Veteran operator told me to stop 'pumping' the boom on picks

Been running a Terex HC 165 for about 2 years now. Old timer named Dave at the yard near St. Louis watched me on a job last month and said I was putting too much shock load on the cable by feathering the boom up and down during lifts. He showed me to just let the load settle on its own before moving. Has anyone else gotten similar feedback on their technique?

3 comments

3 Comments

susansingh1mo agoTop Commenter

Build on what @the_wendy said about patience. That first week of holding back on the feathering feels weird. You want to compensate for the load swaying. But your brain adapts faster than you think. The cable lasts way longer. And your sheaves won't get those flat spots from the constant shock. Dave was right. Letting the load settle is like giving your whole crane a break.

the_wendy1mo ago

That old timer Dave knows his stuff, pumping the boom is a hard habit to break once you start doing it. Once you get used to letting the cable settle naturally, you'll notice way less sway in the load and your crane will last a lot longer. Tbh, I've seen guys ruin sheaves and even snap a cable from that constant jerking around. It takes some patience at first but your whole lift cycle gets smoother once you stop fighting the boom.

jamesf291mo ago

Had a buddy wreck a brand new 5/8 cable doing exactly this. Cost him a full day’s pay just to replace it.