I finally swapped my block and tackle on the lattice boom

Had a 50 ton Grove last Tuesday on a site near I-75. Setting HVAC units on a warehouse roof. My old block and tackle setup kept binding up on the return fall. Took me almost three hours to get the headache ball back down each time. Finally swapped to a swivel style block with a nylon sheave. Cut my cycle time by half on the next pick. Wished I did it six months ago when I first noticed the issue. Anyone else fought with a binding block on a long boom job?

3 comments

3 Comments

miaprice15d ago

Oh man, is a binding block really worth this much of a story? I've been running cranes for almost fifteen years and I just smack the thing with a hammer when it sticks.

quinn34115d ago

The hammer trick works until the block cracks and you're stuck with a bigger problem on your hands. I had the exact same issue with a 50-ton crane last year, and just whacking it made things worse over time. Switching to a quick spray of penetrating oil and waiting two minutes did the trick way better than any percussive maintenance I'd tried before. A little patience upfront saved me a whole afternoon of wrestling with a seized pin later. Sometimes the slow way is actually the fast way in the end (if that makes sense).

sean4815d ago

Try spraying penetrating oil first next time @quinn341, you might save yourself a cracked block.