Guide · Carabiners and connectors
Cable extension chains and snap links: what makers list
What a cable extension chain does, Bodycraft's 21-inch chain and the models it names, chains and snap links in OEM parts lists, and makers' accessory warnings.
We may earn a commission if you buy through links on this page. How we make money
Short answer
An extension chain adds length between a cable end and an attachment. Use one only where the machine or chain maker lists it for your model, and treat its rating as unknown unless the maker states one. Machine makers warn against accessories they do not recommend, so a chain is not a general fix for a short cable.
What an extension chain does
Fringe Sport shows the simplest case. Its Sidewing Bottom Pulley ships with a pre-threaded cable listed at 52 in, or 82 in with the included extension chain, and the chain comes with carabiners.[1] The chain is part of the kit, sized by the maker for that pulley.
That is the pattern to look for: a chain the maker supplies or lists for your equipment, not one added on your own judgment.
Bodycraft's 21-inch chain
Bodycraft sells a 21-inch extension chain. It describes it as industrial-grade stainless steel with 5 mm thick, welded, non-detachable long links.[2] Bodycraft states no load rating and no included hardware, and says no manual is available.
Bodycraft lists the chain as compatible with its HFT Pro, RFT Pro, DFT and XFT functional trainers and its power racks.[2] Those named Bodycraft models are the fit we can confirm. The page also makes a broader claim, which we do not repeat; if your machine is not on that list, ask your machine's maker.
Chains and snap links in parts lists
Machine makers list connectors as their own parts:
- Body-Solid's parts list for its Functional Trainer Kit for the SPR1000 (SPRFT) names a cable connector, an accessory connector, a cable connector bolt, a steel chain and a snap link as separate parts. It gives no dimensions or load ratings for any of them, and the step text does not say where the chain or snap link attaches.[3]
- Body-Solid's S2BTP manual lists a chain among its parts.[4] The text we could read does not say where it goes.
The lesson is that a chain on an OEM machine is a specific part with a specific job. If yours is worn or missing, order it by part number from the maker.
What makers say about add-ons
| Maker | What its safety text says |
|---|---|
| Body-Solid (SPRFT) | Use only Body-Solid replacement parts; do not use accessory attachments the maker does not recommend[3] |
| Precor | Do not use accessory attachments Precor does not recommend, and do not modify the equipment or its parts[5] |
A chain is an accessory attachment. Under these makers' rules, adding one they have not recommended is outside what the manual allows.
What not to do
- Do not run a chain through a pulley. Fit it only where the maker's manual shows.
- Do not extend a cable beyond what the maker lists to reach a new position.
- Do not join chains or connectors into a longer string of your own design.
If a cable is too short for your rack, the cable length guide covers ordering the maker's length instead.
Connecting the chain
Fringe ships its chain with carabiners; Bodycraft states no included hardware.[1][2] If yours came without connectors, the carabiner fit guide covers gate opening and eyelet size, and the gate and loading guide covers how to load one.
A locking steel carabiner whose maker states its gate opening is one option. It is a climbing and rigging connector, not a gym product, and its kN figures are breaking strengths, not weights you can load.
Picks that fit1 product
Choose the Gold, single Tacoma: a steel auto-lock with a 0.95 in gate opening. Check that the gate clears both the chain link and your attachment's eyelet and closes fully.
More on choosing
Fusion Climb's 50 kN major-axis figure is a breaking strength. On Amazon, check that 'Ships from / Sold by' is Amazon.com or Fusion Climb.
Steel auto-locking carabiner with a wide gate
Next
Questions
Can I add an extension chain to my cable machine?
Only where the machine or chain maker lists it for your model. Bodycraft lists its 21-inch chain for its HFT Pro, RFT Pro, DFT and XFT trainers and its power racks, and makers such as Body-Solid and Precor warn against accessories they do not recommend.[2][3][5]
Does an extension chain have a weight rating?
Not always. Bodycraft states no load rating for its 21-inch chain, and Body-Solid's SPRFT parts list gives none for its steel chain or snap link. Ask the maker before relying on one.[2][3]
What is a snap link?
A connector with a spring gate used to join parts, such as a cable end to an attachment. Body-Solid's SPRFT manual lists a snap link as its own part, separate from the steel chain.[3]
Can I use a longer chain to reach a higher or lower position?
Only the chain and length your machine's maker lists. Precor warns against modifying equipment or using accessory attachments it does not recommend, so ask your maker rather than extending a cable yourself.[5]