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9.6.3 WIRE ROPE LUBRICATION
Wire rope is lubricated during manufacturing so the strands, and individual wires in strands, may move and
adjust as the rope moves and bends. A wire rope cannot be lubrificated sifficiently during manufacture to last
its entire life. Therefore, new lubricant must be added periodically throughout the life of a rope to replace
factory lubricant which is used or lost.
The surface of some ropes may become covered with dirt, rock dust, or other material during their operation.
This covering can prevent field applied lubricants from properly penetrating into the rope. Therefore, these
ropes should be cleaned before being lubricated.
The lubricant applied should be light bodied enough to penetrate to the core of the rope. Lubricant may be
applied effictively by various methods. It may be dripped on, sprayed on, or put on by brushing, but in any
case it should be applied at a place where the rope is being bent, such as at a sheave. It shold be applied at
the top of the bend, because at that point the strands are spread by bending and are more easily penetrated.
The service life of rope will be directly proportional to the effectiveness of the method used and amount of
lubricant reaching the working parts of the rope.
A proper lubrificant must reduce friction, protect against corrosion, adhere to every wire and be pliable and
not crack or separate when cold and yet not drip when warm.
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