71526 Backboard and Rim Competition Combo Black/Orng, 54-Inch

Bought this backboard and rim for my boys, thinking it’d keep them busy at home. Turns out, they prefer playing in a parking lot a block away instead! The hoop is solid, easy to install, and works great—just not getting any love here. Guess it’s more fun to ball where the action is. If your kids actually use it, it’s a great buy

We were going to replace our twelve year old portable Lifetime system. Instead, after reading reviews and finding this one on sale, we decided to simply replace the original acrylic backboard which was literally shattered in the center. For a simple driveway basketball system for goofing around or playing serious 21, this unit stepped up the experience. Impressive scale/size and for the price, sturdy construction. I needed help with exchanging the old with the new...the original backboard brackets stayed on the pole so it was a little tricky holding it up and bolting it down prior to mounting the rim. Hint: 1/2" wrench... Rim is also a big upgrade compared to the original one. Overall, it was worth the time and effort to save a couple hundred bucks. If you want a backboard that doesn't dampen the bounce of the ball...you're going to have to spend the EXTRA $300-$600 for glass...this one is perfect for our needs.

I got this to replace an old smaller lifetime backboard. The old one had been in my yard since i was a teen, I'm now 33. I didn't realize or had forgotten than the base had been filled with water, one day it was windy and some water must of evaporated so it tipped, the rim was now oval instead of round.(i have since filled the base with rocks/pebbles). I was going to replace just the rim but saw i could get this for what i considered not expensive and it is a much larger backboard than what i had. When i got it I realized i also needed the adjustable conversion kit so I ordered that as well.I put most of this together myself but had my brother help me when it came time to put the backboard up, but most was done by myself. I have put some fitness equipment together such as a powertec power rack and a lat tower, this was the most difficult to put together. It's not that the directions are not complete or confusing, its more like a person with attention deficit disorder wrote them. I found that i had to jump from one page to another a lot, they just don't seem to flow right. Everything was packaged well, nuts/bolts in baggies but items were not labeled. So it took longer to put together than i hoped, but do-able. I have extra parts left over which i guess are used depending on how you set it up (pole, wall, ect)Once up the set up looks great. I also sanded down and painted the old round pole which was getting rusty just to freshen it up.I have been playing basketball in my yard for a couple of weeks now about 45 min a day and i really like it. I had to tighten the rim up because the bounce off the rim wasn't right initially, much better now. You might have to adjust this if it does not seem right. Even though its a bigger backboard the base feels sturdy, i'm not worried that it will tip.I have been playing ball since i was in 3rd grade or so. I have played in school yards which have the big beefy boards and poles, also have experience playing in gyms with the glass backboards so I have a good idea how this measures up. Basically don't expect it to be like one of those systems, this costs a fraction of those so it shouldn't be compared to those. Its great for shooting around but the backboard is very thin and does not reproduce the bounce off which you would get from a higher end beefier backboard. This is similar to my old lifetime board but bigger so I knew what to expect.Yesterday was the first day i noticed a glare from the sun on the board. been using daily for a couple weeks so it must of been the perfect timing/ conditions ect to create the glare and it was only from one spot so not a big issue but something that may come up. Once it starts fading i might just paint the backboard if the glare ever becomes a big issue.Overall very satisfied, not perfect specially the directions/ putting it together so i can't give it 5 stars. would give 4.5 if i could.

I purchased this backboard and goal along with model 1044 conversion kit. Let me preface all this by saying I read the instructions and I matched the parts to the parts list to ensure I was grabbing the correct parts.The first problem I had is that the conversion kit came with two left brackets and no right bracket. Lifetime shipped me the correct replacement part.Finally got around to my second attempt at assembly only to find that the axle that the rim mounts on was 1/4" shorter than what the parts list said it was supposed to be. Lifetime again shipped me out a replacement part. I received it, verified that its the length called out in the parts list, but after much struggle have concluded that another 1/4" of length would make it much easier to complete this step. I got the push nut onto the axle but it looks like its about to slip off.Just encountered my third problem. Tried to attach the extension arms to the backboard but the hex bolts won't fit all the way through the extension arms. The diameter of the bolts are not consistent throughout the length. I have an old and somewhat similar Lifetime backboard and goal that I'm attempting to replace. It has the same extension arms. When I grab the old but somewhat rusty bolts from the old unit, the bolts work fine so I will just use those. Not good if you don't happen to have an old unit you are replacing.Lastly, don't be fooled by the name "Lifetime Products". Yes, the old unit lasted over ten years, but the reason I'm replacing it is that the plastic (acrylic?) part of the backboard started to come loose from the frame and rattle every time a basketball hit it. I don't know where the products used to be made 10+ years ago, but now they say made in China. Perhaps this is why the quality control is poor.

I bought a spalding portable basketball hoop for my son 25yrs ago. Backboard just broke. Back then Spalding and lifetime were partners. I got a hold of lifetime and sent them pictures and they had the replacement. I ordered this backboard as a upgrade from the 48 inch it had originally. It works perfectly.

Great backboard for your money and it doesn’t shake as much as backboards of the same price. Easy to assemble and there aren’t any missing parts. Super easy to adjust the height. Great buy.

The media could not be loaded. No brainer. Beautiful look. My kids love it.

Instructions were okay. Had multiple ways to install based upon what bracket you have. Once you figure that out then it goes together well.