Motorex: How to care for ropeway cables

Regular relubrication of the ropeway cable in accordance with the maintenance and lubrication plan is crucial to ensuring that ropeways continue to function safely. You don’t have to be an expert to know that systems that are not relubricated regularly suffer from a high degree of wear and are therefore more likely to break down. Markus Damm, Product Manager at MOTOREX responsible for ropeway products, explains how to use our products correctly, based on this example of wire ropes. 

It is generally recommended to relubricate wire ropes with CABLE PROTECT every six to twelve months. “The required interval depends on the length of operation, speed, load, radius of the drive and deflecting pulleys, wind, temperatures and general weather conditions”, explains Damm. There are a few points to be aware of to get the best results.

The cable should first be cleaned with a porcupine roller while it is dry and cold. Solvents and detergents must not be used as these destroy the lubricant and can also damage the inserts. “Apply lubricant to the clean, dry cable with an appropriate cable lubrication tool”, says the expert. Relubrication should therefore only be done during good, preferably warm, weather. Precipitation must be avoided for four to five hours after lubrication. “Customers can achieve the optimal result with repeated relubrication”, continues Damm.

The maximum quantity of cable lubricant is 30 grams per square metre for standard cables and 15 grams per square meter for bearer cables, he adds. “It is essential to keep to the drying time!”

The special rope lubricant CABLE PROTECT also protects various types of wire rope efficiently against the effects of weather and wear. The product is thinned ex works with a special solvent. “This enables it to be applied evenly and easily”, explains Damm. Once the solvent has evaporated, a thin, very adhesive, yet non-sticky protective film is formed. The repeated bending and straining of the rope leads to wear between the numerous individual wires within it.

“We developed CABLE PROTECT to mitigate this kind of wear in particular. The product provides complete protection for the rope against extreme effects of weather such as sun, rain, snow, heat and cold”, says the lubricant expert. This prevents system breakdowns – a crucial factor for ropeways used on a daily basis. The public depend on them.

The spray is also pre-thinned in such a way that it is very easy to apply and the splice can therefore be re-treated regularly. As this part of the rope in particular is subject to such heavy strain, it is important to repeat the lubrication on a regular basis, says Damm: “This repeated lubrication can have a positive impact on the service life of wire ropes.”