Crane User's Guide - Union Wire Rope

Crawler and trUCk Cranes
wire rope recommendations for crane applications
let us show you the ropes you’ll need to keep your cranes working. On the
following charts, you’ll see the wire ropes we recommend for your many different
applications. Your specific application may vary, of course, and that’s why you can
depend on a world leader such as Union to help you choose the right rope.
important note when changing ropes:
mobile Cranes: When changing wire ropes, ensure the minimum breaking force is equal to or
higher than the rope it replaces. If you change from a standard rope to a rotation-resistant rope,
the required design factor will change. ASME B30.5 requires a design factor of 3.5 for standard
ropes and a design factor of 5.0 for rotation-resistant ropes. If changing from a standard rope to
a low-torque rope, the required design factor will not change . The XLT 4 low-torque rope may be
used with a design factor of 3.5.
tower Cranes: When changing wire ropes, ensure the minimum breaking force is equal to or
higher than the rope it replaces. ASME B30.3 requires a design factor of no less than 5 for all
load hoist ropes .
Anytime you change the construction or grade of the rope on a crane, ensure the crane’s load
charts are verified or updated as needed.
aPPliCation reCommended roPe Comments
main hoist rope flex-X® 6 regular lay iwrC
Xlt 4
flex-X 35
flex-X 19 Ps regular lay
6 x 26 regular lay iwrC
6 x 25 regular lay iwrC
auxiliary Xlt 4
hoist rope flex-X 35
flex-X 19 Ps
19 x 7
8 x 25
boom hoist rope flex-X 9
flex-X 6 regular lay iwrC
flattened strand
6 x 26 regular lay iwrC
tag line 6 x 19 regular lay iwrC
6 x 36 regular lay iwrC
6
Characteristics needed are resistance to bending fatigue,
resistance to crushing and resistance to wear . Flex-X 6
provides the best combination of necessary characteristics,
plus higher strength. If block rotation is a problem and the
drum is grooved, XLT 4 is recommended . For smooth drums,
Flex-X 35 or Flex-X 19 PS should be considered.
Rotation resistance is a primary concern in an auxiliary
hoist and for applications utilizing grooved drums, XLT 4 is
recommended. For smooth drum applications, Flex-X 35
should be considered . Both of these ropes may be used with a
swivel. For less demanding applications, Flex-X 19 PS provides
a good combination of rotation resistant properties and
resistance to crushing .
The primary characteristic needed in a boom hoist rope is
resistance to drum crushing . Flex-X 9 is best suited to handle
this situation . Flex-X 6 also works well in many boom hoist
applications. Though alternate lay ropes may be specified on
your equipment, it generally will not perform as well as those
listed here .
Most standard construction ropes will perform in this
application .