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Research-based buying guide · Specifications checked October 9, 2026.
Planning an Ares rack? Compare Ares 2.0 four-post vs six-post for compatible series, stabilizing feet, lifting space and a complete quote worksheet. Post count and nominal crossmember depth do not establish the installed footprint.
Measure the lowest obstacle, not the tallest ceiling
Record the underside of the garage door, tracks, opener, beam and lights through the door’s entire travel. Measure from the finished training floor: new mats or a platform reduce clearance. Tape the outside footprint including stabilizers, plate pegs and the bench in its working position. Crossmember depth is not the total footprint.
| Current manufacturer figure | What it means |
|---|---|
| PR-4000 / PR-5000 upright options | 80 or 93 in; consult configured drawing for the highest point |
| Rack nominal outside width | 50.8 in before storage or attachments |
| Ares 2.0 on an 80-in rack | 82.1 in total system height |
| Ares 2.0 on a 93-in rack | 93.9 in total system height |
| Ares 2.0 listed total width | 57.6 in; verify your selected configuration and moving parts |
Garage-fit worksheet
Use inches. The prefilled dimensions are an example, not your room or a fit recommendation. Replace them with your measured room, deliberate allowances and the installed height from the exact current drawing, including attachments. The example uses 82.1 inches for an 80-inch rack with Ares 2.0.
A rack fit is not a pull-up fit
The worksheet compares static dimensions. Your head must rise above the pull-up bar; kipping adds movement, and overhead presses have a separate bar path. Mark the intended movement height using your own reach and controlled motion without a loaded bar. If headroom is inadequate, use floor-based work or another suitable pull-up location. The worksheet cannot certify anchoring, structure, slope, dynamic clearance or safe lifting.
Short bars trade width for usable loading
The Colorado Short Bar is 72 inches overall with a 51.5-inch rackable shaft and 8.9-inch sleeves. An 18-inch planning allowance on each side requires 108 inches of width, or 9 feet. A standard 86.6-inch bar needs 122.6 inches, about 10.2 feet, for the same allowance. These are chosen working allowances, not universal minimums. A tighter aisle may make plate handling awkward even when the metal fits.
For sleeve capacity, measure collar width and total plate thickness per side: usable plate length = 8.9 in − collar width − your handling margin. Do not substitute a bar’s static load rating for the number of bumper plates that physically fit.
Check REP Colorado Short BarOnce the layout passes your checks, compare the actual rack purchase. Our home-gym power rack guide compares exact REP, Titan and Rogue packages with interior safeties, the same example bar/plate/bench kit and separate installation costs. Use the cross-brand space screen if you are still choosing the frame; fit alone does not select the best rack for your training.
A named sleeve-loading example
On the Colorado Short’s published 8.9-in sleeve, put ONE Rogue Echo V2 plate of each size—45, 25 and 10 lb—on each side. The plate widths sum to 2.40 + 1.50 + 0.83 = 4.73 in per side. Add one HG 2.0 collar at 1.875 in and a deliberately chosen 0.25-in handling margin: 8.9 − 4.73 − 1.875 − 0.25 = 2.045 in remaining. The margin is our illustrative allowance, not a prescribed minimum or measured installation. Adding another 45-lb Echo V2 gives 7.13 in of plates and a −0.355-in remainder with that collar and margin: it exceeds this space budget.
Named dimension sources checked October 23, 2026: Rogue Echo Bumper Plates V2 Gear Specs: 45 lb = 2.40 in, 25 lb = 1.50 in and 10 lb = 0.83 in wide; Rogue HG 2.0 collar Gear Specs: 1.875 in wide. These are the exact named models, not dimensions for all bumpers or collars. Recheck your versions and fully engaged collar position.
This is a dimensional example, not a load test or permission to drop the combination. Check the bar’s intended use, plate bores, actual widths, collars and load limits. Use the shared room, cup-span and mixed-plate worksheet to substitute your equipment. The garage calculator above continues to check your entered static room envelope.
Finish the layout before ordering
- Tape the complete configuration and test garage-door travel.
- Position the bench for unracking, incline work and cable exercises.
- Check safeties, storage pegs, plate handling and another person’s walk path.
- Match the installation manual to your rack, attachments and floor.
- Recheck the final builder drawing and delivery access.
Continue with short-bar rack fit, rack depth or the home-gym planner.
Primary sources: PR-4000; PR-5000; Ares 2.0 dimensions; Colorado Short Bar.
Research and purchase checks
We compared current US manufacturer specifications and product builders. Dimensions are manufacturer figures and may include stated manufacturing tolerances. Check the current drawing, manual, configured price, delivery charges and return terms before ordering. Prices and configurations can change.