Proper maintenance is crucial for ensuring the reliability, safety, and extended lifespan of your "Conductor pulling tools," especially given the demanding nature of their work:

• Routine Cleaning: After each use, thoroughly clean all tools to remove dirt, grease, moisture, and conductor debris. This prevents corrosion and ensures smooth operation. For hydraulic tools, keep hydraulic connections and reservoirs clean.

• Visual Inspection (Before/After Each Use):

  • Damage Check: Look for any signs of physical damage: cracks, bends, nicks, rust, corrosion, or deformation on jaws, rollers, frames, or handles.

  • Wear Check: Inspect wear parts such as crimping dies, cutting blades, bullwheel linings (on OHTLstringingequipment.com/Stringing-Blocks--Sheaves.html target='_blank'>Stringing Blocks), and roller surfaces for excessive wear. Replace worn parts promptly.

  • Functionality Check: Manually test all moving parts (e.g., jaws opening/closing, rollers spinning freely, Swivel rotation) to ensure smooth operation without binding or excessive play.

• Lubrication: Apply appropriate lubricants (as per manufacturer's guidelines) to all moving parts, pivots, and bearings. This reduces friction, prevents rust, and ensures smooth action.

• Hydraulic Fluid Management (for hydraulic tools):

  • Regularly check hydraulic fluid levels.

  • Monitor fluid cleanliness; change fluid and filters according to the manufacturer's schedule. Contaminated fluid is a leading cause of hydraulic tool failure.

  • Inspect hoses and fittings for leaks, cuts, or abrasions.

• Blade/Die Sharpening/Replacement (Cutters/Crimpers): Ensure cutting blades are sharp and free of nicks. Crimping dies must be in excellent condition, with no wear or damage to their profiles, to ensure proper crimps. Replace them as needed.

• Load Rating Verification: For load-bearing tools like pulling grips, Swivels, and OHTLstringingequipment.com/Stringing-Blocks--Sheaves.html target='_blank'>Stringing Blocks, periodically verify their integrity and ensure their Working Load Limits (WLL) are still clearly legible.

• Proper Storage: Store tools in a dry, protected environment, ideally in dedicated cases or on tool boards, to prevent damage from impacts, moisture, or extreme temperatures.

• Calibration (for measuring tools): If your toolkit includes portable dynamometers or other measuring devices, ensure they are periodically calibrated by a certified service provider to maintain accuracy.

• Immediate Removal from Service: Any tool that shows signs of significant damage, malfunction, or compromised safety must be immediately tagged out of service and either professionally repaired or replaced. Never use a faulty tool.