8
Hook snapped mid-lift on a job last Tuesday
Was moving a HVAC unit for a school in Portland. Hook latch just gave up, load dropped about 4 feet. Safety chains saved it but I almost had a heart attack. Anyone else had a latch fail like that?
2 comments
Log in to join the discussion
Log In2 Comments
felix82421d ago
Yeah those latch failures usually come from dirt or paint buildup in the mechanism. Take the whole hook assembly apart and clean it with brake cleaner, then lube it with white lithium grease. That's what solved it for me after the second time it happened. Also check the spring tension on the retaining arm, if its weak it'll let the latch bounce open under load.
2
henry_martinez21d ago
Feel your pain on this one. Had a similar issue with a hitch latch on my work trailer a few years back, drove me crazy until I figured out it was just gunked up. That brake cleaner trick is a good one, I usually use a wire brush on the spring contact points too before I hit it with grease. Makes a big difference getting all the old crud off first. Glad you got yours sorted, these little mechanical things can be a real headache when they start acting up under load.
4