Does this wire rope need to be replaced?

I did not see a picture that showed the wire rope, so no direct comment. B ut it did make me think.

You might keep your eyes open for some test weights. Just big chunks of co ncrete with an eye to connect to a crane and identified as to their weight. They should be dirt cheap or free at some auctions. If you had some you could load and unload tben off your trailer using your crane. And come up with a proof test business in addition to proof testing your own crane.

Dan

Look at the fourth (last) picture.

I have a 30,000+ lb T-slotted steel plate.

i

Yes, but to make sure, shouldn't Grove's service mechanics guarantee the crane's full serviceability?

Doesn't look like it was ever lubricated. The problem will occur when it goes around a pulley and bends and the brittle strands will begin to break. How much is left on the spool? Is it all all bad?

Can you fasten the hook to something and pull the wire rope out for a visual inspection?

Paul

Looks like it's sat around outside for a few years and the cable was not lubed. I'd definitely be replacing it. I'd use a lang lay cable and lubricate it regularly with a good creeping cable lube. (Something like fluid film) that penetrates and lubricates and doesn't hold too much dirt.

OK, thanks. I will replace it.

Can you use regular hydraulic oil for lubrication, just wet the cable with oil? It does seem to be working well in my experience, but I want to be double careful with cranes.

i

I went back and spotted it.

The weight needed depends on the capacity of the crane. It has been a lon g while since I had anything to do with cranes. But say you were proofing a 10,000 lb crane and the procedure called for 125% of capacity. So you wo uld pick out weights so the total was 12,500 lbs. The next crane might be a 15,000 crane and you do not have weights that total up to 18,750 lbs . S o you use somewhat less and label the crane as derated to whatever you can do.

Dan

On 07/16/2015 8:40 AM, Ignoramus23196 wrote: ...

From the pictures clearly it's not been lubricated in quite some time; it _may_ only be surface/cosmetic rust but it may also be hiding much more extensive damage internally. If you have any intention of loading this to anything at all approaching capacity, I'd not risk it.

Mechanically, the section shown in the picture looks in good shape; that, of course, doesn't mean the rest is.

As for lube, the cable manufacturer will have recommended products; use one of them. That said, some general info

of course, they _are_ a manufacturer, too! :)

If it's rusty, I'd certainly replace it. At least some industrial riggers do it annually, and theirs are lubed.

One of the plant environmental services guys told me a story a long time ago. Apparently, they were trying to fill one of the sloughs on the back side of the plant for a production site. The problem was, in

1942 they bulldozed a bunch of native growth cypress logs ~3' in diameter into that swamp to get them out of the way. Now (1980's) a huge dozer / excavator dropped into those logs while trying to push fill into the slough and got stuck good. The guy telling the story said he was down there that night when they tried to pull the dozer out with a 100+ ton crane with a 2" wire rope (I've never seen a cable that big in use myself). Anyway, he said that cable started to smoke, then started to glow, and everybody started hollering and running. Shortly after that, it parted in a shower of sparks. Luckily, nobody got hurt. They abandoned the dozer and just filled over the top of it.

Pete Keillor

Sure a lot better than nothing!!! It needs to creep into the core to do the most good. Mabee mix a bit of deisel in with the hydraulic oil to help it flow in metter.

Cool new toy, dude.

There's no question about that. If you check the law, I'm sure you'll find that you can't lift anything until it has been replaced, even if it's on your own property. Your county/city/state may vary.

Talk to a local building inspector (or a friendly OSHA guy) for more tips. But I thought you already researched erections in Illinoise.

Googling "wire rope inspection" brought up many sites that looked useful but were too large and slow for me to check.

-jsw

Sounds fun, but difficult to believe...

i

I will replace this wire rope, I found something from an online supplier from whom I buy trucking related hardware.

i

I will replace the wire rope promptly in a couple of days. I agree with you in general.

I'd ask around, because it is known that hemp ropes when overloaded will smoke and catch fire if not immediately wetted.

The following story may or may not be true, but it was well known in nautical circles that overstressed ropes will ignite.

.

Joe Gwinn

Hum - keep an eye out on a 55gal drum of way oil ? :-)

When you buy the new rope, ask them. They of all people should know.

Mart> >> >>

I had such a drum... You think that it is better that hydraulic oil, for lubing wire rope?

i