TM 5-3810-302-10
WIRE ROPE LUBRICATION.
Wire rope is lubricated during manufacturing so the strands, and individual
wires in strands, may move and adjust as the rope moves and bends. A wire
rope cannot be lubricated sufficiently during manufacture to last its entire
life. Therefore, new lubricant must be added periodically throughout the life
of a rope to replace factory lubricant which is used or lost.
The surface of some ropes may become covered with dirt, rock dust, or other
material during their operation. This covering can prevent field applied
lubricants from properly penetrating into the rope. Therefore, these ropes
should be cleaned before being lubricated.
The lubricant applied should be light bodied enough to penetrate to the core
of the rope. Lubricant may be applied effectively by various methods as
shown in figure 6-2. It maybe dripped on, sprayed on, or put on by brushing,
but in any case it should be applied at a place where the rope is being bent,
such as at a sheave. It should be applied at the top of the bend, because at
that point the strands are spread by bending and are more easily penetrated.
The service life of rope will be directly proportional to the effectiveness of the
method used and amount of lubricant reaching the working parts of the rope.
A proper lubricant must reduce friction, protect against corrosion, adhere to
every wire and be pliable and not crack or separate when cold and yet not
drip when warm.
Special lubricant can be applied at the factory to meet unusual conditions.
