Reliable DIY power ascender

[Reach]

Is there grease on those gears? If not, should there be? That gear looks like it’s been running dry by the wear on the teeth. It also looks like it’s been running much too hot, by the erosion of the steel and the discoloration in the picture.

 

[treegongfu]

you removed the two brake pads from the metal piece the shaft goes through and then grinded it?
What did you use to grind it down?

Yes, I removed the brake pads. I used a bench grinder and a belt sander.

 

[conk]

is the D completely flat on both sides or just one?

 

[treegongfu]

You mean after I ground it? I attempted to get it flat on both sides and even. Wasn't perfect.

You might be able to find a washer like that.

 

[Burrapeg]

Very strange, Conk. Maybe they cheapened the r550. Both my r500's are fine after three years of my 180 pounds going up and down. The gears are hardened tool steel in mine; a file won't even touch them. when I first modded them back then, I packed them both with a thin grease like you use in the gearbox of an angle grinder and when I looked at them this winter taken apart, the gearing looked like new.

 

[conk]

Burrapeg I think you are actually right about the gears I apologize.

I think I made a big mistake and did not realize it until a little while ago after thinking how strange it was the gear fractured.
I think I broke it when a back the drill off while adjusting and tightening the hitch. The hitch grabbed and the device could have been pulling over 1000 pounds. I am not sure how much a force the drill could have put onto the device if the prussik grabbed. I did not immediately think about it since it still worked but made a clicking sound. I thought the drill was broke until I took the device apart and looked at the gear.
Anyway please excuse my ignorance. This must have been what happen.

 

[Burrapeg]

There might be a difference in the weight rating for the two devices. The r500 is rated for two big guys at once, about 5-600 pounds or so. Maybe the r550 is a lighter duty one-man rating?

 

[conk]

I don't think so.
I think the drill pulling the device against the vt hitch did it.
It is not obvious how much force a drill can put onto the device.
I made a stupid mistake while tightening the hitch.
It is an expensive lesson for me. I weight 175 pounds
The device was at room temperate. I had used it the previous day many times without any problems and the thing barely got warm. It was brand new when I got it.

 

[conk]

If anyone want mine. I will sell it for $150. It has over 400 feet of brand new rope, roller, 3 carbiners and the bag. The main device is unmodified but one of the brakes is missing. There is no way to buy a replacement shaft. so you would have to modify the other shaft like treegongfu.

 

[Bart_]

There might be some chemistry going on with aluminum on rope discolouration vs stainless. The clue was window cleaning. Any residual cleaner would mess with the aluminum surface, make oxides etc. I think on probabilities of my metal stock reserve that my sheaves are 6061, so not cast, but my ropes have stayed clean.

The teeth in the broken tooth picture looked like an old brutalized dirt bike transmission. Lack of lube or tendency into the surface overload region may have contributed to an eventual fracture. Yeah, I was young and dumb but fortunately had a spare transmission to steal an also pitted replacement gear from.

 

[goatmonkeyy]

Glad to see this thread still going.

Only swapped the drums/axles on my R550 and been pretty happy with using it as such.

I'm getting to mess with the Mittlemann Unidrive/ Edelrid Perfect descent soon and I've also been lucky enough to use an ActSafe so I'll get back with some pics and info about the Unidrive. There is a version coming to market that is desgined to be used as a powerscender that should be interesting.

Thank you @Burrapeg for starting me down this rabbit hole.

 

[Burrapeg]

Hello GoatMonkeyy, I just checked out the UniDrive. Thanks for the heads-up.

Mittelmann Sicherheitstechnik: Descent- & Rescue Device "UniDrive"

Descent- & Rescue Device "LiftEvac", Examples of use, Descent- & Rescue Device "LiftEvac-2K", Adpater for LiftEvac, Attaching the Adapter, Pulley UR30, Aluminium-Tripod DB uni, Shaft Entry Assist

www.mittelmann.com

Looks even more compact than the RollGliss units and needs no mods to work as an ascender. Very promising. I wonder what they cost? The RollGliss when new was several thousand or more, depending on how much rope came with it, hard case included or not, etc.

 

[projanen]

Is anyone willing to sell a Rollgliss R500/550?

Do you all think an R520 could have the shaft replaced to make drill attachment possible? I see that some of you have replaced the same shaft on your 500/550 to make the drill attachment more convenient.

 

[Burrapeg]

Is anyone willing to sell a Rollgliss R500/550?

Do you all think an R520 could have the shaft replaced to make drill attachment possible? I see that some of you have replaced the same shaft on your 500/550 to make the drill attachment more convenient.

It would not be trivial to replace the input shaft on one of these. The gear teeth are cut into the shaft itself. Better to use one that already has the extended shaft, like the 500 or 550. Just watch eBay; they do turn up fairly regularly and while they are often quite a few hundred dollars, it is still normally a fraction of that a Ronin or Wraptor cost.

 

[projanen]

It would not be trivial to replace the input shaft on one of these. The gear teeth are cut into the shaft itself. Better to use one that already has the extended shaft, like the 500 or 550. Just watch eBay; they do turn up fairly regularly and while they are often quite a few hundred dollars, it is still normally a fraction of that a Ronin or Wraptor cost.

Thank you for the advice about the shaft.

 

[Barc Buster]

Is anyone willing to sell a Rollgliss R500/550?

Do you all think an R520 could have the shaft replaced to make drill attachment possible? I see that some of you have replaced the same shaft on your 500/550 to make the drill attachment more convenient.

I’ve got a 550 here in like new condition I’d be willing to part with. I’ve got 500 into it though. Comes with bag rope and 2 snaps. Pm me if interested and I’ll provide pics.

 

[Charlie NIelsen]

Hey Barc Buster. Do you still have that 550 available?

 

[Barc Buster]

Hey Barc Buster. Do you still have that 550 available?

Sorry bud somebody took me up on that offer pretty quickly.

 

[Bart_]

Charlie, is Pambula in Canada? If geography allows I'll ruminate on selling my 500, with bag and rope as I've never pressed it into even auxiliary type service. I have my purpose built Arbscender. But I couldn't pass up the deal on a gizmo at the time.

 

[Burrapeg]

Hi Guys,

I have over five years of intermittent use on my two Rollgliss modded units now, with many dozens of climbs. I LOVE these things. I tear them down about once a year to check out internal wear, re-grease the gears, etc. They are holding up very well and still look great inside, gear teeth in fine shape. Most climbs I don't use them, since I need the exercise of rec climbing manually, but these things are great if going up with a chainsaw to work on my own trees, or for building a tree house a few years ago where I had to go up and down constantly. Having two units has been useful if someone was working with me or if I wanted to use the second unit as a winch to lift material. I invited an elderly friend to climb with me once, who could not have climbed unless power assisted. He had a wonderful time.