elsewhere

Hello! The hook needs to support 150 lbs safely above our heads. I'm having trouble finding a beam with the stud finder. I got it once and turns out its really narrow, the whole screw which is 2.5 inch long wouldn't fit. I have to find a way to secure it into the drywall my ceiling is made of.

Any advice???

joecaption

If you do this plan on having to have to do some sheetrock repairs. It may cause the rafters to sag and pop some screws or nails.
Far better to install it between the rafters with a much longer eye bolt into a 2 X 6 laying flat with a through hole in it and a flat washer and a couple of nuts. This would spread out the load over more rafters, and a through bolt will hold far more weight then a lag eye would.
I would use no less then a 1/2 eye.

joecaption

http://www.mcmaster.com/#general-purpose-eyebolts/=fz4n53

elsewhere

That's very insightful, I didn't know a washer could work in this case.
The hook and screw were provided with the physical therapy equipment I'm installing - I'll just take it to the hardware store and buy identical but longer.

Thanks for a great advice!

BridgeMan

Actually, going with a 1/2" dia. eye bolt for your anticipated load of 150 lb. would be similar to using a howitzer to shoot a mosquito. It will work, but why such overkill??

You could easily get by using a 3/8" dia., which for a Grade 2 bolt (weakest grade available) would have a working (proof) load of 5750 lb. in tension. That's a factor of safety of 5750 divided by 150, or 38 times stronger than you actually require. Unless your exercise program is going to beef up your total muscle structure to astronomical proportions, don't bother with the 1/2" dia. eyebolt.