Product Description

52-inch Acrylic backboard w/steel frame & board pad; Helix lift system; 3-piece 3.5-inch pole system; angled pole; 40-gallon Power Move base

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #70819 in Sports & Outdoors
• Brand: Spalding
• Model: 74307
• Released on: 2006-07-20

Features

• 52-inch Acrylic backboard w/steel frame & board pad; Helix lift system; 3-piece 3.5-inch pole system; angled pole; 40-gallon Power Move base
• 52-inch Acrylic backboard w/steel frame & board pad
• 20 degree pole angle for maximum playability
• 40-gallon Power Move base fills with water or sand for stability
• Five-year limited warranty

Amazon.com Product Description
Enjoy years of recreational basketball fun in your backyard with the Spalding residential portable basketball system (model 74307), which features the Power Move base with a four-wheel configuration that eliminates lifting when storing the system. A dual purpose front cover acts as a handle for pre-play movement and as a built-in rebounder during play. The 40-gallon capacity base fills with water or sand for stability. It offers a three-piece, 3.5-inch diameter pole, 20-degree pole angle, and Helix height adjustment system with push-button activation for accurate adjustment from 7.5 to 10 feet. It's matched with a 52-inch steel-framed poly-carbonate backboard and 5/8-inch solid steel Pro-Slam breakaway rim. Other features include an all-weather net and built-in holder for ball, wallet, and keys.

Portable basketball systems depend on a base filled with sand or water for stability. Although it will take up more space than an in-ground system, the portable base rolls on wheels, allowing players to position the basketball system in the desired location (and also allowing storage in a garage). Simply assemble, fill the base and play today. There is no fussing with concrete.

Manufacturer's Warranty
5-year limited warranty

Amazon.com Basketball System Buying Guide
With the high-quality construction of many portable basketball systems, turning your driveway into a basketball court can be as simple as hooking up your garden hose. But while a portable system may ultimately be your best choice, there are reasons you may want to consider an in-ground or wall-mount system before you decide.

In-Ground Systems
In-ground systems are permanently cemented into the ground--either via a bolt mounting kit or directly into the ground--and are generally more rigid and take up less space than portables. In-ground systems often require that you hire a professional to complete the task, but when the cement dries you'll have a hoop that can take punishing dunks with ease.

Many in-ground systems are height-adjustable, include removable post features that let you take the system down for off-season storage, and feature heavy-duty break-away rims. You'll also want to research the adjustable mechanisms on the systems, as there are several types to choose from. Some feature a counter-balance spring that lets you perform easy, one-hand adjustments while others may feature a sturdy, pneumatic system.

Wall-Mount Systems
Wall-mount systems can be mounted to the side of a house, a tall retaining wall, or a garage. Generally sturdier than portables, wall-mounts have the added advantage of optimizing your existing ground space for the court, since you won't take any space up with the base or pole. Not all systems include the necessary hardware, so make certain you add a mounting kit to your list.

Portable Systems
Portable systems require minimal installation and offer ultimate convenience. These systems generally feature a base that can be filled with sand or water to stabilize them and include wheels for portability. Although they are not as sturdy as in-ground or wall-mounted hoops, portables are simple to set up and can often be folded for convenient storage.

Backboard Considerations
Regardless of which system you choose, you'll want to brush up on Backboards 101. Most residential systems feature backboards made of acrylic, fiberglass, graphite, or various other composite materials. While clear acrylic gives the professional look and feel of glass, it is not as rigid as fiberglass or graphite. Some systems may offer steel or aluminum backboards, which are virtually vandal resistant, but don't offer the true rebounding action.

The regulation size of an NBA backboard is 72 inches wide and 42 inches high. Most portable hoops are 42 or 44 inches wide and 36 inches tall. In-ground systems tend to be a bit larger, with 54-inch and 60-inch widths being the most popular. While rectangular shaped backboards provide more bank shot opportunities, they are generally more expensive than the streamlined fan-shaped board.

Customer Reviews

Get Your Tools and Friends Ready
This hoop system is the top of the line portable from Spalding/Huffy. The backboard arrived chipped and will be replaced by Huffy. The contruction took about 7 hours with two adults. The manual identifies hardware by code, but the hardware itself is unmarked. A lot of time is spent trying to identify nuts and bolts of different sizes. Most troubling was the fact that a different backboard was substituted for the one in the manual and in the picture on the box and the web, and as a result, I installed the brackets incorrectly. If parts have been changed, they should have a "read this first" manual to avoid the problems I had. I would recommend opening all of the parts first and laying them out. That way if there are substituted parts with their own instructions it will be noticed before simply following the manual and making mistakes. The manual is very clear to build the pole section to certain tolerances. Unfortunately, no amount of "bouncing" the pole sections together achieved the recommended tolerances. This thing is not user friendly to build. Even though construction was a major pain, some parts are still not together correctly, parts were missing and/or substituted without notice and there were extra parts apparently not needed, the finished product is very nice and my children are enjoying it. However, I can't help but think that Spalding/Huffy could do a better job making this thing easier to get up and running. They should hire me to re-write the manual, mark the hardware with codes corresponding to the manual, notify the customer of changes to the product and verify that all parts are included in the box.

Stable and easy to move
We looked at a lot of different basketball systems before buying this one. After reading the experiences of others, I found somebody to assemble it for me. It cost an extra $175, but it was well worth it, as the guy did a perfect job in (eat your hearts out) 2 hours.

In operation, the system works great. There is a little shaking of the backboard when a hard-shot ball hits it, but not enough to alter the game. The slanting support post is a great safety feature, as nobody runs into it after a fast lay-up. The four-wheel base with the folding handle makes it very easy to pull around the driveway as required, and doing it that way is a lot safer than a 2-wheel setup, as you don't have to lean the thing over and roll it around while balancing it at the same time. When the handle is folded up, the wheels lock and the handle even bounces the ball back into the court sometimes. No complaints about the system. However, I don't know why the ads say that there is "storage" for balls etc., as there really isn't any, except for a flat space on top of the base.

Excellent system!
Nothing but good things to say. It was a bit of a struggle, but I did get assembled by myself - would have been a LOT easier with 2 people. One suggestion to assemblers: make sure you read the part about working the bolts through the holes before you actually assemble it - the fit is VERY tight. I ended up running a Dremel around the inside of each of the holes to sand off the paint and it made it a ton easier. As far as the system itself, it is awesome. Very easy to roll around, easy to move up and down, rock solid when you are playing on it.