Impact's "Things Done at Work"

[Tiny]

I won't attempt to tell you anything but your honest . You could have kept it to yourself . Who would ever know ? Instead you posted it . Hopefully some will see this and learn something .

Something to be said about the "Voices in your head "

 

[dbl612]

we all learn from each others mistakes. it takes a big man to admit that he made a mistake.

 

[Impact]

Not exactly "things done at work" but, posting it here anyhow.

I'm not really a mechanic, but, I've got a little mechanical knowledge. We have a Grove TMS760E. 2001 Model. Nice unit. Couple of years ago, we kept having electrically problems when rotating the upper. At some locations, it would run fine, other locations it would go nuts. We found the electrical swivel snd pulled the can off the top. Full of water. Dried it out, cleaned all the contacts, and it run right again...for a few days when the same symptons occured again. Again, remove the can, and same moisture problems. Thing is, it hadn't rained. So, after checking and watchng closer, we found out the water swivel was seping and blowing steam into the electrical swivel. To remove the water swivel, everything has to be removed..the hydraulic swivel, the electrical swivel, and the water swivel. We didn't have time to get into that, so, we disconnected the hoses, bypassing the water swivel. Just didn't have any heat in the upper. Since I don't run it much...who cares? Right? LOL

Well, a few weeks ago, the hydraulic swivel starts puking oil. At first just a drip, then kept getting worse. So, we decided to break it all dwn to fix it. The Grove manual says to raise the boom to an elevation you can get into the unit, and strap some 4x4's onto the ram, in case the check valves don't hold. (A man has to get up between the boom and cylinder.) I understand the check valves are SUPPOSED to hold it, but...No way would I allow my men to get themselves in that position. We do a lot of structural steel but couldn't find the right size beams to prop the boom up. So, I ordered two W8 x 35# beams and made a cradle on the end to support the pin where the cylinder attaches to the boom. The beams had to be like 19' long. Slide the beams under the pins and welded them to the deck. Maybe overkill, but, It just feels and looks safer than two 12' 4'x4's.

Anyhow, got evrything tore apart. The water swivel was wore out. Grove has changed the design, so we just ordered a new one...$400 or so I think. I had NO idea how a hydraulic swivel would work, but, I do now. Wow, what a design. There's some smart people around. The guts looks similar to a piston with rings. Instead of the piston working like in an engine, it simply rotates. (cont)

 

[Impact]

The cylinder walls were scored so we were trying to decide how to best fix it. I could take it to a machine shop, have the cylinder welded up, and machined back down. The cyulinder is about 8-9" I.D and about 2' or 2-1/2 long. Never did get an estimate to haver that done, but, I can see $2,000-$3,000 worth of work. So, we decided to see what the cost of a new one is. We all guessed. I guessed $15,000. Others guessed $10,000 or $20,000. I can buy it new for $6,500. Amazing. If they gave me $200,000 and told me I had to build ONE, I don't think I ever could. At the same time, the safety latch on our 100T Liebherr had gotten damaged and the spring was shot. The metal part was warped, but still usable. We decided to order just the spring. $20 or so would be high..right? Wrong. $700. But, that's for the complete kit, spring and the metal part. NO way will I pay $700. I can make a spring, but, not a hydraulic swivel.

So, we decided to just hone out the cylinder walls on the swivel and put a seal kit in it. $400-$500 or so, I forgot. If it doesan't work, I'll order a brand new one, and have it here before we pull the old one out. Oh yes, I'll save my home made beams for a while just in case..LOL

I guess my point in this post is...Never can tell what something is going to cost. I've got three screaming Eagle HD motorcycles that cost more than I'm prepared to admit. But, I refuse to buy a $400 HD leather jacket. LOL

 

[Tiny]

Cranes are the worst for parts prices . They are all over the place .

 

[dbl612]

Cranes are the worst for parts prices . They are all over the place .

thereis no rhyme or reason for crane parts. the pricing is basicly done by lawyers, who set the product liability value on each part. also if they out source the part from a vendor, they have to decide if they mark it up 500 or 1000%. if you have any time with repairs it pays to do your homework. last swivel we did on a grove- complete kit soup to nuts, exact fit no muss no fuss 410.00 go figure. (ps always hone the barrel of the swivel with a ball hone, chamfer the internal port openings and you won't have problems with new o-ring install). we have also purchased parts that could be fabricated by any competant shop for 200.00 and they were 1000.00 from grove. regards, tom.

 

[Tiny]

Spent one winter helping to rebuild the boom hoist on two machines 3900 Manitowoc , 10,000 bucks in parts alone . I thought that was off the wall outrageous . Until we started on a 518 Link belt , Parts list hit 30,000 bucks . Both are 150 crawlers but had a wild price spread for nearly the same parts .

 

[Impact]

Just an update. The hydraulic swivel isn't leaking a drop. Sometimes things work out, sometimes they don't.

 

[Tiny]

Just an update. The hydraulic swivel isn't leaking a drop. Sometimes things work out, sometimes they don't.

That is Good , Most of the jobs we are on there is someone always ready to pitch a fit about a single drop of oil hitting the ground it seems.

 

[Dustindlb]

Ltm 1090?

 

[Impact]

Ltm 1090?

Ltm 1080-1L

 

[Dustindlb]

Good looking crane. I gotta get back into a liebherr. I broke out in a 1200. I still dream about that machine...

 

[Impact]

Hired a guy to train 9 of us at our place for Nccco certification. Started Monday morning. Winding up today on rigger training. Took the written exams yesterday. Think I did well. Did the hands on Thursday. I aced everything until the final pass through the course. Bobbled and knocked 4 poles over and two more balls. Whadda think? Will I pass or should I retest? I wish they'd give you a clue on how well you'd done, but, they won't.

 

[Dustindlb]

Can't hurt to retake. Just more experience ya know?

I was a proctor once for the hands on test, seems as nerves always get the best of us... Take ur time, do what u know how to do. I get to renew mine in January...

 

[Tiny]

I bet you passed , The scoring isn't all that bad on the balls (just minus one point) . Poles are scored at -3 points .

 

[bigshow]

You should be fine as long as nothing else is deducted.

 

[Impact]

We had time left today after taking the Rigger's exams so I re-tested. Aced it with the exception of knocking one ball off. I was satisfied with that considering the wind was blowing at about 30 MPH. Actually the wind blew 5 balls pff while I was testing.

 

[Tiny]

GOOD!! Now you know for certain .

 

[Impact]

http://youtu.be/x5iYD6SzLqI.

A link of a project I built in 2010. It disintegrated 1-12-13. Another link will be posted as soon as it downloads.

 

[Impact]

The pile of corn (575,000 bushels) was in a grain tank the morning of 1-12 but obviously not at the time I shot the video. The overturned semi truck in the corn...it had a driver in it who saw the structure splitting open. If you notice there's a few bin sheets covering the side of the cab. He was driving around the tank when it starting splitting open. Picked the truck up and landed it on it's side. The windshield broke and he was waist deep in corn. He kicked the rest of the windshield out and managed to climb out. He was VERY lucky.