GRCS questions

We had a GRCS malfuction twice on the same job. Big jon was blocking out some pin oak when the GRCS came flying up at him. This was a first for me, I've have used it many times but have never seen the strap come undone. We reset the GRCS notched into the tree. We had three guys ratchet down on the strap and it still happened. Thankfully no one got hurt but left us scratching our heads. Both times the cam device popped out allowing the strap to release and senging the GRCS up the tree. We have now modifided the cam and drill a hole behind the cam in the locked position. The hole was threaded so we can thread in a bolt behind the cam not allowing it to open. Posted picture or GRCS up the tree.
 

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What do you do if it's just a trim, with a couple big lower limbs being removed?
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Just paint the cut?
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That defiently wouldn't be an acceptable pruning practice. Glad you brought that up though. Made me think of an incident where the guys put the GRCS on a tree we wern't taking down. The cranked so hard on the ratched that it caused part of the GRCS to split the bark preety bad on a chestnut oak. I guess they're previous experience was still on their mind. All I could do is caution my guys not to get so carried away next time. A fellow arborist of mind suggusted using a truck mud flap to place between the GRCS and the tree, good call Roach.
 
Roach learned that from our screw-up I bet. We have a mud flap in the box from when someone was dumping the truck and they backed up onto the flap and yanked it off. Now we use it for the GRCS when putting it on a neighboring tree.

I've dumped bigger logs than that one without seeing the GRCS up in the block. I guess that the mounting wasn't snugged up. I always snug it after we lower the brush before we do the wood. It can shift during the removal, so a quick snug helps keep it in place.
 
Greg, can I also get in on this free video?? Buying a GRCS is on my list, almost had enough money till about 2 wks ago, one of our trucks swallowed most of that money for a brake job, gotta start over saving money.

I am glad someone shared their experience of the lowering device coming off its perch and flying up in the tree, it has been a concern of mine when using these devices.

Would a second strap be any use or helpful???? I always thought it would be a good feature to have to keep the shifting to a minumum.

Correct me if I am wrong, but doesn't the GRCS also come with a bollard that can be interchanged with the winch for blocking down big wood.

Larry
 
Roger, we blocked out the wood because of an asphalt driveway. The garage behind the tree was downhill and only about 8 feet away. I didn't want to take a chance of something bouncing into it's side. After we had the two mishaps with the GRCS, I put a couple of pallets into the drop zone. I know a little messy, but worked on short notice. Starting cutting two foot sections and just push them off. Axman, in the picture of GRCS mounted to tree you can see the bololard in place. A little damage though, with having part of the Aluminum snapped off.
 
Cameron, I am sorry that you experienced the malfunction with the strap winch on your GRCS. It sounds like there may be a problem with the locking pawl or "cam". I will send you a replacement unit right away if you send me your shipping address. I will include a return label in the box so that you can ship me the defective part without any cost to you. We purchase the strap winches from another manufacturer and I would like to have a look at the failed part and see if changes need to be made. Please let me know. Also, the visor is a good option for secure mounting when using the GRCS on a removal.

Be good,

Greg


P.S. The DVD is available to anyone, just send us an address.
 
I was just wondering if it is possible for the cam to jump out under the intial shock load of a piece of wood. My thoughts were that the shock on the strap around the tree as well as the strap coiled up may stretch allowing the cam to jump out. I thought the load on the rope would excert more force on the strap than three guys on the ratchet bar. Greg, I do believe the ratchet and cam are still working as origianaly intended. I just think a better design should be employed to kept the cam in place at all times. The damage to the GRCS was relatively minor, a broken bollard and a peice of steel at the top of GRCS that you feed the rope through broke off. Both Items have been fixed as well as some of the groments in the back replaced.
 
The cinch strap really doesn't offer resistance to a side loading (perpendicular to its direction of wrap). Trying to get it tight enough to do that itself is akin to splaying a rope or sling greater than 120° and loading it heavily. Its main purpose and greatest functionality is to affix the unit to the stem securely enough so that the teeth (and/or visor, if necessary) can be effective as the sole point(s) of resistance to sliding. I neither own a GRCS nor have used one but I know I'm right about this. It's a physics/engineering thing which applies to the GRCS and other similar-type contraptions.

I've got a killer idea for a non-invasive attachment which should work well to anchor the unit along the axis of the stem it's attached to. Let's talk about it, Greg.
 
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