It's easier to install a CrossFit / Pull-up Rig than you think... if you know these 3 tricks

A properly installed pull-up rig is a thing of beauty.

I should know... I've installed two in my garage gym- and helped many, many CrossFit Affiliates and other gym owners install theirs.

Check out this fully-installed pull-up rig from the Fringe Sport HQ:

But

A lot of people are afraid of the installation

Let me tell you a secret:

Installing a pull-up rig is not that hard!

If you can work a drill and a wrench, and have a few friends to help, you can do it in as little as 60 minutes... or as long as an afternoon, if you have a really big pull-up rig.

Here are the keys to making your pull-up rig installation go smooth as butter.

Pull-up rig installation trick #1: Understand the full installation process for a pull-up rig... before you begin the install

Properly begun is properly done- so understand all the tools you need, the hardware you need, the people you need to help, and the general process.

How to install a wall-mounted pull-up rig:

Note that the following installation instructions are for installing into a wall with studs. The process for pull-up rig installation will be a similar for installation into masonry.

Tools needed:

• Socket set(s) and wrench(es)
• Hammer drill
• Tape measure
• Mallet (if you are using concrete wedge anchors)
• Drill
• Ladder
• Stud finder
• Level
• Pencil

Hardware needed:

• Pull-up rig components (uprights/crossbeams/accessories)
• Bolts for bolting pull-up rig and accessories together
• Stringer (usually, a piece of wood like a 2x10 that is screwed into your studs, more info here)
• Lag screws for bolting your stringer into your studs
• Lag screws for bolting your rig into your stringer
• Bolts for securing the pull-up rig to the floor
• Any washers needed for the bolts

People needed:

• You + one other person for a 4 or 10 foot wall-mounted rig, more people needed for longer pull-up rigs

Steps:

1. Prep your area- ensure that your installation area and wall are clear of all obstacles
2. Line up your tools- make sure you have everything
3. Line up your hardware- make sure you have everything
4. Assemble your rig uprights and crossbeams while it is still on the ground. Screw down the bolts to hand tight, or slightly tighter- but do not tighten fully
5. Tilt the assembled rig upright and make sure it will fit in the space you have reserved for it. Also roughly mark the spot on the wall where you will install your stringer
6. Tilt the rig back down onto the ground
7. Install your stringer into the wall (this means confirming height, finding studs, and using a drill, ratchet set, and lag screws to screw the stringer into the studs)
8. Tilt the rig back up against the wall
9. Confirm that your stringer was installed in the correct location (if it's not, the rig will not be able to screw into it)
10. Confirm the placement of your rig (are you 100% happy with where it is placed?)
11. Use your level to position the uprights of the rig so they are straight up and down. Use your tape measure to make sure the rig is completely square (or rectangular ;))
12. Mark on your concrete floor where you need to drill to anchor the uprights
13. Tilt the rig back down onto the ground
14. Use the hammer drill to drill holes for the concrete anchors. It is better to drill a hole that is too deep than too shallow
15. Make sure to blow the concrete dust out of the holes
16. Tilt the rig back up against the wall
17. Screw the rig into the stringer
18. Use your concrete anchors and bolt the rig to the floor. If you are using concrete wedge anchors, hammer the anchors down with the mallet before you screw down the rig.
19. Install any rig accessories (trawler, wall ball targets, etc.)
20. Using the ratchet, tighten all hardware down
21. Do some pullups and drink a beer!

And that's it! It may seem like a lot of steps, but if you've ever assembled anything from Ikea, this is easier (but bigger).

Well, what about installing a floor mounted pull-up rig?

It's even easier than installing a wall-mounted pull-up rig since you don't have to mess with stringers!

How to install a floor-mounted pull-up rig:

Note that the following installation instructions are for installing into a level, concrete floor. You can screw through rubber stall mats or wooden flooring, if you like.

Tools needed:

• Socket set(s) and wrench(es)
• Hammer drill
• Tape measure
• Mallet (if you are using concrete wedge anchors)
• Ladder
• Level
• Pencil

Hardware needed:

• Pull-up rig components (uprights/crossbeams/accessories)
• Bolts for bolting pull-up rig and accessories together
• Bolts for securing the rig to the floor
• Any washers needed for the bolts

People needed:

• You + two other people for a 4 or 10 foot floor-mounted rig, more people needed for longer pull-up rigs

Steps:

1. Prep your area- ensure that your installation area is clear of all obstacles
2. Line up your tools- make sure you have everything
3. Line up your hardware- make sure you have everything
4. Make sure your rig parts are roughly positioned where you will want the fully-installed pull-up rig to be
5. Laying flat on the ground, assemble one "two dimensional" segment of your rig- two uprights and a crossbeam connecting them. Tighten the bolts to hand tight or slightly tighter- but do not tighten fully
6. Laying flat on the ground, assemble a second "two dimensional" segment of your rig- two uprights and a crossbeam connecting them. Tighten the bolts to hand tight or slightly tighter- but do not tighten fully
7. While this second segment remains on the ground, assemble the "third dimension" of crossbeams (2) that will eventually connect to the first "two dimensional segment. Tighten the bolts to hand tight or slightly tighter- but do not tighten fully
8. Stand up the two segments. Have one person carefully hold each segment upright
9. Bolt the two crossbeams from the second segment to the first segment. You should now have a square (or rectangular) section of pull-up rig that will be sturdy and stand upright on its own
10. Repeat steps 6-9 until you have no more rig to assemble
11. With your friends, move the rig so that it is exactly where you want it once it is fully installed
12. Confirm the placement of your rig (are you 100% happy with where it is placed?)
13. Use your level to position the uprights of the rig so they are straight up and down. Use your tape measure to make sure the rig is completely square (or rectangular ;))
14. Mark on your concrete floor where you need to drill to anchor the uprights
15. Move the rig about a foot so you can drill into the concrete floor
16. Use the hammer drill to drill holes for the concrete anchors. It is better to drill a hole that is too deep than too shallow
17. Make sure to blow the concrete dust out of the holes
18. Move the rig back into place over the holes you drilled
19. Use your concrete anchors and bolt the rig to the floor. If you are using concrete wedge anchors, hammer the anchors down with the mallet before you screw down the rig.
20. Install any rig accessories (trawler, wall ball targets, etc.)
21. Using the ratchet, tighten all hardware down
22. Do some pullups and drink a beer!

That's it! It seems like a lot of steps, but remember- if you can dodge a wrench, you can install a rig!

Pull-up rig installation trick #2: Once you understand the installation process, it's just a bunch of repetition. Be systematic and you'll be done faster, with minimal irritation

A pull-up rig has been compared to an erector set before.

And it is like a big-kid erector set! For example, installing a floor mount pull-up rig is really just a matter of standing up the first "square"- and then adding the additional sections in the same way, over and over.

And finally, here is the last big trick:

Pull-up rig installation trick #3: Use the hammer drill in the "hammer" setting

Most hammer drills have two settings- "hammer drilling" and normal drilling. Normal drilling is not what you want for drilling into concrete. But it can be confusing if you have never used a hammer drill before.

Because a hammer drill in normal drill mode will still drill into concrete- just verrrrrrrrrry slowly. 

So use a hammer drill in "hammer drill" mode for drilling into concrete. It will save you some aggravation.

Oh, and don't have a hammer drill? Most Home Depot stores will rent you one for the day.

Bonus pull-up rig installation trick: Drill your holes into concrete a little deeper than you think you need

Regardless of the anchors you use to bolt into the concrete, a deeper hole is better than a shallower hole.

Why?

A shallow hole will prevent you from bolting the pull-up rig securely into the ground.

And

If you drill a deeper hole and use concrete wedge anchors, when the rig is eventually removed (after years of service), you can knock the wedge anchors back into the concrete if the hole is deep enough. If the hole is not deep enough, you may have to grind the top of the anchor off!

Now that you're an expert in CrossFit / pull-up rig installation, check out our full line up of pull-up rigs.

From garage gym pull-up rigs, to outdoor pull-up rigs, wall mount pull-up rigs, or floor-mount pull-up rigs, Fringe Sport has the rigs you need- and of course we can even do custom colors, custom designs, and even installations if you are close to our retail locations.

Tools needed to install a pull-up rig (amazon)

 

Any questions? Or just want to share a pic of your installed rig? Hit us in the comments below, email us at team@fringesport.com, or call us 512.201.4404.