Wire Rope Care/Maintenance EEC-0117 V1.0
Wire Rope
Care/Maintenance
It is important to ensure all wire ropes are provided proper maintenance and
inspections on regular intervals. Failure to provide the proper care and maintenance can
drastically reduce the lifespan of wire ropes, which increases the risk to personnel and
property.
Breaking in Wire Rope
The unit’s wire rope should be broken in to allow component parts to settle to
adjust to actual operating conditions. This can be accomplished by conducting several
test runs through the normal operation procedure under a light load. NOTE: It is not
recommended to conduct an overload test with test loads that exceed the
working load limit.
Wire Rope Cleaning
Wire ropes that operate in extremely harsh conditions and come into regular
contact with certain chemicals should be cleaned on a regular basis. Particles that
remain lodged in, or substances allowed to make contact with the rope for extended
periods of time, could cause the wire rope’s tensile strength to be degraded over time.
Wire Rope Inspections
All wire ropes should be thoroughly inspected at regular intervals. The longer it
has been in service or the more severe the service, the more thoroughly and frequently
it should be inspected. Be sure to maintain records of each inspection. A person who
has learned through training or practical experience what to look for and who knows
how to judge the importance of any abnormal conditions discovered should carry out
inspections.