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Project by Kaizen DIY
Introduction
Hey everyone, welcome back to another DIY gym equipment tutorial. In this tutorial, I’ll show you how to make a DIY pulley system.
I know; it’s been done a million times. That’s why I’ve decided to do a dive deep into the topic. I’ll go over how to build a loading pin, options for the cable, options of pulleys available, I’ll show you some of the many things you can do with a pulley set up, and finally, I’ll show you pulley systems you can purchase if you’d rather not DIY.
(If you’d rather not DIY, here is a nice affordable option from Bells of Steel and the Univeral Pulley System is something to consider)
The rest of the article includes:
Video
Instructions
In the last year of making tutorials, I’ve done a lot of projects that utilize a pulley or accompany a pulley. It has been brought to my attention that I never demonstrated how to build a pulley. Well, here we go.
The first thing we’re going to build is the weight storage pin.
This is what you’ll need: 3/4″ floor flange, 3/4″ pipe cap, 3/8″ eye bolt, a 3/4″ x 12″ pipe nipple, and 1 1/4″ PVC.
If all of that sounds like too much, I recently saw a post where someone used a boat anchor, so that could be an option.
I drill a 3/8″ hole in the center of the cap. I use a drill press, but you could easily do this with a corded or cordless drill.
Then I cut my PVC to about 11 1/2 inches, this is optional, but the PVC prevents metal on metal contact.
I put the 3/8″ eye bolt in the cap and tighten the nut, then add a lock nut to ensure that it’ll stay tight over time.
I screw on the floor flange, add the PVC, and screw on the cap. I go through this process twice because I’m making two loading pins.
This is another optional step, but I also add a small piece of plywood on the bottom, again to protect the plates.
Now that these are done let’s move on to the next step.
Pretty much any DIY pulley tutorial you’re going to see will be using a vinyl-coated cable. I bought the 1/8″ version that has a 340-pound working load limit. Typically people turn to this because it’s been used in selectorized cable machines forever.
However, through the process of making this tutorial and trying out a ton of different things, I came across a military-grade paracord. The one I bought has a 550-pound weight capacity, which is already over 200 pounds higher than the vinyl-coated cable. Still, in addition to that, it is easier to cut, easier to work with, comes in a variety of colors, and feels smoother than the cable. In my opinion, the paracord is a much better option.
I have just one caveat, under heavy loads, like with my leg press, it has a small amount of elasticity that you can feel.
Whichever route you take, the next step is to cut the cable or paracord to the length you need.
I recommend adding a short chain length to the loading pin so you can make quick changes in length if you need to.
I start with simple lat pulldown. I put the loading pin in place, then run the cable through the pulley and measure how far down I want the handle. The length is subjective, so do what feels comfortable, make sure to add a few extra inches on each end to account for the loops.
The vinyl-coated cable requires bolt cutters to cut. Paracord requires scissors.
After cutting, the ends need to be burned, so they don’t fray.
In making the loops at the ends, the cable requires clamps. The paracord needs to be tied in a secure knot.
Then put the cable through the pulley…uh oh, the vinyl coated cable doesn’t fit when it clamps on. I’ll need to either disassemble the pulley or remove the clamps put them back on when it is through.
Look at that. The paracord goes right in.
In the end, they both get the job done. I now have a simple lat pulldown.
Next, it’s time to talk about pulleys. With so many options available, it’s hard to know which is the best pulley for your home gym. Fortunately, I bought and tested all of these, so you don’t have to.
This is the first one bought. It’s from my local hardware store. It’s cheap, easy to set up, and has a weight capacity of 650 pounds. The major downside to this one is that it doesn’t have bearings, so it’s not very smooth and makes a lot of noise. Not my favorite, but it’ll get the job done.
LFJ is the next pulley I tried. I bought a four-pack of these for $37 on Amazon. The weight capacity is 330 pounds. The pulley utilizes bearings for smooth operation.
The major downside is that there is a lot of space between the wheel and the housing, which means the cable can fall out of the track and get stuck. This happened to me a few times and was pretty frustrating. This is a decent pulley but not my favorite.
This pulley is $14.99 on Amazon. It is rated for an 800-pound capacity. It is wide enough at the top to get the cable in and out without taking it apart and has no gap for the cable to get stuck. I have two issues with this one: it is not smooth, and there is a sharp edge on the plastic wheel that started eating away at the vinyl coating on my cable. For this reason, I do not recommend this cable.
These Shinico pulleys came from Amazon in a two-pack for $16.99. They each have a weight capacity of 551 pounds. There is almost no gap, and they are super smooth. These are the best budget pulleys to use with paracord.
This one is a pulley for rock climbing. I got it from REI for $16.95. It’s got “22kN breaking strength” listed instead of weight capacity. It is easy to load, with no gaps, but unfortunately, it is not smooth. It’ll get the job done, but there are better options out there for the price.
This one is $19.99 on Amazon. I couldn’t find a weight capacity, but it’s probably similar to the LFJ pulley (330 pounds).
This pulley uses an aluminum wheel. It is smooth, quiet, and has a small enough gap that the cable will not get stuck. I highly recommend this if you’re planning on using the vinyl-coated cable.
The last one I tested is the no-gap pulley from Railtrainer. The price is $20, and the Capacity is 500 pounds. There is no gap, and it is buttery smooth. I highly recommend this one if you’re planning on using paracord. Use code GGE to save 10%!
I’ll say that if you are planning on using the vinyl coated cable, you’ll want a pulley with a big wheel – 3 inches or more. Paracord works with any sized wheel as long as there is little to no gap.
In addition to the weight pin, cable, and pulley, you’ll need a handful of carabiners for connecting everything, some hitch pins that fit the holes in your rack, and the last thing I recommend is getting a set of soft loop tie-down straps.
You can perform various pulldown exercises, tricep extensions, and face pulls with a single pulley and loading pin.
If you put the pulley on the weight pin, you can do bicep curls. Note that when you have a moving pulley, it decreases the load by 50%. I have 50 pounds on the weight pin, but I’m only curling 25 pounds.
If I add a second pulley and pin, I can do a lot more. I move my spotter arms up and face them out, then attach hitch pins and pulleys to those to perform flys.
For people without spotter arms or who want a more comprehensive range of motion, attach a 4×4 to the top of the rack.
There is a 3rd option for flies that utilizes a barbell and requires four pulleys, doubling the range of motion. Again, remember that you’ll have to double your weight with the moving pulley.
Use hitch pins to attach two more pulleys and turn a power rack into a functional trainer.
I attach my jammer arms and now use them with consistent resistance.
I bring in my belt squat platform and do some belt squats.
I can also use my belt squat platform to do low rows.
I grab my preacher pad and do some preacher curls.
I attach my leg curl and leg extension machine and do those exercises with consistent resistance.
Last up is my leg press. Attaching the pulleys makes this far more effective.
This is by no means the complete list of possible exercises, just a variety to demonstrate how versatile a set of pulleys can be.
If you’re having issues with the pulley swinging while you’re using it, quick pro-tip. Try adding some chains or bands. They’ll help.
Tools & Materials
| Materials | Link #1 | Link #2 |
| Best budget pulley for paracord | Amazon | |
| Best rated pulley for paracord | Railtrainer | |
| Best pulley to use with vinyl coated cable | Amazon | |
| Best budget pulley to use with vinyl coated cable | Amazon | |
| 1/8″ vinyl coated cable | Home Depot | |
| Military-grade paracord | Amazon | |
| Loading pin | ||
| 3/4 inch floor flange | Amazon | |
| 3/4 inch pipe cap | Amazon | |
| 3/8″ eye bolt | Amazon | |
| 3/4 inch pipe nipple 12 inches long (https://amzn.to/3xREwuJ) | Amazon | |
| 1 1/4″ PVC | Amazon | |
| Other accessories | ||
| Carabiners | Amazon | |
| 5/8″ hitch pins | Amazon | |
| 1″ Hitch pin | Tractor Supply | |
| Soft loop tie-down straps | Amazon | |
| Tools | ||
| Drill Press | Amazon | Home Depot |
| (above) alternatively, the holes can also be drilled using a cordless drill | ||
| Dewalt Sliding Miter Saw | Amazon | Home Depot |
| Dewalt Cordless Drill | Amazon | Home Depot |
| Bolt Cutters | Amazon |
Pretty incredible tutorial! Thanks for this. Have to say, mucho impressed by the purchase AND exercise options you presented. Lots of time on your side means less time on my side.
BTW – I have a high low pulley system that I added to my Bodysolid 2″x2″ rack 20 years ago when I bought it. Cost about $2-300 at the time which was just slightly less than the rack itself – definitely a buy once cry once and can’t imagine a rack purchase without it.
Finally, if I already have a pulley system why did I read this? Because your posts are amazing and I always learn something!