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[TowerTalk] Crank-ups.....do NOT lubricate your cables

To: <towertalk@contesting.com>
Subject: [TowerTalk] Crank-ups.....do NOT lubricate your cables
From: "Jim Thomson" <jim.thom@telus.net>
Date: Tue, 4 Sep 2012 01:22:22 -0700
List-post: <towertalk@contesting.com">mailto:towertalk@contesting.com>
Date: Mon, 3 Sep 2012 17:22:15 -0700
From: Jim Lux <jimlux@earthlink.net>
To: Steve Maki <lists@oakcom.org>
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Crank-ups.....do NOT lubricate your cables
from US tower

I suspect that rigging companies and crane ops also do regular inspection and 
cleaning of those cables too, just like the ones on gondola and chair lifts.
On Sep 3, 2012, at 17:05, Steve Maki <lists@oakcom.org> wrote:

> I wonder why crane companies keep their cables (on million dollar cranes) 
> lubed religiously?
> 
> On this particular topic, I would not place much faith in the manufacturer's 
> edicts, unless you're looking for a reason to keep busy replacing the cables 
> more often than otherwise needed.
> 
> -Steve K8LX

##  all the local ship yards around here  have  55 gallon drums   of  pre-lube 
6, 9,  + 11.  This stuff is literally
poured onto those cables, right at the drum, via an oiler device.   Its  just 
penetrating oil, to lubricate the inner strands.
Nobody is changing cables every 3 years.   UST also wants me  to check the oil 
in the gearbox every month, and also
change it out every 2 years.   Turns out those hub city gear boxes were never 
meant to be used for lifting applications.
They were  designed for stuff like conveyor belts, etc.   They are actually 
called ....speed reducers.   They were never intended for
a hoist application.   The  UST control box on the tower is not water proof nor 
is enclosed in anything remotely  close
to a nema box.   Whoever designed their anchor bolt configuration + rebar cage  
on the HDX-689 was clueless.  Neither
meet any spec here in town.   If you put a 14 foot mast out the top of their 
tower, you can kiss that 70 mph rating goodbye. 
I wouldn’t be using the UBC-97  exposure B  specs either, use exposure C,  or 
use the  RS-222  rev g specs....if you can find em.

The story I got from the crane and ship yard folks is...   without the use of 
the various grades of prelube  slopped  onto the
cables, the inner strands can rub together..and break.   You cant see  internal 
damage  from the outside. 

It would be nice if  UST provided detailed instructions on  how to re-cable 
their towers.  They insist you recable their 
towers, but then wont provide the info.   Check out their info on how much 
torque required for both the anchor bolts  +
leg bolts..... answer,  snug fit.   What kinda  BS  answer is that.    

Jim  VE7RF

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