How to Clean, Lubricate and Inspect Your Wire Grips
A Guide to Maintaining Wire Grips & Ensuring Safety in Utility Applications
Power and Utilities | Rigging | By Christie Lagowski | Jun 30, 2020
To keep your wire grips in good working condition, it’s important that you properly clean, lubricate and inspect your wire grips on a regular basis. This will help prevent issues and potential accidents out in the field.
Follow the procedures below to ensure your grips are properly cared for.
Cleaning and Lubrication
- Step 1: Clean the surfaces of the grip jaws using a cloth or round wire brush.
- Step 2: Spray all joints and moving parts, including the jaws, with degreaser. Then, use a round wire brush to remove any dirt from the jaws.
- Step 3: Once clean, wipe the wire grips until they are dry. If grips are still dirty, repeat steps as needed.
- Step 4: Lubricate all joints and any moving parts. The surfaces of the grip jaws should not be lubricated.
Wire Grip Inspection
To inspect the wire grip:
- Step 1: Carefully examine the jaws for clogged, damaged, or missing teeth.
- Step 2: Check that the jaws and other parts of the grip are aligned to ensure that there is no distortion.
- Step 3: Open and close the grip to ensure it completely and smoothly opens and closes.
- Step 4: Finally, check all other parts and joints for any distortion and/or wear.
During the inspection, if you find that the grip is bent or distorted, it should be thrown away and replaced. It should NOT be repaired.
Columbus McKinnon offers a large selection of hoist and rigging products designed for utility transportation and distribution applications. Learn more.
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Whether repairing overhead power lines after a storm or performing routine maintenance on an electric power distribution system, Columbus McKinnon hoists and rigging products can help. With nearly 150 years of industry experience and well-known brands such as Little Mule® and Coffing® Hoists, we offer a large selection of products developed specifically for the needs of the utility industry.

Christie Lagowski
Christie Lagowski is a Communications Manager at Columbus McKinnon Corporation. She has 6 years of experience marketing hoists and rigging products as well as crane systems and components. Christie has marketed a variety of industrial products, ranging from lifting solutions to glass technology as well as health and safety products.

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