DF4900 Smith Machine Linear Bearing by Deltech Fitness

Okay, I'm one of those guys you would consider a very tough consumer. There are things I look for that the normal consumer would not even think it's a big deal. I had some problems with the equipment upon delivery, the left guide rod collar was damaged from shipment. The bearing came out and then the rod was not properly sized so the guide collar would get stuck when lifting the bar. I immediately contacted Deltech Fitness and worked with the most amazing and prompt customer service experience! Brian and Craig, are the two guys who quickly addressed my issues with little questions asked. I patiently waited for my parts and they arrived within two days. I have to give a huge "Thank You" to them for their excellent customer service and because of that, I would highly recommend their products. They stand by it and care about their customer satisfaction. They made this $700 purchase feel like a $1,000. So here's my review: Packaging: As mentioned earlier, there were some damaged to the item. It's probably not the best packaging as you would expect if you aren't shipping it on a pallet or freight. We received it through Fedex, and the driver was lazy so I had to basically bring more than half in myself. You can imagine what care it was under before it go to me. So when I opened up the boxes, yes, there were slight damages on the rubber pieces, and paint scratches. Quality of machine: The machine is pretty decent, much better than I'd imagine. The bearings make the bars go up smoothly and the bar is heavier than the typical smith machine bars so it's solid! The frame is also nice and solid, not too heavy though, but good enough for a home gym. It's about 200lbs-ish once it's all up. The machine does shake a little, but it's not enough where it would move the machine. If i did pull ups, it will shake and if I rapidly move the bars or intentionally try to shake it, it will wobble a little. But it doesn't feel unsafe, so I don't think it's a concern here. It is what you would expect if the machine isn't commercially built, it's made for home use. Perhaps adding the lat addition will help with it, I threw on 250lbs of plates and it helped a little. I would have to say the machine's paint which is powder coated isn't the best. It will scratch easily and flake off. However, it's a gym equipment, so if it's intended to be used frequently, this shouldn't matter as much. However, it would have been nicer if the catches didn't have any paint on since it would come off as the hooks continue to catch on them. Installation: It was a lot more painful than expected!!! The instructions were pretty decent except some of the wording on what is left and right might throw you off. Like the two leg pieces at the bottom, make sure you have the square pieces on the outside otherwise the rod will not line up straight. Then the bearing on the rod, make sure you pay attention to the graphic images to determine how it should be positioned. I had to disassemble it twice and it was not fun! There are lots of bolts/nuts/washer to put the machine together, I think that if some of the pieces were welded it would be a bit more sturdier, but again, it's not a commercial machine so I get it. The biggest challenge is putting the lifting bar on the rods. I'm not that tall, so I needed an extra person to help me align the bar so it slides down the rod. I tried to do it myself and holding up that bar with the bearings and it was a pain. The rod wouldn't stay straight, so I would recommend two people for installation. If you're taller than 5'8, then you might be able to get it done by yourself. :) Also, if the holes aren't aligning, make sure you are NOT tightening all the nuts until all the bolts are in the respective holes. Overall, it's a very solid purchase. For $730, I don't know if you can buy a machine that moves this smooth. I like the pull up bar addition. I can't say anymore how happy I am with the customer service I received. I am happy that I made this purchase and it's only been used once but so far it feels great and I was able to get my first work yesterday and I can't wait to work out again today! Hope this review helps when thinking about buying this machine.

For the money it gets the job done.

The metal guide bar bent within 1 year of use not lifting heavy weight. I reached out to their customer service but received no response.

This machine is narrow and unbalanced. Not made for a serious lifter. Good for teenagers.

Have been using this machine for about a month. For the price it is well within reason as far as quality and build. Here were and are some of the pros and cons as I see them. PROS: 1) Plenty well build and heavy to handle heavy lifts. 2) A machine at this price with linear bearings.. GREAT! 3) Not bad to put together, I did it solo in a few hours. 4) TOTALLY adequate for home gym use. 5) Customer service was good. I had a missing retention spring and they mailed one out quickly with not questions asked. CONS: 1) Instructions are written for right/left labels but nothing was marked right or left. 2) As others have pointed out paint is bad. Especially where the bar hooks interact with the frame. The paint will come off of here right away but honestly does not detract from function. 3) Knurling on the bar is sub-optimal giving a horrible grip without gloves or other devices compared to a good Olympic bar. Only really a bother when doing something like heavy shrugs and it wants to slip. They could have done a much better job with knurling pattern and depth.

I am so happy with this smith machine!!!! The quality is great, better than the one at my gym. It is sturdy and glides very smoothly. I am able to many more exercises on this smith machine than I am able to with the one at my gym because the bar glides down pretty low. This smith machine came with a set of instructions which made it very easy to assemble. There is no need to pay for assembly. I did have to have my mother and sister assist with building some parts though, because some pieces required that. But it was very simple and fairly quick. The bar on this smith machine is a lot heavier than the ones on the smith machines at most gyms. I think its about 30-40 lbs just the bar. It may be a little heavy for a complete beginner but they could easily work up to it. This smith is great and the price is great!!! Definitely would recommend. I am using this for my home gym if that helps :)