We know a thing or two about stringing block maintenance at Custom Truck One Source.
Not only do we rent the equipment, but we’re also a producer of stringing blocks and fiberglass products for utility jobs.
As a stringing block owner, make sure your blocks are regularly maintained so there is never a question of safety.
Here are some tips to follow that we often pass on to our customers:
Clean Up Bundle Block Pacmans
On bundle blocks, take off the Pacman attachment. Inspect it for damages, such as cracks and gouging, and wipe it down with a metal cleaner and lubricate with powdered graphite.
Do a Bearing Check
You don’t want a wheel seizing up when its 60-plus feet in the air. A simple bearing replacement could end up saving big dollars in avoided accidents.
Sweat the Small Stuff
It’s often a lack of maintenance on small parts that block owners take for granted, leading to major headaches. Save yourself a lot of trouble and make sure the bolts, nuts, cotter pins and fasteners are on your blocks and tightened. You don’t want a job held up because of a missing pin.
Check any grounding arm springs. Are they in place? Are they rusted? If you see deterioration, replace it.
Smooth Sheaves
Before every job, check that your sheaves spin smoothly. Any that wobble are likely out of alignment or damaged. If damaged, it will need to be replaced.
The sheaves’ lining commonly needs to be replaced every two or three years, so check for excessive wear or conductor riding/cutting into the urethane.
Take care of some low-cost maintenance when your blocks are off duty, will greatly increase your linemen’s safety and cut down on high-costs from block failures that can cloud an otherwise strong job.
For questions about Custom Truck One Source blocks and maintenance, please contact Maryann Spera.
