The way most guys rig a spreader bar is backwards I think

I was watching a crew set up a steel beam lift last Tuesday and noticed they had the chokers crossed at the top hook instead of running them separate to the spreader bar rings. My old foreman Mike showed me years ago that if you don't run each leg straight down to its own pick point you lose like 30% of the stability on uneven loads. I tested it myself on a 12 ton girder that same afternoon and the difference in sway was night and day. Has anyone else noticed this or am I just being picky about old habits?

2 comments

2 Comments

jesse2906d ago

I know exactly what you mean about losing stability. That 30% sway you mentioned, I've seen it mess up a whole lift before. We had a similar setup on a job in '19, 14 ton precast panel, and the boss insisted on crossing the chokers at the hook. That thing was swinging like a pendulum until we split the legs out to the spreader bar rings. Never seen a smoother pick than when each leg ran straight down to its own point, honestly. It's just more solid, especially with loads that aren't perfectly balanced.

piper_flores696d ago

totally agree with you about splitting the legs to the spreader bar rings. i had a similar nightmare with a load of steel beams last fall, maybe 12 tons total. we tried it with the chokers crossed and the whole thing was like a fishing rod bending and twisting. once we ran each leg straight down to its own lifting point, it was night and day. no sway, no drama, just a steady pick. ended up being the difference between a stressful 20 minute lift and a smooth 5 minute one. straight legs all the way for uneven loads, no question.