introduction
Attachments are great as they allow you to use your rack for much more than the basic barbell lifting movements. We make many attachments that replace stand alone machines, click here to read an article on them. When shopping for rack attachments you may realize that there are many more attachments for racks with 1″ holes on 3×3″ tubing than any other rack size/style. There are three main reasons for this in my opinion, the first is the most common rack size is 3×3 tubing with 1″ holes spaced 2″ apart, the second reason is that 5/8″ racks use such small holes it is difficult to make a sturdy rack attachment to connect to them. The third reason is 5/8″ racks do not usually have holes all the way up the upright on the side like most 1″ racks do. We make over ten different 5/8″ rack attachments and are always working on more but some attachments are not able to be made for 5/8″ holes effectively.
Racks with ⅝” holes are difficult to make attachments for because the holes are so small making the rod that goes through it very thin and not very strong. 1” holes can have a rod that is 30ish% larger than a the rod in a ⅝” hole making them much stronger and no need to add extra support.
Let’s look at an example like a single roller attachment, you will find several brands that make a roller for 1” holes with a single 1” rod similar to our Alpha Single Roller We made a prototype of a single rod ⅝” Alpha Roller but it bent after just a few heavy split squats were performed on it. We do make many 5/8″ attachments read about how they will grow with you here. This happened because the rod that goes through the hole is so small it needs additional support from a bracket to be strong enough. Many brands make ⅝” rollers that have a bracket with a welded rod and another hole for a hitch pin for additional support. We do not make them as other brands do and we do not have 5/8″ racks so we only make our unique attachments
Pictured above is a 5/8″ Leg Roller from Rogue Fitness, it has a 6″ tall bracket that has a welded pin and a hitch pin to give it enough structure to be secure.
Pictured below is our Alpha Single Roller, which attaches to 1″ holes with a single threaded rod. The Alpha Single Roller comes in 9 Upholstery Color options and also has an injection molded pad option for only $125 compared to $140 for upholstery pads. The Alpha single roller attaches with our Adjustable Nut making it secure to the upright without any wobble. Click here to watch a video from Basement Brandon comparing our Alpha Single Roller and Rogues Monster Roller. We made an Alpha Roller 5/8″ rod prototype back in 2022 but it bent after only a few sets of heavy splits squats and we ditched the design. We also make a Single Utility Roller for $99 and a Dual Utility Roller as well.
holes on side of upright
Many 5/8″ racks are made without holes all over on the sides of the uprights. This is done to save cost as 5/8″ racks are usually more budget friendly options, the longer the laser runs the more expensive it is so the more holes the more expensive to manufacture. The side of many 5/8″ uprights do not have holes like they do on the front and back of the uprights, this is why our GOAT Attachment pins behind the rack on a 5/8″ rack and not through it, this does not limit the height you can attach the GOAT to on the upright. Pictured below is a RML-3 Monster Lite Half Rack from Rogue, one of the most common racks on the market. You will notice the rack has lots of holes on the front of the upright but only has them every 6″ or so on the side of the upright. This makes you have less options to place attachments and is why the GOAT Attachment pins in BEHIND the upright not through it.
Pictured above is a GOAT Attachment on a 5/8″ rack, you will notice that the pin goes behind the upright not through it, this allows you to place the unit anywhere there is a front hole for the threaded pin.
Threaded pin
The GOAT Attachment uses a threaded pin that allows the same unit to work on 1″ inline Holes, 1″ offset holes and 5/8″ Holes. If you change from a 5/8″ rack to a 1″ rack you can order a new threaded pin and you can use your GOAT Attachment on your new rack. If you go from a 1″ Offset hole rack like a Rogue rack and get a new Stray Dog Strength rack with inline holes you can just move the pin to the other setting and the GOAT will work on your new rack without buying anything. The Threaded pin is also tapered to make it easier to adjust from hole to hole.
Conclusion
Making rack attachments for 5/8″ holes is difficult due to the constraints listed above. No companies are not trying to punish you for not having a 1″ rack, it is just more difficult to make attachments for 5/8″ racks. Many attachments could be made for 5/8″ racks but the extra support needed would add lots of weight and size to the unit making them difficult to store. A rack and the attachments you have to use on it are only as good as the storage for those attachments because if they are difficult to setup and tear down you will not use them. Leave a comment if you found this article useful!
