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Straps and Slings

ichudov

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 17, 2014
Messages
432
Location
United States
What do you guys use for slings.

I have assembled a small collection of four leg chain slings, wire rope slings, etc. All from auctions or just sweet talking people into giving me stuff that they do not care about.

But I find that 90% of time I use the same set of four 20' nylon slings over and over again, sometimes folded in half and sometimes not. That seems to cover most of what I do and does not involve unpleasant lifting of heavy straps or chains, or cutting my hands with wire rope strands.

I am wondering what everyone else is using.

I suppose that wire rope slings and such are useful more for repetitive heavy duty work like at a concrete casting plant or a big construction project, or some such, but not for one day projects.

Anyone prefer endless slings to two loop slings?

Any comments?

thanks
 

lantraxco

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 1, 2009
Messages
7,704
Location
Elsewhen
Endless slings are good for choking stuff. Gotta have both, can never have too much rigging, lol.
 

Knepptune

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 22, 2012
Messages
757
Location
Indiana
Nylon slings are the easiest type of rigging to work with. BUT they're also the easiest kind of rigging to damage. Get you some sleeve protectors for your straps (old fire hose works pretty well).

The endless loop slings are nice for millwright type work. Ie big round pipes. You choke them and they'll grab better then about anything else.

If you don't want to be buying rigging once a year chains and cables last longer. Don't know that I've ever known a set of chains to wear out. The other nice thing about chains is the fact that they can be completely adjustable. Straps and cables are fixed lengths. Chains can be w.e length you need. Unless Of course they're to short.
 

crane operator

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 27, 2009
Messages
8,275
Location
sw missouri
If you're cutting yourself on your cables, you need new cables.

I posted this for evans a while back when he was looking at buying a big chain sling:

I keep no chains with me in the cranes. I find with chains, in order to get any kind of capacity, they are too heavy to move around, in and out of the storage boxes. I can handle 2-12' 3/4" cables pretty easily by hand, try carrying 24' of 3/4" chain around (they are the same capacity). I have chains, they just stay at the shop.

Rigging in my tms 300 in the crane all the time: Listed as number of them, diameter, then length, type and capacity in ().

Cables: 4-3/4"dia. cables 16' long, eye on one end, latching hook on other end (10k). 4-3/4"dia. x12' cables, eyes on both ends(10k). 4-5/8"dia. x 12' cables (7k), Eye on one end, hooks with latches on the other end. 4-1/2"dia.x 8' cables (5k), eye to eye. 4-1/4"dia. x2' cable eye to eye (1k)

Nylon's: 4-16'x3" wide nylon eye to eye 3plys (13k). 6-16' 3" nylon eye to eye 2plys (7k). 4-8' green endless round slings (5k), 2-12' red endless round slings (16k).

Shackles: 1-25ton (1 3/4"pin dia.), 2-17t (1 1/2"), 4-12t (1 1/4"), 8-10t (1"),4-6t (7/8"), 4-5t (3/4"), 4-2t (1/2"), shackle can vary by manufacturer in capacity with the same pin size. My 8-10t shackles are actually 1"pin shackles, a columbus mckinnon will be rated for 10t, a crosby will be 8 1/2t. I just like 4 of each size.

I've put the capacity of my rigging in () behind each. That's a eye to eye straight pull capacity in thousands of pounds, and they are approximate off the top of my head, not the exact figure. Example the 3/4" cables are good for actually 11,200 lbs in a straight line pull, basketing the cable doubles capacity.

On my cables I prefer to have individual cables, rather than 2 or 4 cables on a bridle. It makes it easier to mix and match on spreader bars and such if you don't have them tied together. Plus forget about rolling up a 3/4" x16' 4-way bridle with hooks and putting it in your storage box (if you can do that, I won't argue with you about anything). I do have my 3/4" and 5/8"cables made with a 2' long eye on one end, rather than the standard 1' eye. It makes it much easier to put on a 50ton capacity hook block with the bigger eyes.

Nothing in the crane is bigger than 3/4" cables. 4-3/4" cables gives me 40,000lbs of rigging capacity, that's about all I'm going to pick with that crane anyways, plus that's about as big as you can roll up and put in the boxes. All my larger rigging stays at the shop, I usually know if I'm going to need bigger, and then either put it in the pickup or tie it to the deck of the crane. Most used extra rigging at the shop: 4-3/4" x 20' long eye to eye cables. 4- 4" x 20' 2plys (10k), 4 -12' blue endless round slings (20k cap) 4-16' blue endless round slings (20k), 4- 1" x 6" eye to eye cables (16k).

My 70 ton capacity crane has a pickup and gooseneck trailer that goes with it, so it has a few 7/8" and 1" cables and some blue roundups for more capacity. Also more 1 1/4" and 1 3/8" shackles. My 25 ton cranes don't have the 3/4" cables, or the 3ply nylons, or red roundups.

Endless round slings, and flat nylons are great capacity for what they weigh, but don't take abuse (wrapping sharp steel, or even just past edges). Once they've got a cut or fray, they're junk. Cables last forever (or at least a long time).

Also in each crane is a 15'and 50' tag rope. But its usually not in the crane, its on my last job where I left it lay.
 

ichudov

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 17, 2014
Messages
432
Location
United States
OK, great. I have a boatload of nylon slings bought at auction. I also have four 20' 3 ply 3 inch slings that I use daily.

I used cardboard for edge protection, but I love the ides of fire hose, I have various hose laying around.

I also have a set of four 7/8" 20' steel wire rope slings, which I never really use but I have them nonetheless.

Thanks for your ideas and thoughts, crane op, knepptune and lantraxco!
 

td25c

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 14, 2009
Messages
5,250
Location
indiana
We are about half & half on cable slings & nylon .

Everything has it's place .

One handy item is 4 foot long cable chokers dedicated for wrapping around steel with sharp edges .

http://www.heavytruckforums.com/showthread.php?263-Some-Holmes-750-action&p=2549&viewfull=1#post2549


Like Crane Operator mentioned chain is heavy but it's tough as Hell . Don't have to worry about cutting it around steel corners .

Hook up & shag out .:)

http://www.heavytruckforums.com/showthread.php?263-Some-Holmes-750-action&p=2580&viewfull=1#post2580
 
Last edited:

crane operator

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 27, 2009
Messages
8,275
Location
sw missouri
Nice to know that I'm not the only one doing that td25c. I use the 8'long 1/2" chokers in my crane the same way, if I need to basket around I-beams etc, on quarry and repair work.

I can usually get around a year or two out of them in harsh use, before I'll have a wire coming out. I usually have my 12' cables with hooks, and the 1/2" cables basketed from them. That gives me 16' of length, and when the 8' ones get damaged, I'm not having to replace a whole bridle/ hook set up, just buy some more 8' ers. My 5/8" cables with hooks and my 3/4" with hooks, are both over 5years old, and still going strong. Nylon's are fine, but they don't have that kind of life if you use them everyday.
 

crane operator

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 27, 2009
Messages
8,275
Location
sw missouri
Ichudov, really your 7/8" cables are overkill for your rig. I think they're good for 13,500 each x 4 =54,000 (with 5 to 1 saftey factor). I'd hate to roll and unroll them everyday (which is probably why they lay at your shop). The nylon 3 ply's are the same cap, and much easier to handle.

From your pictures, your mostly loading and unloading machinery, and I'll use my short 1/2"ers a lot on those skids with no picking eyes, just a I beam base. Basket the cables around a I beam and off you go. I do have a straightener at the shop that I use to pop the kinks back out of my 1/2" cables when they get too twisty.

On endless round-ups I find myself using my 8'ers a lot on uneven loads, to level out the load. They are easy to straight line, basket, three-way, or quad up, so my 8' green round ups give me a 8',4',3', and a 2' strap, all in the same strap. Easier if you have a off center load and need to add 2',3' or 4' to one side, than dragging out 10 shackles. I find that that happens a lot on larger gen sets or machinery, that one end is usually heavy, and usually 2' of strap on the light end can level things out.
 

GrainBinMan

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 21, 2015
Messages
77
Location
South Central PA
Not to hijack the post, but do ya'll have a prefered place to buy your rigging?

We have two or three local places, and it seems their pricing is fairly consistent. Just wondering if there is a place online that you've found is better.

TIA.
 

td25c

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 14, 2009
Messages
5,250
Location
indiana
Nice to know that I'm not the only one doing that td25c. I use the 8'long 1/2" chokers in my crane the same way, if I need to basket around I-beams etc, on quarry and repair work.
.

You & me both Crane OP . :)

Pretty handy as they already bend in the cable for the next task . Can still shield them from sharp edges with a truck tire inner flap . The youngsters will be wondering what a tire flap is next ? :D

I keep 4 " pre bent " 5/8 chokers in each rig .
 

qball

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 30, 2007
Messages
1,072
Location
il
Occupation
local 150 operator
Just a reminder, nylon and Kevlar both degrade from uv light and petroleum, so keep em clean and out of the sun.
 

ichudov

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 17, 2014
Messages
432
Location
United States
I keep them nicely folded inside. I have a frame on wheels where I store all my hooks, shackles, snatch blocks, and slings.
 

Natman

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 19, 2016
Messages
972
Location
ID
I use nylon slings primarily, simply because I like handling and storing them better then wire rope. I get a year or so of careful use out of my most used sizes (2" double thickness x 12' and 20' lengths, a minimum of 4 of them each, plus 4 3" x 20' straps for heavier loads)) and then I give them away, long before they present a danger, but as soon as they fade a bit or of course show any mechanical damage. I give them to anyone, like last week up at the ski area, I took a couple up for the lifties, these guys drive beater rigs up the mountain and make min wage. Before that, a heavy equipment mechanic I use got a couple. I get rid of them so I'm not tempted to use them, if they are not pristine, they go. In the big picture, they are cheap.

I carry lots of shackles, of all sizes, and one monster shackle to avoid hook crowding when using multiple slings. I rig to the shackle and then put the big shackle in the hook. That reminds me....why does everyone want to call them "clevises?" Whats up with that?!

I use 3/8" double eye x 12' wire rope slings on truss bundles, two of them on the larger bundles. I carry 4 of them plus some 6' ones, I hate using longer rigging of any kind then needed. They are pretty bulletproof, but I check them regularly for broken strands, but usually I get rid of them before that happens, after they get too many bends or otherwise a pain to work with. Again, super cheap to replace for what I pay for them and what they make me!

I carry some grade 80 x 3/8" chain, 2 12' lengths with grab hooks, and use it rarely but when I do it's real handy. I use it, along with other rigging and shackles, to adjust the load. Also a chain bridle with 8' legs and all kinds of adjustment built in. This job pictured is a good example, this manlift (12K+) had different level pick points, and I made up the difference with the chains so it would hang nice and level. Note the bright yellow 2" slings, this was their first day on the job, and it really impressed the contractor when I made a big show of taking them out of their packaging, obliviously brand new and unused! I went further,IMG_20170111_142319656~3.jpg IMG_20170111_143114207~2.jpg and told him I would throw them away after his one pick of the manlift, ha ha.

One thing about replacing my rigging way before it's really needed, it impresses my customers, no one has better rigging then me locally, and all of it kept inside the rigging boxes all the time. Heck, I'm the only one to keep the rig inside, heated no less. That gets me work, or so I'm told. I should probably use more wire rope slings, they would save me a bit of money as they for sure last longer usually. In the round slings I carry some greens and reds, 12' in each. The 2" slings seem to be my go to rigging for 75% of my picks.
 

alskdjfhg

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 21, 2015
Messages
405
Location
Houston TX

That reminds me....why does everyone want to call them "clevises?" Whats up with that?!

I was always told the difference between a shackle and a clevis is that one is used for rigging and the other has cow s*it on it and is used by farmers. At-least that's the "slur against farmers" way to tell.

I think the real difference is that a clevis just used a clip pin or a piece of wire to hold the clevis pin in place, where as a shackle has threads on the end of the shackle pin so it either threads into the body of the shackle of has nut you thread onto the pin. IE, a more secure way of keeping the pin in place.

I'm far from an expert though.
 

Tradesman

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 23, 2013
Messages
1,075
Location
Ontario
Occupation
Contractor
I was always told the difference between a shackle and a clevis is that one is used for rigging and the other has cow s*it on it and is used by farmers. At-least that's the "slur against farmers" way to tell.

I think the real difference is that a clevis just used a clip pin or a piece of wire to hold the clevis pin in place, where as a shackle has threads on the end of the shackle pin so it either threads into the body of the shackle of has nut you thread onto the pin. IE, a more secure way of keeping the pin in place.

I'm far from an expert though.

That's my slant on it, a clevis is for behind a tractor or a team of horses and I've spent a good part of my life driving both, so no slur against farmers. A clevis is unrated and I generally just use a draw pin with it. When one of my customers ask if I've got a clevis I tell them it's at home on my tractor but I've got lots of shackles
 

Kiwi-truckwit

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 20, 2016
Messages
315
Location
New Zealand
Around here, wire ropes are really only ever used with rolling blocks, all our cranes only carry chains and synthetic slings. I use endless much more than I do web slings, my 2000kg 2m, and 3000kg 4m endless slings are easily my most used, along with grade 100 8mm chains (4000kg/leg) . This is on a 55 ton crane doing all kinds of lifts. Also carry 13mm chains (6900kg/leg) and 5000kg slings for heavier picks, but they're not used nearly as often.
 
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