hi I was lifting today ,and it seams my boom wants to flex badly to one side ,how do I align and adjust the shims to straitn it? Any help will be great . The crane is a 2000 model , 50 ton . I refurbished it few years ago .
There should be a procedure for it in the manual, but if there isn't, here's how to do it. Use the but/ base section as your alignment. At the base of the but section, mark center of the top of the boom section. Mark the center of that section on the top also at the tip. Lay the boom down flat over the rear, just like you were greasing the boom, and use a string line from the base of the but section, through the marked line on the tip of the base. Extend the next section fully. Make a center mark on the top at the tip of that section. Adjust the wear pads, (typically a allen head screw on the pad on the end of the but section, using those to move the tip until it is inline with the base section. I find it helps to have a mark also on the top in the middle of that section also, so you aren't just moving the tip to the center, but the whole section is lined up straight with the but/base section. Then extend the boom the rest of the way out flat, Section 3 and 4 extend together on that model I think. Straighten section 3 to section 2 and the base. Then straighten 4 to 3, 2, and the base. A lot of times you can just eyeball down the boom and see which way it needs to go, but the stringline will give you a good reference point. I always run it in and out and recheck it when I'm adjusting pads, they can kind of "seat in" when you telescope in and out and its worth doing it right while you are at it. Setting the pads is kind of like setting a wheel bearing, turn it in until its tight, then back off a 1/8 th of a turn or so. So its snug but the boom can still move. You end up going back and forth from each side to move the boom. If the pads are really worn/ grooved in, and you are out of adjustment, you may have to replace pads or put a metal shim in behind the adjustment screw to get it lined up. On some booms you will need to disassemble it to replace the pads, some of them you can get enough side to side movement to replace a pad without removing boom. Some are removable from the outside. You really risk damaging your boom and jib with the pads that far out of adjustment, especially with jib on (stinger is really weak). I wouldn't run to chart with stinger out until you get it adjusted, you are really side loading the boom and its a good way to bend a jib. Good thing you spotted it. If my description isn't clear to you, I'll copy the pages out of my manual and I can send them to you, I don't explain too well sometimes.
Thank you very much , awesome ! Great day to you , will be in touch