lubricate your boom while erect?

[treevet]

I hope I have doused (made flacid) the potential for sexual innuendo already

But I am on my 4th crane over 4 decades so I know the drill...and it is sticky -))

But really, anyone have any good suggestion for making the looong, tedious process of greasing one's boom...easier?....and I am serious....kinda lol.

 

[treevet]

ps. my employee told me he used to put grease "packs" on his hookup on his tractor trailer and when it pivoted it broke the packs and therefore there was NO contact with the grease.

 

[Mark Chisholm]

I only have a knuckle boom crane and there are 6 extensions that take greases. It's easier because you can run it from a remote and raise the boom and put out an extension while you do it from the ground. Not too bad.

 

[Treetopflyer]

Park it under your favorite tree with good tie in point and get to work!

 

[craneguy1]

Although all manufacturer's say to grease them up...the ones in the know around here don't. At all. Grease makes them slide nice...but attracts all the crap that can accumulate and de-rail a cable. Had it happen...twice. very very little grease on this guys boom. Almost always at 79-83 degrees extending and retracting. Remember; self-lubricating wear pads. They dont wear out that fast. When you think it needs grease cause of chattering...it's more because the grease has been worn off and has made things tacky. Spray silicone works also but rain washes it off. I was given a few cans of a spray solution that is FDA approved but is very pricey. My guy swears by it.

 

[treevet]

Park it under your favorite tree with good tie in point and get to work!

maybe easier to use an aerial truck Aaron but more looking for strategy in material used and how to apply it. We usually rub a clean towel in it and do the top and bottom as friction occurs both places.

 

[classictruckman]

We use stp motor treatment and a small paint roller on our stick booms, and I use spray grease( the kind you would use on a dirt bike chain) on the kboom.

 

[treevet]

We use stp motor treatment and a small paint roller on our stick booms, and I use spray grease( the kind you would use on a dirt bike chain) on the kboom.

that's the one I was looking for...roller...nice. stp...ok

How often...yearly? semi? hour guess? thanks

 

[dbl612]

the most important pads to grease on a stick boom are the top rear pads on each section that you can grease through the access holes on the top rear of main section. those are the ones that cause the chatter. very little geese is needed on the sides and a slight amount on the bottom. a 3" paint roller with a short nap works well. as mentioned the grease attracts all the saw dust from tree work. also to mention, its important to get out the shop vac regularly and clean out the debris that collects at the base of boom. it gets damp and corrosive and raises hell with the retract cables

 

[treevet]

Thanks Tom. I think I remember you told me a bird got in somebody's boom and caused a failure?

I haven't had any chattering, just looking to do proper maintenance.

 

[classictruckman]

that's the one I was looking for...roller...nice. stp...ok

How often...yearly? semi? hour guess? thanks

we do it once a month or so.

 

[classictruckman]

the thing about stp(or what they claim it does to your engine anyway) is it works it way into the metal, unlike grease or oils that just sit on top.

 

[davidJ]

http://www.lubeaboom.com

Works great, saves a lot of time and mess

 

[allmark]

http://www.lubeaboom.com

Works great, saves a lot of time and mess

Where do you get it. I found gun for $500+ and grease at $250+ for a 5 gal pail seems expensive

 

[Mark Chisholm]

W

We use stp motor treatment and a small paint roller on our stick booms, and I use spray grease( the kind you would use on a dirt bike chain) on the kboom.

What kind of spray grease you use? Brand?

 

[davidJ]

http://www.uscraneaccessories.com/products
Get the 15 oz cans and the cheap spray attachment. I use 1 1/2 cans every time I grease the boom sections.

 

[allmark]

Thanks

 

[classictruckman]

W

What kind of spray grease you use? Brand?

http://www.krownindustrial.com/products.php?product=kl73

I've started using this brand, it seems to last longer than the Castrol spray grease I was using.

 

[Mark Chisholm]

Cool I'll look into it. Thanks.

 

[classictruckman]

I was wrong it's actually this stuff I'm using now

http://www.krownindustrial.com/products.php?product=klfsm