Swing brake failure on a 90 ton in Denver made me switch procedures

We were picking a 4,200 lb compressor off a flatbed on Colfax and the swing brake let go, the whole load spun 30 degrees before I could dump it. I always trusted the auto-brake to hold on an incline, but after that I never set a load down without manually dogging the swing first. Had to re-clear the whole street below and it almost took out a parked F-150. Anyone else had a swing brake slip on a newer Grove or is mine just beaten to hell?

2 comments

2 Comments

jana11923d ago

So the auto brake let go once and now the whole model is junk? Sounds like the machine did exactly what it was supposed to do when you dumped it. Maybe just check your parking pawl before you blame the crane.

ben_ross5122d ago

Exactly what it was supposed to do" is rich. The machine dumped the load fine, but that doesn't fix the fact the swing brake decided to take a nap on a slope. Same thing happened to me on a 70 ton, load spun about 20 degrees before I could set it down. Popped the pawl in and it's held fine since, but I still don't trust the auto brake on any grade now. Always manual dog it before the load leaves the ground, that's just how I run it now.