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

[Gene Fuller]

I"m surprised we haven't heard from at least one ex-navy man who might be 
familiar with their cable care  routine. I know they have "oilers" whose job 
it is to lubricate/grease the ships cables. There are probably other jobs 
that involve cleaning and inspection?????

For we who are land bound I would certainly guess that environment would 
play an important part of what the care should entail. In my case I have a 
trolley with a cable that goes  up across the top of the tower. The first 
cable was largely ignored, i.e. not much lubrication, and lasted "only" 
about 10 years. The second, and still present, I have oiled and/or greased 
at least every two or three years. It's now about 30 years and still looks 
like new. I'm sure it helps that I have virtually no blowing dirt or sand 
and no salt water atmosphere.

Gene / W2LU

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jim Thomson" <jim.thom at telus.net>
To: <towertalk at contesting.com>
Sent: Tuesday, September 04, 2012 4:22 AM
Subject: [TowerTalk] Crank-ups.....do NOT lubricate your cables


> Date: Mon, 3 Sep 2012 17:22:15 -0700
> From: Jim Lux <jimlux at earthlink.net>
> To: Steve Maki <lists at 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 at 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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