Swivel bearing let go on a job site in Omaha last Wednesday

Was hoisting a 4-ton HVAC unit when the ring started grinding real bad. Had to set the load down quick and call the shop for a replacement bearing, lost half a day. Anyone else had a swivel fail on them mid-lift?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_riley12d ago

Nah man, that sucks but swivels fail sometimes. Regular pre-trip inspections catch that stuff before it becomes a problem on the clock.

rowanw9112d ago

Hey hold on, I gotta push back on that a little. Pre-trip inspections are great for catching obvious stuff like air leaks or cracked lights, but swivels can look totally fine in the yard and still fail halfway through a shift. I've had a swivel pop on me that passed a visual check that morning no problem at all. Stuff like that is just a wear and tear thing that can go at any time, not something you can always catch in a pre-trip. Not saying inspections are worthless, but acting like they're a magic fix for mechanical failures like this doesn't really match reality.

tessap9712d ago

Rowan makes a real good point there. A swivel can look perfect in the yard and then just decide to quit on you when the pressure's on. I've been there before and it's a sick feeling having to set down a heavy load like that and wait for parts to show up. Losing half a day over something that wasn't even on your radar is just rough. Hope the rest of the job went smoother after you got that bearing swapped out.