Should you Repair or Replace an old Hoist?

Welcome to The Hoist Guy's Blog, where our resident hoist guy, Andrew T. Litecky, shares his industry knowledge and experience with hoists and overhead systems. This month we’ll discuss the key factors for deciding whether to repair or replace an old hoist.

Repair or Replace Analysis for hoists

It’s a common scenario when an industrial building is resold that Shupper-Brickle is called in to evaluate the overhead lifting equipment included on the property. Can the old hoists be repaired or should they be scrapped in favor of newer models? We have found hoists that look to be 20 to 30 years old yet show promise to become operational with renovation. Based on the age, brand, and a few other factors, an old hoist could be either a safe bet to fix, a “money pit” that requires significant cash input to make usable, or completely non-repairable.

Key factor 1: Safety Risks for Hoists Built Before 1980

For hoists that were built prior to 1980, these risks should be considered when evaluating whether to repair a hoist:

• ·       Asbestos : Asbestos was the choice material for brake linings and wire insulation prior to 1980.  Taking a brake cover off an old hoist motor brake or opening an old control enclosure without the proper PPE, can be a life-threatening exposure to asbestos fiber.
• ·       Lead Paint: Lead paint was in common use until the 1970’s.  Virtually all equipment prior to that time had a prime coat and a finish coat of lead-based paint.  Any grinding or sanding of the painted surface will release toxins in the surrounding air.

In addition to the asbestos and lead paint risks, there is a significant challenge in sourcing repair parts for hoists aged 45 years or older.  For most of the older crane and hoist models, repairing becomes an extraordinary expense.  Reverse engineering a part or taking a part to a fabricator and having it copied are sometimes the only options.

Key factor 2: Brand

Some hoists were designed and manufactured for long-term industrial use. Some hoists that were made to last include the Yale Cable King, the ACCO Work Rated and Electrolift worm drive hoists. Finding an older model of these brands is a good start for refurbishment.

Meanwhile, the rights to ownership of some of the most reliable (but no longer manufactured) US brands of wire rope hoists, particularly P & H and Shepard Niles, are now owned by KONE, the world's largest crane company.  Their US office is in Springfield, Ohio, and some replacement parts for Shepard Niles and P & H brands can be ordered through KONE’s customer service.  However, lead times are long and prices are on the high end.

Key factor 3: General Condition Based on Previous Duty Cycle

Frequently, the area where a crane and hoist are located in a plant sheds light on their future feasibility.  For example, years of exposure to acids, bases or abrasive dust can cause chemical degradation.  A crane system that was working in a steel service center, shock loaded in a concrete molding plant, or used for manufacturing with frequent near-capacity lifts, will show wear and tear to the system.

Key factor 4: Country of Origin

When analyzing equipment that was built in the late 20^th century, the country of origin comes into play.  A forty-year-old trolley hoist with European-made equipment, will not hold up as well as a domestic Yale Cable King, ACCO Work Rated or Electrolift Worm Drive hoist. 

European manufacturers generally revamp their product lines every 5 to 10 years, obsoleting hoist, trolley, and crane components.  In this case, replacement parts become obsolete as well, with the idea of pushing customers towards buying new equipment.

Key factor 5: Codes

When evaluating old equipment for a requested refurbishment, it’s critical to establish compliance to the NEC, the National Electric Code.  Still in use, and fairly common, are bare wire conductors on old cranes and hoists.  If the system is in continued use, and not modified, the bare wire electrification is “grandfathered” in place.  However, this does not make it any safer.  Having 460 volts directly above a work area is a hazard by any means.  The best way to deal with this is to remove the bare wire and replace them with insulated conductors.

For cranes and hoists, prior to 2005, the NEC allowed the end user to electrically ground the system through the crane and trolley wheels, while using (3) insulated bars.  New upgrades to both bare wire and (3) bar systems require (3) insulated “orange bar” and (1) ground bar.  Sliding shoe collectors should be (3) orange collectors and (1) green collector for grounding the system.

Evaluating Hoisting Equipment for Repair or Replacement

There is no hard and fast rule regarding when a crane and hoist system is in need of scrapping and replacing or just a complete refurbishment.  Each crane must be evaluated on its own merits.  In general, repairing can be as expensive or more expensive than buying new.  Always remember that fixing an old crane system can come down to “what fails next”.

Shupper-Brickle Equipment has provided the best value in overhead lifting equipment, comprehensive services and custom engineering since 1969 with extensive experience in evaluating the viability of old equipment. Read our related blog on Repairing or Replacing your Bridge Crane or this case study on the refurbishment of tractor drives. Contact us for analysis of your overhead equipment.