Has anyone on here ever had to lower a crane boom as on a wire-rope Dragline ? My old Link-Belt Speeder boom has to come down and I would like suggestions as to how to get the safety pawl out so I can lower it without resorting to cutting through the wirerope.
Engine requires work and machinery deck is frozen too boot.
Chris
in New Zealand

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Alive and Well....for now

how long is it? may be able to use a front end loader to take the strain off

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What do you mean by "overloaded" officer?

does the engine turn? If you place all the workings in line for a boom lift and turn the engine with a large ratchet wrench yon will gain enough to release the pawl and let down on the brake

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What do you mean by "overloaded" officer?

Boom is 40ft weighs 2600 lbs, central mitre gears and drive drain from engine frozen, ring pinion frozen as well so can't just rotate the house either. Machinery deck geartrain would need to rotate to transfer to boom hoist brake drum.
I have a neighbour with a Grove 100 ton crane , but he wouldn't get that into my property without getting bogged and it's still winter here. No other machinery or $ to hire one either. The other neighbours front-end loader is a small tractor mounted one and I doubt anymore than 800lbs lift.

The boom is in the way of a 100 ft high tree that has died and needs to be felled within a month. The tree cannot be felled in any other direction.

One scenario I imagined was to crib up 4ft high with timbers and fill with rock then stand on this a 10ft long I beam and raise it with 12ton bottle jack. This would need a cradle welded on to mate with the boom to secure it while jacking. Way too much preparation time.

I was thinking 2ton chainblock from centre of boom back to masthead and hope to raise it enough to unlock the pawl. I maybe able to add a 2ton leverblock alongside the chainblock if I can borrow one.

Chris
in New Zealand

_________________
Alive and Well....for now

Could we see a picture please?

The Guy at Dragline World worked for Marion and has experience in lowering big booms. And he can be a talker if you get him started.

http://www.stripmine.org/dlw/

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I don't have all the answers.
I don't even know all the questions!

for Dave: Back when I had it working, she looks a lot worse now.
Link-Belt Speeder LS-50 1948 320ci Waukesha flathead I-6


Chris
in New Zealand

_________________
Alive and Well....for now

Nice. What did you use her for? Are you going to get her running again, or will she stay several tons of yard art? You can't beat wisconsin made goods!

The engine was made in Wisconsin, Link-Belt Speeder was Chicago Illinois.
The machine was available as a 1/2 yard dragline, face-shovel, trencher or crane, or with all of the attachments if required. My machine had a face-shovel boom but the last operator scrapped it after sale of the machine to a local museum. I obtained it 20 years ago from a successive owner. Cost of the machine in 1941 $7450 with the addition of the shovel attachment extra $1625. Prices increased 5% in 1945 and another 10% in '46.
A Caterpillar diesel engine was a ('41)$1060 or IH diesel $950 options. If you wanted glass sash windows in the cab, $125 extra.
She is way past restoring unless I need a new hobby and could find the $$. For the meantime I'll just take the boom down and let her be.
If she had come with the shovel boom then my land would look vastly different than in the above picture.


Chris
in New Zealand

_________________
Alive and Well....for now

It sure would make grading roadbed easier!

The 2 ton chainblock sounds like the best approach....make sure your hoist brake works

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What do you mean by "overloaded" officer?

The two tonne chain hoist didn't even get a look in.
Plan B is to borrow a five tonne block from the truck outfit down the street and use that.

She isn't giving up without a fight ....

Chris
in New Zealand

_________________
Alive and Well....for now

I wish you luck.

Big fail all 'round. The borrowed chainhoist at 15000lb capacity raised the boom and allowed me to remove the safetypawl, however after freeing up the boomhoist brakedrum and clutches, she still refused to lower. Another try was made with a 3/4 ton leverhoist directly on the brakedrum to pull the boom down, succeeding somewhat in getting the main gears to rotate but not enough. Oddly enough this arangement actually did raise the boom rather easilly.
After all this fluffing around the final resort was to cut through the rope and the boom crashed to the ground.
Pictures tomorrow if you want.


Chris
in New Zealand

_________________
Alive and Well....for now

Was there much damage to the boom?

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May all those who have gone before us have a carbide lamp with an eternal flame.