Three Steps to Proper Crane Maintenance
Cranes handle some of the toughest jobs on your worksite, and, as such, they’re resilient. However, even the toughest pieces of equipment age and break down due to neglected maintenance.
At Surf City Cranes, we follow a strict crane maintenance routine to keep our equipment in good condition and maintain our reputation as the leading provider of crane for hire services in the Gold Coast. When a Surf City Crane shows up at your job site, you can trust we’ve followed proper maintenance recommendations and are delivering a safe crane. Let’s take a look at best practices for crane maintenance:
General Crane Maintenance
Just like you, when cranes work hard, they need extra help to recover to their peak performance. The strain of lifting and moving heavy materials strains a crane’s parts even if it doesn’t sustain any major damages.
We continuously restore our crane’s moving parts to avoid deterioration. This involves lubricating all of the moving parts, changing the oil, and adjusting alignment. Making these simple checks as soon as a crane returns from its job site extends its lifetime and ensures it’s safe for the next operator.
Frequent Inspections
Aside from general maintenance, cranes also need inspections to verify that all of the components are working correctly. We periodically run lab tests on critical crane components like the engine, gearboxes, and brakes. Furthermore, we inspect the wire ropes, crane hooks, and outriggers for any noticeable signs of damage. Generally, you should perform these kinds of detailed inspections every three months.
Preventative Crane Maintenance
It’s important to vet your crane services company to ensure they are carrying out the proper general crane maintenance and inspections to keep the equipment in good condition. Then, the crane maintenance ball falls in your court.
Educate yourself about the crane model, local permits, and safety information. While your crane services company should provide this information, it’s your job to understand it. Check the owner’s manual to understand the proper steps you should take as soon as you get on-site to make sure the crane is safe and what to do if a warning light comes on or an accident occurs.
Cranes For Hire in the Gold Coast
A crane is only as good as its maintenance routine. Therefore, finding a crane services provider who guarantees proper maintenance is a must. When you’re shopping around for cranes, ask the provider questions about the maintenance like:
- When was the oil changed?
- When was the engine last inspected? Brakes?
- Are there any alignment issues?
- What is the condition of the wire ropes, crane hooks, and outriggers?
If the company cannot answer these questions or give you recent dates, you should find a different company. Your safety should always come first.
For those located in the Gold Coast area, Surf City Cranes has the largest fleet of well-maintained cranes. We can help you find the right crane and provide maintenance details so you can step onto the job site with confidence.
Call us on 1300 687 151 or 1300 672 961 to request a quote or set up an appointment.
