A wide variety of Strength training equipment uses coated Cables as a means of transferring force. From Home multi-gyms to cable crossovers and functional trainers and single or dual station Pin-loaded strength equipment. The cables on your gym equipment are the single highest wearing part on the machine, similar to the tyres on your car. Over time the wire strands inside the cable can stretch, fray and unravel even if the exterior coating still looks in tact. Often early signs of a worn Gym cable are that the cable has become loose even beyond the tension adjustments of the machine, or you may notice a twist in the cable or protruding bumps. Worn Gym cables can be very dangerous, due to the enormous amount of force placed on them during weight-training exercises injury can occur if they give way and snap suddenly.
Most Gym cables can be removed fairly easily by following a few easy steps and Gym cables Australia always recommends consulting the machines user manual when possible before removing any equipment.
- Identify the start and end points of the cable that requires replacing.
- does the cable provide tension to other cables on the machine through 'floating pulleys' that are not attached to the main frame? If so it is a good idea to tape or tie these floating pulleys in place to avoid tangling when you remove the damaged cable.
- Often, and especially with multi-gym/home gym setups the cable system is quite intriquite and can seem confusing at first. There are 2 ways to help ensure your new cable is installed that same way your old one was removed. First, take photos of the machine with the cable in place or draw yourself a diagram. Secondly if possible, tap a thin piece of rope or long flexible chord to one end of the damaged cable so it feeds through as you pull the old cable out from the other end, this will really help with re-installation.
- When removing the old cable, check for any points that it gets stuck or drags to ensure there are no damage components such as pulleys or cable guides that have been causing damage to the existing cable.
- Ensure all cables, pulleys & weight guide rods are well lubricated with Silicone spray (no we do not advise using ANYTHING else to lubricate your Gym Equipment!).
- Often if cables have a large terminal on them such as a bolt or a ball-stopper, they will not fit through the machine without removing some or all of the pulleys. Make sure when removing pulleys to check if there are guide bushings on the sides of the pulleys so they are not lost when removing the bolt. Also ensure when new pulleys are installed that you use similar tension that was on the bolts when removed as if over-tightened the bearings or bushings may bind up.
Only remove one pulley at a time, remove the cable from that section past the pulley point and then return that pulley (only hand tight is fine) before removing the next pulley.
Often less-expensive machines are let down by the quality of the cabling and even an entry level home gym or piece of strength equipment can feel far superior by upgrading to commercial grade cabling like we supply at Gym Cables Australia.