Rigging A Gas Pack For Lifting, Neophyte Needs Advice

Fellows,

I am in need of advice. I am a home hobbyist who will be fitting a gas pack to my shop. I do have some experience with the HVAC world but am not a professional yet I should be able to complete the work myself and to the standards required by local governing bodies.

I am not experienced at rigging equipment for lifting though I have moved my Bridgeport mill, 1000 lb. lathe and one ton lathe around my shop.

I am attaching an image of the gas pack extracted from the installation manual showing how the gas pack should be rigged for lifting.

I plan to rent a 1 1/2 ton mini track hoe to lift and carry the gas pack, which weighs 400 lbs., to the pad I have poured to receive it. The gas pack dimensions are 4'wide by4 1/2'long by 32" tall. The rigging will be hoisted by the bucket of the min track hoe.

My primary question is what material should I use for the rigging/lifting lines? The lines, as shown in the image, will pass through 1" holes in the 2"x2" thin walled square tubing that supports the bottom of the gas pack. Spreader bars will be made to support the lines, as shown in the image, at the top of the gas pack.

So, my question, what should my rigging lines be made from? Again the gas pack weighs 400 pounds. Should I be using rope? If I use rope what material should the rope be made from and what diameter line? Hemp rope? Nylon rope? I don't have the knowledge to figure the strain on the rope at the corners where it will pass through the holes in the 2"x2" tubing or the corners where it will pass through the spreader bars. I figure I can use rubber hose on the line where it passes through the holes in the 2"x2" to keep the sharp edges from abrading the line.

Should I use wire rope for the rigging line? I have some 5/16" wire rope that I removed from my twin post lift as it had some broken individual strands but it should still be sufficient to support this gas pack. If I use this wire rope how can I fashion eyes in the rope? If I bend the rope around to form an eye would a couple of hose clamps be sufficient to bind the two strands of rope together to make temporary eyes in the wire rope? I know that normally there would be steel clamps crimped binding the two strands together but I don't have the tooling to crimp clamps of the size required.

I am leaning towards rope for the convenience of tying eyes and knots in it.

I know some of this sounds like stupid questions but I lack the experience to know what to do. I'm not going to farm this job out because I can learn to do this rigging in a safe manner with the proper advice.

Thank you gentlemen.

Vlad

Don't rig it like that crappy picture. I don't know who drew that, but they need to go back to physics class.

Your 5/16 cable would be fine IMO. Just get some proper cable clamps. But, use reasonable angles on the slings, not like the picture!

Well it looks if your starting from the start so go do a rigging course because you have much to learn about it.

The reason why angles are important as the component forces act on the slings, they can lead to higher forces than a straight vertical rope. Higher forces can lead to breakage and situations where you put yourself in danger

So what seams like a simple rigging situation to you is more involved in reality.

Also, what is a "gas pack"?

Go to your local rigging store and buy some 1” lifting straps. They don’t cost more than $20-30 bucks a piece.

tdmidget said:

Also, what is a "gas pack"?

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You don't know ????
12 cylinder gas bottle pack - Google Search

tdmidget said:

Also, what is a "gas pack"?

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I had to look it up as well lol...it's a gas fired heating and cooling unit.

A gas pack installed outside your home and uses propane heat to keep you toasty warm.

Similar to a heat pump, which both heats and cools your home using electricity, a packaged propane gas system (also known as a gas pack) combines the clean-burning efficiency of propane for heating with the comfort of an air conditioning unit for cooling.This all-in-one unit, which is installed outside your home, features a high-efficiency propane gas furnace that will keep your home toasty warm even on the coldest days.

In the summer, the cooling component of the gas pack takes over, helping you stay cool and comfortable throughout our hot and humid North Carolina summers.

Sounds like a match made in heaven for pine needles & pigeons.....

You can't be serious that the manual said to rig it that way. If you need those "spreader bars" to prevent crushing the top then why not the bottom? Instead of going through the holes in the bottom tubes just run 1" nylon slings through tubes there. Then with the bars in the same direction there will be no compressive force applied to top or bottom. Get LONG slings. If I rigged like that I would be fired right quick.

I doubt a 1 1/2 ton digger will lift and place 400lb............IMHO,you would need a 4ton + machine.Depending on how far out you need to lift.......Tractor with front forks would be a much better option.....and why dont you get the unit delivered by a crane truck,and placed as part of the delivery.

WTF people, it weighs 400 lbs. Leapfrog two sheets of plywood and slide it on its pallet(use pipe rollers if you can not get some buddies to help push)until next to its pad, disconnect from pallet and bar it onto pad. No lifting or equipment needed, I didnt see anything about it being rooftop mounted...
Or if not flat use 2 8' 2x4's, any 1/2" or so rope you can get, and 4 small guys to carry it. Shit, clothsline would work if not to old.
Also the little wood moving dollies will easily carry that, use 2 for stability.

Vladymere gr said:

Fellows,

I am in need of advice. I am a home hobbyist

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john.k said:

....and why dont you get the unit delivered by a crane truck,and placed as part of the delivery.

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Note the OP's own declaration of "Home Hobbyist".

"Practical Machinist's" would simply hire it out, and get on with productive work.

Fellows,

I thank all of you who have replied.

With the information provided I think I will be able to get the job done.

I have e-mailed Kubota to verify if the mini excavator I plan to rent is up to the task. The rental company thinks so but I'll see what the equipment manufacturer says.

I will use the wire rope I have and by eye kits that contain wire rope clamps and the eye form or liner. There will be to ropes, one at each end, and two eyes on each cable, one at each end of the cable.

The four eyes will be lifted via a hook with safety catch attached to a chain suspended by the bucket.

I believe the above will work.

As stated I am a home hobbyist and do all of the work I can by myself. I have worked with my hands all my life so I have the ability to learn how to do the job. Living on a disability income I am also cheap which is another reason I do all the work myself.

Again, I thank all of you who responded and for doing so politely. I know that non-professionals can often be berated on this forum. I have found though if questions are asked in an appropriate manner you professionals are often willing to help.

Vlad

Vladymere gr said:

The four eyes will be lifted via a hook with safety catch attached to a chain suspended by the bucket.

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Does the bucket have a real lug or attachment point for rigging? Many do for rigging pipes, concrete formwork, man holes etc. A real lug you can get a shackle on, to secure your rigging.

Many buckets don't have that lug. I'd stay aware from schemes that involve wrapping a chain around the bucket, or heaven forbid, hanging a shackle, ring or sling around one of the ripper teeth on the bucket.

I've seen that a few times from our civil engineering brethren. Drainage plumbers, etc. If its not bad enough to risk a trench cave-in, they risk crushing by a 400 lb concrete pipe.

Regards Phil.

Best to remove the bucket, it should be a quick change one so that will be easy. Should be a bucket pin or some kind of hooks if not a large pin. Much nicer to not have the bucket in the way for this type of work.

The bucket should be quick release......on a switch on the controll lever.........its essential to take the bucket off,lest the teeth damage your unit.

Good information on the bucket gentlemen. I don't know if it is a quick release or not or if it has a hook or not. I was not planning to hank it from on of the teeth though but a loop of chain over the bucket. If the bucket comes off so much the better and better yet if it has an attachment point.

I'm still a little ways out from renting the mini excavator, and have not yet heard back from Kubota, but will take photos and post them of the event when it happens.

Again thanks to all who have replied.

Vlad

The bucket by itself probably weighs close to what you want to lift, they are quick change to be easy to swap sizes. A larger bucket full of dirt, especially wet dirt will weigh more than 400 lbs.
If you really want to know something he rental yard can give an answer to ask the what is the largest bucket available and how much dirt it can hold. They should know an aprox weight on it also.

I have a backhoe and it would be hard for two guys to pick up the smallest bucket. Hard for one guy to move the large ones.

i would use a minimum of 3 lift point6s so it doesn't tilt as bad, slings something like this Hoists & Cranes | Lifting-Slings & Straps | Global Industrial™Sling, Eye & Eye, 6 Ft L x 2 In W, 64/5/128 Lbs Cap | 298518 - GlobalIndustrial.com probably a lot smaller ones. thats how I would recommend someone else does it. me I would wrap a chain around top tubing still lift with 3 positions and throw the chain across the bucket teeth. make sure no one gets beneath it. dont know that a mini is going to lift high enough after its rigged

Rob F. said:

WTF people, it weighs 400 lbs. Leapfrog two sheets of plywood and slide it on its pallet(use pipe rollers if you can not get some buddies to help push)until next to its pad, disconnect from pallet and bar it onto pad. No lifting or equipment needed, I didnt see anything about it being rooftop mounted...
Or if not flat use 2 8' 2x4's, any 1/2" or so rope you can get, and 4 small guys to carry it. Shit, clothsline would work if not to old.
Also the little wood moving dollies will easily carry that, use 2 for stability.

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Get both! Skid it around with the mini-ex.