York Barbell Power Cage FTS-PR (48053) Report

[Biggerfoot]

It looks like only a couple of others here have the same cage so I thought I would post several photos of the York Barbell Power Cage FTS-PR (48053) I recently bought (used $300).

http://homepage.mac.com/biggerfoot/..../yorkrack1.jpg
http://homepage.mac.com/biggerfoot/..../yorkrack2.jpg

My main problem in locating a power rack for years is that I have a low ceiling in my basement (home built in 1923). Virtually all of the racks I was interested in was higher than the 80 inch height of my basement. As a result, I used a Weider Club 500 half rack for years. I do have to say that the Club 500 was a great, low cost half rack and it held up under years of heavy abuse without a problem.

I lucked into a used York Barbell Power Cage FTS-PR (48053) with a hi/low pulley. The specs list it at 80" high and after measuring, it is just over 79"...room enough for my basement. It is a tight fight but it works. The lat tower fits between the rafters.

http://homepage.mac.com/biggerfoot/....ackpullup2.jpg

Unfortunately, I will not be able to use pull-up bar for pull-ups due to the tight fit. Too bad, the bar is nice and heavy.

http://homepage.mac.com/biggerfoot/....ackpullup1.jpg

The rack is extremely well-built with 11 gauge steel used for the 2x3" uprights. The uprights feature adjustable hooks on both the front and rear. The numbered holes are handy in lining things up.

http://homepage.mac.com/biggerfoot/....cageapart3.jpg
http://homepage.mac.com/biggerfoot/....ackupright.jpg

One downside is that you can not purchase cheap extra hooks. I wanted another set of hooks for my wrist roller so I just used a 2" 500 pound rated u-bolt and a j-hook. The setup seems to work just fine so far.

http://homepage.mac.com/biggerfoot/....krackjhook.jpg

Although I have a stand alone lat machine for my heavy work, I like to have the rack lat tower for triceps work and cable crunches (keeps me from having to switch weights around). The lat tower features a very smooth pole-type of system with a very heavy plate holder. The lat tower does take up some room, but for me, it is worth it.

http://homepage.mac.com/biggerfoot/....rkracklat1.jpg
http://homepage.mac.com/biggerfoot/....rkracklat2.jpg

Overall, I am very happy with it and feel it is a well made piece of equipment.

I should note that correspondence with York via email was not that great (slow and unanswered emails), however, their toll-free number works and my questions were answered quickly.

[Dinotrainer]

That is a VERY NICE rack. Good Luck with it.

[Biggerfoot]

That is a VERY NICE rack. Good Luck with it.

Thanks!

At least I did make something for this rack (the wrist roller support)!

[Birdshot671]

Thanks!

At least I did make something for this rack (the wrist roller support)!

Just curious if you are still on this thread, i know it has been a few years.

I took the advise from some of the other members and made the 1 1/2 hour drive to see the York Headquarters and showroom. I was like a lot of other people on here and torn between the Powertech and the York.

While i was there, i purchased the cage and a new bench. When i got home to put it all together, there were no instructions in the boxes for the cage.

Like you, i emailed them trying to get them to send me a PDF of the instructions and all I got was a response saying that they do no provide instructions with any of their products...

This was funny to me considering the box for the bench had very detailed step by step instructions and about 8 ohter papers that came inside the box. These included care and maintenace, proper usage and all sorts of other (mostly useless) but it did come with assembly instructions. Are they F'n with me, being lazy (by not wanting to send them) or do they really not provide any instructions for the cage?

It is not rocket science, but with about 30 different bolts, locking nuts and self locking washers for different places i don't want to put the wrong one somewhere and have to destroy it to get it off later when i find the spot that it was intended to go.

So long story short, did anyone else get any type of instructions with their York FTS Power cage?

[urbanlifter]

I got instructions with mine, but didn't even use them because its not rocket surgery. The sides are welded, slide the j-hooks on first and then safeties after, you use the small screws to attach the bottom (no spacers), then the rest of the screws should be about the same size and you use washers with those. Great rack though, although it may take some time to get used to those screw down pop pins.

[GarageIron]

So long story short, did anyone else get any type of instructions with their York FTS Power cage?

yes, I've assembled several of them (7-8 maybe). Every one of them had instructions

[AttyGuy]

GI, do you have a copy? Could you scan them?

[GarageIron]

GI, do you have a copy? Could you scan them?

Unfortunately I don't. They are just photocopied sheets inserted into one of the boxes. I always just tossed them with the rest of the packaging when I was done. I could probably walk someone through it based on memory though.

[Biggerfoot]

I was noticing that today marks the 12th year since bringing home my York rack…times goes quickly!

January 7, 2007:



All of the links in my original post are all long dead.

Here is the rack in my old basement in 2007:



After moving, I built a fitness room in an outbuilding…it has grown and now houses a second rack. However, the York rack is still part of my daily workouts. Here it is 12 years later:



Looking back, there were fewer rack options. The most common racks discussed then were Lamar and PowerTec. I recall there was a pretty heated debate about the thickness of the York Rack vs the Lamar rack rails.



After 12 years of use, there has never been an issue with the rack. It was probably the best $300 I spent!

[urbanlifter]

That's a quality rack that doesn't get much love, with one of the smoothest rack attached lat pulldowns I have ever used. The only things that bothered me was the narrow pull up bar and having to screw down the pop-pins, otherwise there isn't much to dislike. Seeing those pictures make me miss mine a little

[Biggerfoot]

That's a quality rack that doesn't get much love, with one of the smoothest rack attached lat pulldowns I have ever used. The only things that bothered me was the narrow pull up bar and having to screw down the pop-pins, otherwise there isn't much to dislike. Seeing those pictures make me miss mine a little

I do really like the lat attachment for pulldowns...and it is much smoother than my lat machine. The pop-pins are time-consuming hence me just leaving two bars set-up how I normally use them and then a second rack for squats, etc.

About the only age issue I noticed on the rack is that some of the white paint yellowed some.

[urbanlifter]

I do really like the lat attachment for pulldowns...and it is much smoother than my lat machine. The pop-pins are time-consuming hence me just leaving two bars set-up how I normally use them and then a second rack for squats, etc.

About the only age issue I noticed on the rack is that some of the white paint yellowed some.

York does REALLY well with pulldowns for some reason. I had the STS standalone and it was phenominal, way better than the Matrix ones at the commercial gym. Sadly I had to sell it to make space for a rack, which I later sold to make space for a belt squat. That one might eventually come back to haunt me, not too many York products I can say that about. Reps for keeping the rack though, after adding the weight storage to the rear I could swing from the pull up bar with barely any movement. Tank!

[tytw00]

Recognizing this is an old thread, hoping Biggerfoot is still using this rack. I was wondering if he could tell me what the hole spacing (centre-to-centre) is for the rear bottom crossmember that connects the two sides of the rack together. In particular, I want to know what the York FTS plate storage attachment (https://yorkbarbell.com/product/ft-p...nt-power-cage/) hole spacing is at the connection point to the rack as I want to use it for a different rack. Also, is the base of the rack 2"x2" square tubing?

Thanks.

[urbanlifter]

Don't' think you are going to get a response and unfortunately I can't remember what the spacing was on my York rack. I'd email York though, when I put these on my Bodycraft rack I emailed them for the hole spacing to make sure it would work.