wire rope clips how to use manufacturer
While these clips are not designed to be used in an overhead lifting situation (swage sleeves should be used instead), wire rope clips are heavy-duty wire rope clips that used for sustaining overhead loads. Examples include guy lines, support lines, scaffolding, etc.
U.S. Cargo Control offers two types of clips: standard (or U-Bolt) and fist-grip (or "double saddle"). Our line includes high-quality clips that work for any situation, including:
Install the first clip at the dead end side of the rope. The "U" side of the clip must always cover the dead end of the rope, and the "saddle" side of the clip on the live end of the rope. Place the nuts of the clip and tighten them using a torque wrench.
Next, apply the second clip and place it as close to the eye loop as possible. Same application for the clip. Tighten the nuts of the clip with a wrench. (If you"re planning on using more than two clips, do not tighten the nuts on the clip.)
Place more clips on the rope if you need more than two on the wire rope. Be sure to space them evenly between the end clips. Finally, tighten the end clips and apply tension to reach the recommended torque for the wire rope.
Wire rope clip is otherwise known as a wire rope clamp, wire cable clamp, wire clamp, wire clip, U-bolt, etc. It is widely used for making eye-loop connections or join two wire rope cable ends together. The traditional styles of wire rope clips usually have three components: a U-shaped bolt, a forged or cast iron saddle, and two nuts.
The wire rope clips are available in a range of sizes and finishes, while you can easily find the difference from the appearance, traditional wire clips with u bolt, saddle and nuts, fist grip, stamped cable clamp.
Cast and malleable wire rope clips can only be used under light duty loads applications with relatively light loads, such as handrails, fencing, guard rails, etc.
While the drop forged wire rope clip variety is recommended for important, critical or sustaining overhead loads, such as guy lines, support lines, scaffolding, etc. The drop forged wire rope clips can be used in critical suspending, guying, and tie-down applications for the die forging process make them strong and more durable and the heating and hammering steps make their structure to be consistent and conform to the shape of the forged item.
Simplex and duplex cable clamps are also known as single stamped wire clip and double stamped cable clip are composed of stamping plate, saddle, and bolts, feature an aesthetic design, used for outdoor light duty applications.
Wire rope clips are available in a variety of materials and finishes but basically three types of materials, carbon steel, cast, malleable iron, and stainless steel.
Carbon steel wire rope cable clamps are galvanized, or hot dipped galvanized, the galvanised metal wire clamp has an added zinc layer to prevent rusting and protect against scratching and the addition of carbon corresponds with an increase in the hardness and strength of wire rope cable clamps. G, but stainless steel wire rope clamps are the best choice for corrosion-resistant applications that can be used for saltwater environments.
Commonly wire rope clamp installation is very simple, there’s a well-known saying can help you remember how to attach wire rope clips, that reads “never saddle a dead horse.” Just follow the recommendation ways:
Keep three or more wire rope clips attached at the end of the wire rope dead end, space between each wire rope clip should be at least 6 times the wire rope diameter.
You can see the correct and incorrect ways of installation from the following pictures and find how many wire rope clips to use at one wire rope loop.
The saddle shall be placed on the live end of the wire rope, with the U-bolt on the dead-end side—Remember the well-known saying: “Never saddle a dead horse.” Use at least two or three wire rope clips to secure the ends properly to the length of the rope, and tighten nuts evenly one by one until reaching the recommended torque.
If you have any wire rope clips questions, you can contact us by email at info@hilifting.com. We will be glad to share with you more useful information.
My name is William Yang, I’m the business manager of Hilifting. I have been in Rigging industry for more than 10 year. Feel free to contact us. I’m happy to provide you the best service and products.
Wire rope is an extremely versatile mechanical device that can be used to help support and move an object or load. Whether for use on cranes or for other lifting applications, it’s important to have a solid understanding of the rigging components that are being used to attach to and lift a load.
As a rigger or end-user of wire rope, it’s necessary to understand the types of wire rope end termination, or treatments that can be used at the ends of a length of wire rope—one of the most common being wire rope clips.
Wire rope clips can be used to form a load bearing eye at the end of a cable or wire rope, or to connect two cables together with a lap splice. Wire rope clips are popular because they can be installed in the field and provide 80-90% efficiency of the rope breaking strength, depending on the diameter of the wire rope.
As a general guideline, they are NOT to be used for making slings, as ASME B30.9 Slingsstandard states: “Mechanical wire rope terminations requiring periodic adjustment to maintain efficiency shall not be used to fabricate slings.”
There are two main types of wire rope clips—U-Bolt and double saddle clips. U-Bolt wire rope clips are the most common and may be made of forged or malleable metal.
This type of wire rope clip is essentially a U-bolt, two nuts, and a metal base (saddle) that can be made from forged steel or cast iron. Careful consideration and attention must be given to the way U-bolt type wire rope clips are installed.
The base of the wire rope clip is made from forged steel. Forged clips are heated and hammered into the desired shape—resulting in a consistent grain structure in the steel. Forged wire rope clips are used for critical, heavy-duty, overhead loads such as winch lines, crane hoist lines, support lines, guy lines, towing lines, tie downs, scaffolds, etc.
Malleable wire rope clips are used for making eye termination assemblies only with right regular lay wire rope and only for light duty uses with small applied loads, such as hand rails, fencing, guard rails, etc. The base of the wire rope clips is made from malleable cast iron, which may fracture under heavy use and does not have the desirable metal properties of steel, or the beneficial grain structure that a forged base has.
Unfortunately, it is not uncommon to see a wire rope clip applied incorrectly. Some of the most common mistakes include:Not torquing to the manufacturer’s expectations
Wire rope clips require the use of a torque wrench in order to function properly. Torquing the nuts on the clips too much or too little can cause the clip to fail. If the clip is over-torqued, it could damage the threads of the wire rope. If the clip is under-torqued, the holding power of the clip is diminished and the wire rope could slip through.
There are a minimum number of clips required for use related to the wire rope diameter. Using less than the number of specified clips could result in decreased efficiency and possible failure.
Depending on the number and size of the wire rope clips, there is a proportional amount of space required between the placement on each clip on the rope.
There are two sides of a U-Bolt style wire rope clip: the saddle and the U-Bolt. When securing a wire rope eye, it is important to place the clip on the correct end of the rope.
A saying commonly used in rigging to help remember this is: “Never saddle a dead horse!” In other words, never put the saddle on the dead end of the rope.
The turnback is the portion of the wire rope eye that runs from the end of the bearing eye to the live end. Having less than the suggested amount of turnback will decrease the efficiency of the wire rope eye and could lead to failure.
It is important to be sure you are using the correct wire rope clip—forged or malleable wire rope clips—for the application. Malleable clips can only be used for non-critical uses, such as tension rope to form a perimeter around a parking lot.
If the use is critical—an application where, if there is a failure, you have potential injury or loss of life or damage to property—a forged clip must be used.
The clip size used—whether it be 1/8”, 3”, or otherwise—must match the diameter size of the wire rope. If it doesn’t, the wire rope could slip out of the clip.
After installing clips, it is necessary to regularly cycle the rope and retighten the clips. Monitoring the torque on the nuts is important, as they will loosen over repeated use.
Basic steps for installing a wire rope clip include:First, wrap the wire rope around the thimble or to form the eye, and turn back the correct amount of rope—as specified by the manufacturer.
Apply the first wire rope clip at the end of the dead end, with one base width of space. Use a torque wrench to tighten the nuts on the wire rope clip.
When applying the second clip (if required), place it as close to the eye loop or thimble as possible. Again, be sure to properly tighten the nuts of the clip with a torque wrench.
Wire rope clips are a common and necessary piece of rigging hardware when it comes to using wire rope and forming end terminations. They are used to form a wire rope eye or to connect two cables together. It’s important to understand how to correctly install a wire rope clip, as incorrect installation leads to decreased efficiency in the wire rope assembly.
Sometimes called a u-bolt,u-bolt clip or cable clip, they can be used to join two wire rope ends together, make an eye for a pulling application, or to secure the loose end of a wire rope after a wedge socket (or other appropriate device) has been used to terminate a crane’s hook.
ASME B30.9 states that wire rope clips shall not be used to fabricate wire rope slings, except where the application of slings prevents the use of prefabricated slings.
ASME B30.9 states wire rope clips shall be drop-forged steel of single saddle (u-bolt) or double saddle clip. Malleable cast iron clips shall not be used.
Wire rope clips diminish the working load limit of the wire rope to generally about 70-75% of its original strength. There are better and more efficient ways to fabricate slings for overhead lifting.
For situations where use of wire rope clips are approved, it’s important to remember the proper way to install the clips. Incorrect installation can reduce the working load limit by 40% or more. The easiest thing is to remember, “never saddle a dead horse.”
To comply with manufacturer’s specification the correct number of clips must be installed correctly andtightened to the correct torque using a torque wrench. The correct installation technique is shown below.
The bridge of the wire rope clip should always be placed on the load bearing part of the rope. The U-bolt ofthe clip should be placed on the rope tail, also known as the “dead end” of the rope.
The first clip must be placed one bridge width from the turned back rope tail or dead end of the rope,according to figure 1. Tighten nuts to the specified torque.
The second clip must be placed immediately against the thimble but nevertheless in such a position that thecorrect tightening of the clip does not damage the outer wires of the wire rope (figure 2). Tighten the nutsfirmly but not yet to the specified torque.
During assembly and before the rope is taken into service, the nutsmust be tightenedonce again to theprescribed torque. After the load is applied for the first time, the torque value must be checked again andcorrected if necessary. Periodically re-tightening of the nuts must be done at 10.000 cycles (heavy usage),20.000 e.g. every 3 months, 6 months, annually.
In addition, for clips to work properly and gain their design efficiency, the proper number of clips is required and the nuts must be torqued as prescribed by the manufacturer. For more information on proper installation, check out this video from the Crosby Group.
If you have more questions on wire rope clips, comment below. Remember that Safety through Education is more than just our motto, it is our guiding principle. If you need training on proper application on any other rigging hardware, reach out to us. We are here for you.
Wire Rope Clips can have lots of helpful uses – they are a simple fitting that can be easily used in the field or shop. Sometimes called a u-bolt or u-bolt clip, they can be used to join two wire rope ends together, make an eye for a pulling application, or to secure the loose end of a wire rope after a wedge socket (or other appropriate device) has been used to terminate a crane’s hook.
But using clips to create wire rope slings for overhead lifting is NOT one of their many uses. Did you know that not only is it a poor rigging practice to fabricate slings in this manner, in the U.S. it is against the law?
ASME B30.9 states that wire rope clips shall not be used to fabricate wire rope slings, except where the application of slings prevents the use of prefabricated slings.
ASME B30.9 states wire rope clips shall be drop-forged steel of single saddle (u-bolt) or double saddle clip. Malleable cast iron clips shall not be used.
Why these restrictions? Wire rope clips diminish the working load limit of the wire rope to generally about 70-75% of its original strength.There are better and more efficient ways to fabricate slings for overhead lifting.
For situations where use of wire rope clips are approved, it’s important to remember the proper way to install the clips. Incorrect installation can reduce the working load limit by 40% or more. The easiest thing is to remember, “never saddle a dead horse.”
The saddle of the clip is the piece that the U bolt fits into. The dead end of a wire rope is the end of the eye that contains the cut side. The U bolt should always be in contact with the dead end, while the saddle should be on the live end.
In addition, for clips to work properly and gain their design efficiency, the proper number of clips is required and the nuts must be torqued as prescribed by the manufacturer. For more information on proper installation, check out this video from the Crosby Group.
If you have more questions on wire rope clips, comment below. Remember that Safety through Education is more than just our motto, it is our guiding principle. If you need training on proper application on any other rigging hardware, reach out to us. We are here for you.
U-bolt Clips.There is only one correct method for attaching U-bolt clips to wire rope ends, as shown in TheRightWayimage below. The base of the clip bears on the live end of the rope; the “U” of the bolt bears on the dead end.
Compare this with the incorrect methods. Five of the six clips shown are incorrectly attached—only the center clip in the top view is correct. When the “U” of the clip bears on the live end of the rope, there is a possibility of the rope being cut or kinked, with subsequent failure.
Wire rope is often used in slings because of its strength, durability, abrasion resistance and ability to conform to the shape of the loads on which it is used. In addition, wire rope slings are able to lift hot materials.
Wire rope used in slings can be made of ropes with either Independent Wire Rope Core (IWRC) or a fiber-core. It should be noted that a sling manufactured with a fiber-core is usually more flexible but is less resistant to environmental damage. Conversely, a core that is made of a wire rope strand tends to have greater strength and is more resistant to heat damage.
Wire rope may be manufactured using different rope lays. The lay of a wire rope describes the direction the wires and strands are twisted during the construction of the rope. Most wire rope is right lay, regular lay. This type of rope has the widest range of applications. Wire rope slings may be made of other wire rope lays at the recommendation of the sling manufacturer or a qualified person.
Wire rope slings are made from various grades of wire rope, but the most common grades in use are Extra Improved Plow Steel (EIPS) and Extra Extra Improved Plow Steel (EEIPS). These wire ropes are manufactured and tested in accordance with ASTM guidelines. If other grades of wire rope are used, use them in accordance with the manufacturer"s recommendations and guidance.
When selecting a wire rope sling to give the best service, consider four characteristics: strength, ability to bend without distortion, ability to withstand abrasive wear, and ability to withstand abuse.
Rated loads (capacities) for single-leg vertical, choker, basket hitches, and two-, three-, and four-leg bridle slings for specific grades of wire rope slings are as shown in Tables 7 through 15.
Rated loads for a sling in a choker hitch are the values shown in Table 7, 9, 11, 13, 14, or 15, provided that the angle of the choke is 120 degrees or more (Fig. 2). Use the values in Fig. 2 or those from the sling manufacturer or a qualified person for angles of choke less than 120 degrees.
Ensure that slings made of rope with 6×19 and 6x37 classifications and cable slings have a minimum clear length of rope 10 times the component rope diameter between splices, sleeves, or end fittings unless approved by a qualified person,
Ensure that braided slings have a minimum clear length of rope 40 times the component rope diameter between the loops or end fittings unless approved by a qualified person,
Perform welding of handles or other accessories to end attachments, except covers to thimbles, before assembly of the sling. Ensure that welded end attachments are proof tested by the manufacturer or a qualified person. Retain the certificates of proof test and make them available for examination.
Do not use wire rope clips to fabricate wire rope slings, except where the application precludes the use of prefabricated slings and where the sling is designed for the specific application by a qualified person,
Although OSHA"s sling standard does not require you to make and maintain records of inspections, the ASME standard contains provisions on inspection records.[3]
Use damaged slings only after they are repaired, reconditioned, and proof tested by the sling manufacturer or a qualified person using the following criteria:
Ensure that wire rope slings have suitable characteristics for the type of load, hitch, and environment in which they will be used and that they are not used with loads in excess of the rated load capacities described in the appropriate tables. When D/d ratios (Fig. 4) are smaller than those listed in the tables, consult the sling manufacturer. Follow other safe operating practices, including:
Ensure that multiple-leg slings are selected according to Tables 7 through 15 when used at the specific angles given in the tables. Ensure that operations at other angles are limited to the rated load of the next lower angle given in the tables or calculated by a qualified person,
When D/d ratios (see Fig. 6) smaller than those cited in the tables are necessary, ensure that the rated load of the sling is decreased. Consult the sling manufacturer for specific data or refer to the WRTB (Wire Rope Technical Board) Wire Rope Sling Users Manual, and
Ensure that the load applied to the hook is centered in the base (bowl) of the hook to prevent point loading on the hook, unless the hook is designed for point loading,
Before initial use, ensure that all new swaged-socket, poured-socket, turnback-eye, mechanical joint grommets, and endless wire rope slings are proof tested by the sling manufacturer or a qualified person.
Permanently remove from service fiber-core wire rope slings of any grade if they are exposed to temperatures in excess of 180 degrees F (82 degrees C).
Follow the recommendations of the sling manufacturer when you use metallic-core wire rope slings of any grade at temperatures above 400 degrees F (204 degrees C) or below minus 40 degrees F (minus 40 degrees C).
1.Turn back specified amount of rope from thimble or loop. Apply first clip one base width from dead end of rope. Apply U-Bolt over dead end of wire rope with live end resting in saddle. Tighten nuts evenly, alternating from one nut to the other until reaching the recommended torque.
2. When two clips are required, apply the second clip as near the loop or thimble as possible. Tighten nuts evenly, alternating until reaching the recommended torque. When more than two clips are required, apply the second clip as near the loop or thimble as possible, turn nuts on second clip firmly, but do not tighten.
3. When three or more clips are required, space additional clips equally between first two – take up rope recommended slack – tighten nuts on each U-Bolt evenly, alternating from one nut to the other until reaching recommended torque.
4. Apply first load to test the assembly. This load should be of equal or greater – weight than loads expected in use. Next, check and retighten nuts to recommended torque.
In accordance with good rigging and maintenance practices, the wire rope and termination should be inspected periodically for wear, abuse and general adequacy.
A termination made in accordance with the above instructions and using the number of dips shown, has an approximate 80% efficiency rating. This rating is based upon the nominal strength of wire rope. If a pulley is used in place of a thimble for turning back the rope, add one additional clip.
The number of clips shown is based upon using right regular or lang lay wire rope, 6×19 classification or 6×37 classification, fiber core or IWRC, IPS or EIP. If Seale construction or similar large outer wire type construction in the 6×19 classification, fiber core, IPS, sizes 11/2? and smaller; and right regular lay wire rope, 19×7 classification, IPS or EIP, sizes 1 3/4? and smaller.
If a greater number of clips are used than shown in the table, the amount of rope turnback should be increased proportionately. ABOVE BASED ON USE OF PROPER SIZE U-BOLT CLIPS ON NEW ROPE.
IMPORTANT: Failure to make a termination in accordance with mentioned instructions, or failure to periodically check and retighten to the recommended torque, may cause a reduction in efficiency rating.
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Wire rope clips, also called wire rope clamps, consist of a U-shaped bolt, a metal saddle piece, and two nuts. They are used in wire rope loop assemblies and are ideal for field installations. We offer several models to meet your specific needs.
Murphy offers many sizes of wire rope clips in 4 different fabrications: zinc plated, stainless steel malleable, galvanized drop forged, and stainless steel drop forged.
You can use wire cable clips to secure the loose ends of your wire ropes. They often have nuts, u-shaped bolts, and cast saddles. You can put the wire rope in the bolt and then place the saddle over the bolt’s rope. By using the nuts, you can then secure the rope in its place.
There are a couple of ways to make the process stronger. For example, if you have a cable coated with vinyl, then you can take off the vinyl in the place where you put it in the wire rope clip.
We offer our clips in a range of materials, which gives you more options. You can use the clips for semi-permanent or permanent applications, or just temporary ones. You can use your hand tools to secure them to your stainless steel wire rope. They are also cost-effective.
You can count on our company to offer sturdy and long-lasting clips, so you can secure your loose ends well. We have good knowledge of the requirements of various industries, allowing us to offer you the best products. You can expect our wire rope clips to last for a long time.
With so many different kinds of rope clips and ropes to choose from, we know making a choice can be difficult. Luckily, Murphy Industrial Products, Inc. is here to help. Feel free to contact us today if you want to know more about our stainless steel wire rope clips and related products.