How to Put Up a Lifetime 1221 Pro Court 44-Inch Portable Basketball System

One of the main features of Lifetime 1221 Pro Court 44-Inch Portable Basketball System is its variable height capability that lets you adjust the height from 7.5 to 10 feet in 6-inch increments. The mechanism that enables this functionality is different from other portable basketball systems, so pay careful attention to that part during setup. The system takes about an hour to put together.

Things You'll Need

  • ½-inch wrench
  • 1/16-inch wrench
  • Phillips screwdriver
  • Pliers
  • Adjustable wrench
  • Rubber mallet
  • Scrap wood
  • Funnel
  • Sand
  • 3/16 Allen wrench
  • Included nuts and bolts
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Instructions

    • 1

      Place the middle pole inside of the top pole. Remove the plastic from the top pole.

    • 2

      Slide the top pole up out of the middle pole until the holes on the middle pole are visible. Place a 5/16-inch by 3¼-inch carriage bolt through the holes in the middle pole and secure with a 5/16-inch washer and a 5/16-inch cap nut. Do not over-tighten.

    • 3

      Line up the hole in the middle pole with the slot in the bottom pole. Slide the middle pole up over the bottom pole. Insert a ¼-inch by ¾-inch screw through a countersink washer and then into the hole in the middle pole and the slot in the bottom pole. Tighten.

    • 4

      Strike the end of the bottom pole with a mallet or with a piece of scrap wood to ensure the middle pole is completely covering the slot on the bottom pole.

    • 5

      Insert a 5/16-inch hex nut into a 5/16-inch hex knob. Lower the top pole to its lowest height and attach it to the top of the middle pool with the hex nut and knob. Tighten.

    • 6

      Attach the pole brace (flattened end) to the large black base with a 5/16-inch by 1-inch hex bolt going through a 5/16-inch washer, then through the flattened end that is lined up with the hole on the right side of the base. Place another 5/16-inch washer on the other side of the base hole. Secure it all with a 5/16-inch nylock nut. Repeat this step for the other pole brace on the other side of the base.

    • 7

      Slide a 1/2-inch by 15 ¾-inch axle through a wheel, then through the bottom hole in the bottom pole. Continue to slide it through another wheel on the other side of the pole. Slide a ½-inch by 1/8-inch spacer onto each end of the axle up against the wheels. Place a ½-inch by 7-inch axle through the set of hole just above where the 15 ¾-inch axles were placed.

    • 8

      Place the assembled pole, crimped end facing down, on the ground at the back of the base. Position the long axle with wheels under the bottom slots of the base and snap into the slots. Push the pole assembly upward to lock the upper axle into the upper slots on the base and snap into place.

    • 9

      Attach the pole braces to the bottom pole by placing a 1/4-inch by 2 3/4-inch shoulder bolt through the pole and securing with a 1/4-inch barrel nut. Tighten.

    • 10

      Slide a 3 ½-inch U-bolt through the left and right backboard brackets. Rest the U-bolt in the notches in the side of the brackets.

    • 11

      Secure the backboard brackets to the top pole by pushing a 5/16-inch by 3 ¼-inch hex bolt through the lower and upper holes on the top pole. Secure both bolts with 5/16-inch flange lock nuts. Tighten.

    • 12

      Insert 5/16-inch by 3/14-inch hex bolts and 5/16-inch washers through the bottom holes of the backboard, the rim, the rim support channel and the backboard brackets. Secure with a 5/16-inch nylock flange nut.

    • 13

      Position the holes in the backboard brackets with the holes in the backboard. Secure with 5/16-inch by ¾-inch hex bolts and 5/16-inch hex t-nuts on both sides. Tighten.

    • 14

      Fill the base with sand using a funnel placed in the base hole that is furthest from the pole. Fill with sand until sand is just below the sand. Insert the base plug after filling is complete.

    • 15

      Attach the net to the rim by placing the loops on the top of the net into the hooks on the rim.