Power Rack Safety Pins

[Scott Henderson]

I have a 48” deep rack with 1” safety pins that are already slightly bent. I just bought dip bars that attached to the safety bars (shown below) but there is more flex in the safety pins than I would like to see.



Short of decreasing the depth of my rack, I was thinking of getting new 1” safety rods, although I don’t know what type of steel I have and what might be stronger. All I can find online is A-36 and 4130.

To give a better idea, the top safety sags down about an inch and the bottom pin flexes out about an inch under the weight.

Anyone have any experience with replacing 1” safety pins? Maybe something with Rip’s style rack?

[veryhrm]

Short answer: don't know.

Longer: Per some discussion in the Q&A about bar flexing generally all steel rods of the same diameter will deflect the same amount under the same load. The difference is that some will spring back while others will be permanently deformed.

Some things to consider:
1) Lose some weight :-)
2) Move the bottom rod one slot down. it will deflect outward less

3) get a piece of 2x4 (or similar) and cut it such that it is wedged between the two safeties. That way the vertical force is shared by them both and deflection will be reduced. (some adjustable rod would prob be nice too.)

4) get pipe and slip it on the lower safety. w/ #3 it will solve any vertical sag (or outward bow).

Don't know how to easily deal with inward bowing on the top rod though. (i'm imagining a fabricated T looking with a hook at the T preventing the bar from going towards the center of the rack. The arms of the T would have feet that rest on the rod (basically reinforcing the middle of the bar and transferring the force closer to the rack posts). The vertical part of the T would just hang down to maintain alignment or it could possibly serve the function of point #3.

[Scott Henderson]

Thanks Veryhrm, that answers the question as to whether not stronger safety pins would help.

Considering 1) I'm heading in the wrong direction, 2) Moving the lower safety actually reduced deflection of that pin by 50%, 3) & 4) I think I have a great implementation to your solution... Tolerance with my currently bent safeties may be an issue.

[gtl]

I'm actually waiting to pull the trigger on that Titan Power Rack for $300 shipped, that has 1" safeties.. stability a concern, of course. I was also looking at those dip attachments. Not liking the thought of bend on the pins. What happens if you drop weight? Ever had to bail on a lift?

[Scott Henderson]

I'm actually waiting to pull the plug on that Titan Power Rack for $300 shipped, that has 1" safeties.. stability a concern, of course. I was also looking at those dip attachments. Not liking the thought of bend on the pins. What happens if you drop weight? Ever had to bail on a lift?

The safeties where already bent when I picked up the rack, which is a commercial model from ProStar ATS. I'm not sure how the safeties were bent but it is really minor and in the center of the safety. I have have failed squats on numerous occasions but always lower down below parallel and set it down, never had to drop it, though I would have no concern dropping it if I had to. Many racks use 1" bar safeties, I would let that hold me back. Another thing to note is that my rack is 48" deep, many racks are shallower and Rip even comments on this as to why his is that way, due to increased strength of the safeties.

When we buy a home next year I'll probably cut my rack down from 9' tall to 8' tall and decrease the depth to 30" - 32". Partially to make it more stable but mostly to allow the height to fit in the basement.

[veryhrm]

Thanks Veryhrm, that answers the question as to whether not stronger safety pins would help.

Considering 1) I'm heading in the wrong direction, 2) Moving the lower safety actually reduced deflection of that pin by 50%, 3) & 4) I think I have a great implementation to your solution... Tolerance with my currently bent safeties may be an issue.

Nice drawing. That would definitely help, but I think that would still result in the top coming in towards you some. I was just thinking a long pipe on the bottom which would totally prevent that from flexing... but the top was a fancier kind of reinforcement to prevent bowing in.

BUT, some ideas occurred earlier today that are simpler and in some case more effective solutions:

a) what happens if you move the handles so that one of them is right next to post? The handle right next to the post will be rock solid, but even the other one should be "ok". If it's too low because the pin is bent you can either try to straighten the pin (whether through leverage or beating) or put some sort of shim between the handle and the LOWER pin so that the parts where you're actually holding are at the same level. The handles won't be exactly parallel, but it may not make any difference.

a.5) Depending on how much clearance you need for your head you could even put one of the handles just outside the post. (so that only 1 handle is inside the rack).

b) Create a half-height 3rd post to minimize the span! Grab a 2x6 that's 3-4' long. Imagine your rack had no floor. Cut 3x2 rectangle in the bottom of the 2x6 so that it fits over the horizontal part of the rack. Drill a couple of 1 1/16 or 1 1/8th holes in it on the other end at the appropriate heights for the safeties to go through. Install it as a 3rd column right in the middle of your pictured set-up (though it would require cutting a divot in your floor). This would prevent sag vertically since it would support the safeties and it would also prevent any torqueing (top safety in, bottom safety out) since that would require the bottom of the wood to swing out. However it would resist since it is hooked over the rail at the bottom.

b.5) If the 2x6 is long or you just don't want to look at it or something, implement option "a" but put the 3rd column on the other side (the middle of the current span with both handles between the wood column and the real column).

I don't have a good sense of whether you'd need to worry about any splitting of the wood, but some reinforcement would take care of that. Or making the whole thing out of plywood or metal would work better. And probably a metal fixture (or just an L brace) to fit over the bottom of the rack instead of cutting into the wood would also be more practical and you'd have to only cut or rout a small strip out of your floor on the inside of the rack for it to fit.

I'm actually waiting to pull the plug on that Titan Power Rack for $300 shipped, that has 1" safeties.. stability a concern, of course. I was also looking at those dip attachments. Not liking the thought of bend on the pins. What happens if you drop weight? Ever had to bail on a lift?

Pull the what now ?

[Adam Skillin]

I'm actually waiting to pull the plug on that Titan Power Rack for $300 shipped, that has 1" safeties.. stability a concern, of course. I was also looking at those dip attachments. Not liking the thought of bend on the pins. What happens if you drop weight? Ever had to bail on a lift?

I have that rack and I can't imagine what it would take to bend those pins. I'm only squatting in the upper 300's and I never drop the barbell from any height, but I'd think you could snap most barbells in half on them without them even noticing.

[gtl]

Pull the what now ?

er, trigger. oops.

[gtl]

I have that rack and I can't imagine what it would take to bend those pins. I'm only squatting in the upper 300's and I never drop the barbell from any height, but I'd think you could snap most barbells in half on them without them even noticing.

Well, I'll probably order it here in a day or so. I actually just won this http://www.ebay.com/itm/Rogue-RML-49...b8cac#shpCntId , but I'm guessing the shipping was to good to be true. He is asking me about what carrier I want to use and a shipping invoice. It's about a 3 hour drive away, and would need a truck (which I don't have), so pickup doesn't really seem like an option either. Sucks because it was a really good deal on a rack that I would probably never buy otherwise.

[Bradley]

Well, I'll probably order it here in a day or so. I actually just won this http://www.ebay.com/itm/Rogue-RML-49...b8cac#shpCntId , but I'm guessing the shipping was to good to be true. He is asking me about what carrier I want to use and a shipping invoice. It's about a 3 hour drive away, and would need a truck (which I don't have), so pickup doesn't really seem like an option either. Sucks because it was a really good deal on a rack that I would probably never buy otherwise.

The bolt together racks can be disassembled and transported in a non-truck with the back seats folded down. I've done it.

Also, bidding on an eBay auction is a contractual obligation to purchase that item.