[TowerTalk] wire rope spray

[Firstcallcom@aol.com]

Enjoyed seeing all the conversations over the last month pertaining to 
lubrication of the wire rope on a tower.  Here is the real scoop:

Fact#1 - Selling crank up towers for 16 years you learn a lot about wire 
rope.  A lot of tower owners were using lubricants that were greasy, messy, 
non penetrating or really acted like a muddy cover over the wire rope and 
this is not acceptable especially on some tower drums.


Fact#2 - The wire rope spray that we provide is made by Whitemore 
specifically as wire rope lubricant.  The reason why this wire rope lube 
works and is acceptable is as follows:

Wire ropes contain numerous moving parts which require lubrication.  Each 
time the wire rope bends or flexes the internal strands rub together.  A few 
companies making this special lubricant designed their lube to coat these 
strands and prevent friction and wear.  The Whitemore rope spray that we sell 
quickly penetrates to the core without leaving a tacky,sticky,dirty cover on 
the outside.  When the spray is used correctly, the wire rope is lubricated 
providing a non drying, non tacky film on the outside of the rope as well as 
lubricating the inside core as it does penetrate.  It is suggested by the 
manufacturer of the wire rope that the application of their lubricant be 
applied at a pulley where the wire rope is spread slightly.

I think if you understand the above and not put all lubricants in one 
category you will see that lubricating wire rope cables is acceptable under 
certain conditions as outlined.

I hope this clears up any misunderstanding and no, you don't have to change 
your wire rope every three years unless your tower is located in the middle 
of the ocean.

'73  Joel  K2QBV, First Call Communications, Inc.      
Toll free # 800-426-8693

PS  Our company First Call Communications sells hundreds of cans of Whitemore 
rope spray a year.  A can is $12.50 plus shipping.

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