Keeping your crane in the best condition ensures that you maximize its efficiency and keep your workers safe. But sometimes you only realize that something’s going wrong when the issue has become severe, causing a disruption in your business and high repair costs.
At T & M Cranes, we’ve identified warning signs that, if addressed early, can restore the efficiency of your crane and maintain a safe work environment.
Here are signs that you need a crane repair service.
Different parts of your crane are susceptible to corrosion, especially if you’re operating it in a humid and wet environment. The parts that tend to be the most prone include the joints, bearings, wires, and all other moving components.
As the rust worsens and spreads, the crane loses strength over time, meaning projects start taking longer as the load capacity is significantly reduced. And the risk of dropped or unsecured loads also places your employees at risk.
In addition, the crane becomes vulnerable to electrical shorts that can make it completely inoperative.
With timely action, however, the spread and severity of the rust can be effectively contained.
If your crane is constantly lifting loads that exceed its recommended capacity, the likelihood that it has broken chain links is high. Broken chains in several places can be enough to compromise the entire chain structure, which can make the crane entirely unable to lift.
At their initial stages, crushed chain links are less severe and they’re not as debilitating to the crane, but they’re also much harder to spot. And leaving them to develop over time has an equally damaging effect on the crane.
The most certain way to check for broken or crushed chain links is to perform regular manual inspections. The earlier you notice the issue and where it’s concentrated, the more you’ll be able to avoid serious, long-term damage after you call a crane repair service.
Your crane’s pads are responsible for bearing the brunt of the forceful movements it goes through. However, as they tear, their ability to absorb the force of those movements also becomes compromised. In turn, the main structure of your crane, including essential components, becomes more exposed to strong impact.
You can tell that your crane’s pads are getting worn by checking for visible signs such as shrinkage, deep tears and scratches, and discoloration.
The signs become more prominent and easy to notice as they get worse. When the pads are heavily worn, you’ll be able to tell by a sharp increase in the loudness of the crane. Its movement will also be much less smooth.
Of course, the hooks on your crane only work because they’re bent. But if the curvature increases several degrees more than the manufacturer standard, that becomes an immediate safety concern.
An overly bent hook increases the risk of the crane dropping loads, creating an employee hazard. If the load is both fragile and highly valuable, dropping it also means the business incurs additional expenses.
Even if the additional bending is only minor, it significantly reduces the crane’s load capacity and, by extension, the efficiency of your operations.
If you’ve spotted any of the warning signs above or you’re concerned that your crane isn’t working as well as it should, our industry specialists are ready to advise you and provide quality, immediate crane repair. Contact us today to discuss your needs.
