Guide · Ratings and buying
What a cable attachment load rating covers
A cable attachment weight limit belongs to one product, variant or pairing. How to read maker, seller and kN figures, and why the machine's limit comes first.
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Picks that fit
- Titan Fitness Loading PinCheck price on Amazon
- GymPin The Original 2" GymPin (8 mm, Raw)Check price on Amazon
Short answer
A load rating belongs to one product, one variant and sometimes one pairing, as its maker states it. It never transfers to the machine, the cable or another part, and you cannot add the parts' ratings together. Fringe Sport's 200 lb applies only when its pulley is paired with its Gibbon Arms,[1] and GymPin says a stronger pin does not raise a machine's rating.[2]
Picks that fitAll picks and how to choose
- Titan Fitness Loading PinCheck price on Amazon
- GymPin The Original 2" GymPin (8 mm, Raw)Check price on Amazon
Ratings come with a scope
A stated load rating is a maker's figure for the thing it names. The scope is part of the number. These are the ratings in our sources, each as its maker scopes it.
| Product | Stated figure | Scope the maker gives |
|---|---|---|
| Fringe Sport Sidewing Bottom Pulley | 200 lb | Only with Fringe's Gibbon Arms; other setups vary |
| Valor RG-26 | 500 lb | The rack-mounted cable pulley system; no test basis given |
| Titan T-3/X-3 lat tower | 300 lb | Weight plate capacity |
| MIKOLO G3 | 300 lb | Maximum weight recommendation for the tower |
| Ironmaster Cable Tower V2/PRO | 250 lb | Load rating, when attached to a named Ironmaster bench or seat |
| Bells of Steel Cable Tower | Up to 250 lb | Plate-loaded version |
| Lattice Lifting Pin | 130 kg (287 lb) | Maximum load, this model |
| Arm Kombat loading pin | 400 lb | Maximum load, 1-inch pin |
| Golden Grip loading pin | 150 kg / 180 kg | 25 mm variant / 50 mm variant |
| Spud Olympic strap loading pin | 550 lb | Olympic plate weight, Olympic strap pin only |
| GymPin Original | 60 kg | Stated on the Original product page |
| Bare Steel stacked weight pin | 135 lb / 100 lb | 10 mm model / 8 mm model |
Sources for each row: Fringe,[1] Valor,[3] Titan,[4] MIKOLO,[5] Ironmaster,[6] Bells of Steel,[7] Lattice,[8] Arm Kombat,[9] Golden Grip,[10] Spud,[11] GymPin[12] and Bare Steel.[13][14]
Read each row only within its scope. MIKOLO also lists the G3's cable at 400 lb maximum load and 2,000 lb tensile strength; that is the cable's figure, separate from the 300 lb recommendation for the machine.[5] Spud's 1-inch strap pin page repeats the Olympic pin's 550 lb sentence, so confirm the 1-inch version's rating with Spud before relying on it.[15] Golden Grip's two figures each apply to one variant only.[10]
Seller and reseller figures are not the maker's
A number on a listing is not always the maker's rating, and not always clear about what it measures.
- A reseller's figure. The Micro Gainz listing says the Original GymPin "holds up to 135lbs", which differs from the 60 kg on GymPin's own page.[16] Use the maker's figure.
- An unclassified figure. Power Systems' carabiner listing states a "550 lb load" without saying whether it is a working load or a breaking strength.[17]
- A bundle-wide figure. The Yes4All set listing claims 880 lb without stating which component or test conditions it covers.[18] Do not assume it applies to each piece.
Breaking strength is not a working load
A breaking strength is the load at which a part fails in a test. A working load limit is the most it should carry in use. MakeIt states a 12 kN breaking strength for its cable carabiner and itself says this must not be confused with a recommended working load.[19] Never convert a kN figure into a gym weight.
Industry links the two with a design factor: Certex defines it as the ratio of a rope's breaking strength to its maximum working load.[20] Those factors are set for industrial lifting, not for gym attachments, and this site does not apply them to gym gear. A proof load is a factory test: Lexco describes it as a controlled force applied to an assembly for a set time, after which the assembly is inspected for defects.[21] It is not a working limit.
Machine limits come first
GymPin states that its products do not certify or uprate a machine, that a stronger pin does not raise the machine's rating, and that the machine's permitted load takes priority.[2] GymPin's Original page adds that the frame, cables, pulleys and guide rods have their own limits.[12] The same logic applies to any part: a highly rated pin hanging from a pulley does not make the pulley stronger, and you cannot add the parts' figures together. See stack adders and machine load limits.
Many makers publish no rating
Rogue publishes no load rating for its Loading Pin.[22] elitefts publishes none for its carabiners.[23] Bodycraft states none for its 21-inch extension chain.[24] Spud does not list a rated capacity for its Super Econo Pulley.[25] Where a maker publishes nothing, this site says "not published" and does not fill the gap.
Products whose makers state a scoped rating
Two approved pins come with a rating their makers scope to the product. Titan's maker page, as recorded in our catalog, rates its Olympic loading pin at 300 lb, and GymPin's Original page states 60 kg.[12]
Picks that fit2 products
Titan Loading Pin: the Olympic version, for 2-inch plates; no carabiner included. GymPin Original: this listing is the 8 mm Raw version, for machines whose selector pin measures 8 mm, and the machine's own limit still applies.
More on choosing
On Amazon, check that 'Ships from / Sold by' shows Amazon.com or the brand.
Titan Fitness Loading Pin
Adder for machines with an 8 mm selector pin
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Questions
Is the rating on my pulley the rating of the whole setup?
No. A rating covers the product and scope its maker names: Fringe's 200 lb applies only with its Gibbon Arms. The machine, cable and other parts each have their own limits.[1][12]
What does "max load" mean on a listing?
Whatever the listing says it covers, and often it does not say. Power Systems' carabiner listing states a 550 lb load without saying whether it is a working load or a breaking strength, and the Yes4All set's 880 lb names no component.[17][18]
What is the difference between breaking strength and working load limit?
Breaking strength is where a part fails in a test; a working load limit is the most it should carry in use. MakeIt says its 12 kN breaking strength must not be confused with a working load.[19]
Can I add the ratings of each part together?
No. Each part's figure covers only that part, and the machine's permitted load comes first. GymPin says a stronger pin does not raise a machine's rating.[2]