Riding the crane on your hitch

woodworkingboy

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I work with a few different crane companies utilizing different type blocks or ball or collar type hook arrangements, and there are some differences in how I might be attached when riding the hook, sometimes my lanyard through the hook, or my climb line through a steel ring through the hook when the cable for the pick is through the hook as well, won't mix rope with cable for obvious reasons. I never use a clevis above the ball as is the general recommendation in other places, I don't feel it necessary, and with some cranes there is no ability to do that. What prompts my question is that I was working with an operator recently that wasn't comfortable with the climb line with a vt through the ring without an additional attachment, so I just secured a short piece of line to my saddle and attached to the hook directly with a large snap. After cabling off, I would just reach up and remove the snap, then ride the hitch on down. No bother really, and I guess it can be said that it adds an element of security.

I'm wondering what you guys do when riding the ball on your hitch, do you have an additional attachment point, or just ride on the single line? I often like to secure the larger metal ring to the crane hook with a piece of cord, especially since normally there is one or two spliced cable eyes hooked through there as well. I know guys that don't bother doing that, simply have the ring free hanging, but having had branches poke through the ring, it feels better knowing it is more secure.

Thanks for your thoughts.
 
I usually put my climbing line and lanyard through the hook, at least you have two attachment points then.
 
I never tie in twice - why? I'm not cutting and I trust my climbline.
 

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I always use two clevises with a zip tied friction saver above the becket, and lanyard through the hook.
 
I ride the crane on just my climbing line. a few times I've just held on to the sling with one foot in the bottom, but that's not for everyone.
 
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  • #9
Branches getting caught in the hook makes me pucker, and it can be painful when the operator can't see what is going on.
 
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  • #11
It took a leap of faith to go from sitting on a sling with my lanyard through the hook, to just hanging off of my climb line. It's a good progression for scared. Nice and comfy sitting on a sling too. Most of the old timers like to sit on a sling, though I worked with a fellow once that liked to stand on the becket. People riding the hook at all are pretty rare in these parts. Some operators will jerk you around, others have the gentlest of touch. My usual guy is somewhere in between.
 
Shackle above the hook, zip tied so no un screwing. Climb line running through that, or friction saver. Sometimes lanyard through the hook just for fun.
 
^^Same as them...friction saver in the shackle, no lanyard.
Shackle pin tied, and FS cinched with a piece of line too.

At least your operator was concerned enough for your safety to have you put a second attachment...good for him.
 
Our crane company has 1" steel stock in a D shape welded to the side of the becket. We either put our climbline through that or through a Pinto pulley on a tenex loop that we girth to that D
 
The few outfits that allow riding the hook I either just run climb line through hook or occasionally lanyard as well.
On my boom I have a shackle next to the hook with a cotter pin to secure. We hang a fs from that
 
I have never hooked upwith anything other than my climbline... I never consider my climbline as 'breakable' and my lanyard doesnt do me any good hanging way up in thin air so I never bothered...

I guess if I thought my climb line might break I would use my lanyard on the hook...although if I thought my climbline might break I would have to find a different job!
 
climbline through shackle wrenched tight above the hook, and lanyard in the hook. only takes a second to lanyard in and you never know.
 
same here, except one shackle with FS and zip ties, works great, and lanyard hanging loose in hook..
 
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  • #21
I like the idea of welding a D shape on the side of the becket, but in these parts, no modifications like that are allowed to pass inspection. I don't think that you can weld on a becket. Strict about that sort of thing here. You guys using shackles above the hook, I guess your crane outfits don't use a Reeve type block above the hook, as in my avatar?
 
Our smaller cranes don't have that big block. The large ones that do also have a smaller ball ( a stinger, I think they call it) that we usually ride.
 
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  • #23
I guess that there are options in terms of what type of block, but I'm not sure what the advantages/disadvantages are. I see that my usual guy has one of those large pulley types in his storage, but for tree work has gone with a simple collar type becket.
 
Heres what I was taking about

3ydaresy.jpg


I'd not the pinto, then straight through that big steel D
 
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