• Thank you for visiting HeavyEquipmentForums.com! Our objective is to provide industry professionals a place to gather to exchange questions, answers and ideas. We welcome you to register using the "Register" icon at the top of the page. We'd appreciate any help you can offer in spreading the word of our new site. The more members that join, the bigger resource for all to enjoy. Thank you!

Gradall Cable Snapped!!!!

CANNONMAN1

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 18, 2009
Messages
60
Location
Portage, WI
I've had a Gradall 534D 9-45 for a couple years and it has worked flawlessly, never had a problem with it. It was never maxed out as far as it lifting capacity. It saw fairly light duty from me. I sold it recently and the first day the buyer had it he was picking up a concrete culvert. He has no idea what culvert weighed but he says it picked it up ok when he had about one section of boom extended. He tried to retract boom with weight of culvert and snapped the cables in the boom. Along with that it appears it ripped up some hoses also as it is now leaking fluid a lot. My question is are telehandlers designed to retract the the boom with weight on them? He said only one section was extended and the boom was horizontal.

Obviously he is looking to me to fix as he only owned it for a day. I have a feeling this is going to be quite costly. Any idea what it may be (cost wise) to fix? Thanks
 
Last edited:

lantraxco

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 1, 2009
Messages
7,704
Location
Elsewhen
Yes, they are designed to work all functions up to maximum load if everytihng is in good order, though common sense always helps, yeah?

Used is used, if the guy bought a used car from you and the engine spun a main bearing the next day, would you pay for repairs? I wouldn't. Neither of you knew there might have been a problem with the machine, and only he knows if he abused it and broke something.

One thing that sounds confusing, the telescoping boom is progressive yes, both sections extend and retract together at the same time? If only one section actually extended (or maybe he's just talking about approximate distance) then it sounds like the extend cables were already broken or off track and only the cylinder was working? Should be a total of four cables in there I think, two extend and two retract.

He probably got too much weight over the front, tipped it onto the ground, and then tried to drag the carriage back in, with the load stuck in the dirt. Should be okay, but in reality, 'atsa nono. Just a guess.

Hope you don't get stuck for anything on this deal, though like you I would probably feel I owed a share of the repairs, IF after disassembly you can see where the cables were frayed or a sheave was bad, not just obvious signs of the cables pulling in two.
 

Delmer

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 3, 2013
Messages
8,864
Location
WI
Are you a dealer? Is this your son in law?

Sorry, I can't answer your questions, but I'd be figuring out how heavy the culvert was, and look at what failed to see if it was overloaded, or worn out, or a combination of factors. There would be a lot more going into how responsible I felt than just that he broke it in one day.
 

willie59

Administrator
Joined
Dec 21, 2008
Messages
13,361
Location
Knoxville TN
Occupation
Service Manager
He has no idea what culvert weighed but he says it picked it up ok when he had about one section of boom extended.

Huh???

That's a three section boom. Base, mid, and fly sections. And has been mentioned by lantraxco, the extend is progressive, as the mid section extends the fly section extends along with it via the extend/retract cables, it's not possible to have "one section of boom extended".

Your other question; no, telehandlers are not designed to retract a capacity load. Much like aerial lifts, they're "designed" to extend a load, not necessarily "retract" a load. In most cases the extend cables (or chains) are far heavier than the retract cables (chains).

It's most likely a case of an operator or job boss demanding the machine to do something it wasn't designed to do, but proving that won't be easy. After all, he stated he had "one section of boom extended".

I've said it before...operators are like peanut butter, they only come in two flavors...smooth and crunchy.
 

lantraxco

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 1, 2009
Messages
7,704
Location
Elsewhen
Hey Willie... I think it's a matter of semantics about the design issue, wouldn't you think that on the retract that the cylinder pulling would have a relief valve so as not to have enough power to pull the cables in two, so it would just stall if the load for some reason exceeded the design spec?

I see what you mean about the extend, since there are times the boom is nearly vertical the extend load would be just about equal to whatever you were picking.
 

Knepptune

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 22, 2012
Messages
757
Location
Indiana
Those things will pull the retract cable in two all day long. No way you should retract the boom on anything with it maxed out.

Nine times out of ten when those things break it's because someone got it stuck, ran the boom out and chained it to something then used the retract to pull it out. I'd be making a trip to the site and I bet you can find where that happened. Ruts don't lie.

I've never had one break from another cause. No way would I cover it.
 

barklee

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 4, 2009
Messages
903
Location
ohio
Those things will pull the retract cable in two all day long. No way you should retract the boom on anything with it maxed out.

Nine times out of ten when those things break it's because someone got it stuck, ran the boom out and chained it to something then used the retract to pull it out. I'd be making a trip to the site and I bet you can find where that happened. Ruts don't lie.

I've never had one break from another cause. No way would I cover it.

Completely agreed with this! I have never seen one of these break without someone doing something stupid.... i.e. chaining the boom to a tree and pulling or trying to retract an extremely heavy load with it dragging the ground.
We bought a damaged G-1055 that the boom chains were broken from the same thing your guy claims happened. When it got back to our shop and the mechanic disassembled, all three inner boom sections were bent!
I would agree to pay for Nothing until the machine is torn down and you can see what happened.
 

willie59

Administrator
Joined
Dec 21, 2008
Messages
13,361
Location
Knoxville TN
Occupation
Service Manager
Hey Willie... I think it's a matter of semantics about the design issue, wouldn't you think that on the retract that the cylinder pulling would have a relief valve so as not to have enough power to pull the cables in two, so it would just stall if the load for some reason exceeded the design spec?

I see what you mean about the extend, since there are times the boom is nearly vertical the extend load would be just about equal to whatever you were picking.

Yes, the retract does have relief protection to an extent, but it still has to have enough pulling power to pull itself in, it's a fine line that's difficult to make it perfect, as pointed out 9 times out of 10 it's slack between the seat and the steering wheel. Plain and simple, telehandlers aren't designed to pull the boom in with it near horizontal and a max load. It's designed to boom loads out and place them, not suck them in. Besides, in most situations the boom is at least from somewhat elevated to full elevated. In that typical situation, boom retract is easy, gravity is your friend. Flat out...not so much. :)
 

lantraxco

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 1, 2009
Messages
7,704
Location
Elsewhen
Poor design then, no machine should be made so the operator can easily or unintentionally do damage or cause injury. And how do they know I don't have to reach across a ditch flat out full extension and pick up a load that's at the edge of the lift chart thirty times a day, every day?

Engineers, fixing stuff that ain't broke since the first square rock wheel was designed as an upgrade on round....... never rolled away downhill that way.

:rolleyes:
 

Knepptune

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 22, 2012
Messages
757
Location
Indiana
I have never seen one break from that. NEVER.

I have seen bolts holding the wear pads snap before that cable broke.

You cannot fix stupid. And that's the cause of 99% of equipment failure anyway.
 

willie59

Administrator
Joined
Dec 21, 2008
Messages
13,361
Location
Knoxville TN
Occupation
Service Manager
Poor design then, no machine should be made so the operator can easily or unintentionally do damage or cause injury. And how do they know I don't have to reach across a ditch flat out full extension and pick up a load that's at the edge of the lift chart thirty times a day, every day?

I don't disagree, I'm just saying that pretty much every telehandler I've operated struggles to pull the boom in with it flat out and anywhere near max load. I don't know the physics as to just why, just saying that's the way it is. :)
 

CANNONMAN1

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 18, 2009
Messages
60
Location
Portage, WI
Thanks for your responses gentlemen. I'm of the opinion something was done by the operator I'm not being told. I was always told not to try and retract when flat or with a heavy load. I don't have an operators manual for this unit. I'm curious what the manufacturer says about retracting.
 

544D10

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 8, 2004
Messages
166
Location
Oceanside, CA
Occupation
Lucas & Mercier Construction Co.
The only time I've ever broken a chain or cable on a Gradall was when I was retracting very near the ground and the carriage caught the tip of a rock that must of been the size of Manhattan.


SNAP


I've driven Gradalls for 20 years, 40+ hours a week and on probably 50 different individual machines, in all conditions, doing everything imaginable with them and they are reliable if operated as intended.

Back grading is a huge no no, sounds to me that the culvert was probably too heavy for the distance extended. The carriage was on the ground and the rear wheels in the air. Instead of driving forward and retracting at same time he tried to drag it back.

Agree with above, have it torn down and a site inspection before offering any money at all.

Tear down at his expense, possibly refunded later.

Look at the carriage also, any dirt packed into the areas around the bottom of the cylinder, and fresh gouges on the underside.
 
Last edited:
Top