vs metric uprights for pulley mounts
How long a cable do I need for a 7 ft rack?
Use the length your pulley maker offers for that height. Spud says its Super Econo Pulley's 75 in cable suits 6 to 7 ft racks, while Surplus cuts its cable to the rack height you give in the order notes. More in Cable length for a rack pulley: rack height and the maker's options
Can I get a custom-length cable?
Some makers offer one. Spud says custom lengths are available for an extra fee and can take up to two weeks to fabricate. More in Cable length for a rack pulley: rack height and the maker's options
Is a longer cable always better?
No. The right length is the one the maker built for your pulley and rack height; Rogue, for example, sells separate versions for 90, 100 and 108 in rack heights. More in Cable length for a rack pulley: rack height and the maker's options
Can I shorten or splice a cable myself?
No. Order the maker's cable in the length it offers, or ask the maker for a custom length. More in Cable length for a rack pulley: rack height and the maker's options
Questions
Will a rack pulley fit any power rack?
No. Each maker lists the racks it fits: Rogue's Monster Slinger fits only Monster Rack 2.0 models and excludes flat-foot, fold-back and wall-mount racks. Check the maker's list for your exact rack and base, as in identify your rack before buying a pulley.[1]
Is 75 mm the same as 3x3?
Not exactly. Fringe Sport describes metric "3x3" tubing as about 75 mm (2.95 in) per side and true 3x3 as 3 in, and says its Sidewing fits the first but not the second. Three inches is exactly 76.2 mm.[2][7]
Do rack pulleys come with a cable and loading pin?
It depends on the kit. Spud sells its Super Econo Pulley with the cable sold separately, while Valor lists an 85-inch cable and a 14-inch plate holder with the RG-26. Read the maker's contents list, and see what comes in a rack pulley kit.[11][8]