Wire rope installation guide

Table of contents

Important safety notes 2

Ordering hoist rope 3
Ordering governor and compensation rope 6
Other factors to consider 7
Handling wire rope 8
Installing new hoist rope 10
Tensioning hoist rope 17
Preventing hoist rope rotation 18
Installing new governor rope 19
Other hoist rope configurations 20
Lubrication 22
Rope replacement criteria 23

1
Important safety information
READ THIS BEFORE INSTALLATION

The practices outlined in this installation guide are general

procedures for wire rope installation. Techniques, codes
and materials are constantly being updated. The installer is
responsible for knowing and following any and all applicable
codes. Also see The Elevator Industry Field Employees’
Safety Handbook, edited by the NEII Safety Committee and
published by Elevator World.
Working in the hoistway and handling wire rope can be dan-
gerous. Therefore:
ALWAYS FOLLOW SAFE WORKING PRACTICES. Make sure
landing doors are locked or barricaded. Use lock-out tags to
prevent accidental switching on of power.
ALWAYS WEAR PROTECTIVE CLOTHING. Use helmets, gog-
gles and gloves - wire rope ends are sharp and can ‘fishhook’
into unexposed skin. Use anti-fall harnesses as required.

It is strongly recommended that the sheaves be

carefully checked and regrooved or replaced
as necessary prior to rope replacement. The di-
ameter of the new ropes is greater than that of the old ropes
and failure to bring the sheave grooves into the specified
tolerances can lead to vibration, metal shavings and other
problems.

Some information for this manual was taken with permission from the
“Installation Manual - Basic Field Practices for Installation of Elevators and
Escalators” by Kermit Kraus and published by Elevator World.

2
Ordering hoist rope
Quantity, dimensions and stranding

While the information on the next three pages may be pro-

vided on the existing wire rope tag, it should be noted that
the tag information may not always be accurate.
1 Count the number of ropes.
2 Determine the length of each rope.
This can often be found on the installation layout.
3 Determine the diameter of the ropes.
The crosshead data plate on top of the car should show
the diameter or the diameter may be stamped on the ex-
isting shackles. If not, use a caliper and measure across
the crown of the wires.

YES NO

4 Determine the stranding and construction of the rope.

Stranding is the number of strands per rope and the
number of wires per strand (an 8-strand rope with
19 wires per strand has 8 x 19 stranding). Determine
whether the rope has 6 or 8 strands by looking at the
shackles where the stranding is easier to see.
A 6-strand hoist rope is usually 6 x 25 Filler Wire
construction with Right Regular lay. If there is not a
crosshead data plate and the building is over 50 years
old, the ropes used are usually 6 x 25 Filler Wire with
Right Regular lay.
An 8-strand hoist rope is usually 8 x 19 Seale.

3
Ordering hoist rope
Constructions

In North America, the most common rope constructions for

re-roping are:

8 x 19 Seale 8 x 19 Warrington
sisal core sisal core
(hoist/compensation/governor) (governor)

8 x 25 filler wire 6 x 25 filler wire

(compensation/governor) (hoist/compensation/governor)

4
Ordering hoist rope
Lay, grade and breaking load

5 Determine the lay of the rope.

Compare a Right Regular lay to a Right Lang lay rope:
Right Regular

Right Lang

Note that the orientation of the individual wires is paral-

lel to the centerline in a Right Regular lay rope.
Right Regular lay is assumed if the lay is not indicated
on your order.
6 Determine the grade or tensile strength of the rope.
Hoist ropes are Traction or Extra High Strength Trac-
tion (traction rope can be used for hoist, governor and
compensation applications). Extra High Strength Trac-
tion rope is sometimes needed for high-rise/high-speed
hoisting conditions. Grade is sometimes expressed as
tensile strength in Newtons/square millimeters (N/mm2)
or pounds/square inch (psi).
7 Determine the breaking load.
This is found on the crosshead data plate. For example,
if a breaking load of 14,500 lbs • 6450 kg is indicated
for 1/2 in • 12.7 mm diameter 8 x 19 ropes, refer to the
information in your Draka catalog or call your Draka
representative for the correct grade (in this case, trac-
tion grade).

5
Ordering governor and/or
compensation rope
The ordering procedure for compensation and governor
ropes is similar to hoist ropes EXCEPT you may have to
rely on the rope tag to a greater degree because there is no
crosshead data plate for compensation or governor ropes.
1 Measure the diameter of the ropes.
Use a caliper, micrometer or Go/No Go gauge.
2 Confirm the stranding of the ropes.
The shackles are the best place to look. Almost all com-
pensation and governor ropes have 8 strands, though
they can be Seale, Warrington or Filler Wire construction.
3 Determine the grade or tensile strength of the ropes.
Look at the rope tag to determine breaking strength,
then use the Draka catalog or call your Draka repre-
sentative for the correct rope grade. Governor and
compensation ropes are either Iron or Traction grade
and NEVER Extra High Strength Traction.
4 Confirm the rope lay.
The lay of governor and compensation ropes is always
Right Regular and never Right Lang. If your tag shows
Lang lay, take extra care to visually confirm it using the
pictures on page 5.
NOTE: In almost all cases, Whisper-Flex® and Steadi-Flex®
compensation cables are a faster and less expensive way to
provide compensation. HOWEVER, Whisper-Flex and Steadi-
Flex cannot be used if the car speed exceeds 700 ft/min •
3.56 m/sec. Hang lengths vary with the compensation cable.
Contact your Draka sales representative for more informa-
tion.

6
Other factors
Information worth noting

Rope tags
All new rope comes with a metal tag listing such information
as diameter, breaking strength, grade, construction classifica-
tion, manufacturer and lubrication procedures. Note that the
installer is responsible for filling in information such as the
month/year of installation, month/year of first shortening and
name of organization who installed the ropes.
Wire rope cores
Vegetable fiber is the most common core used in elevator
ropes in North America. However, in some high-rise/high-
speed, most MRL and certain hydraulic applications, the use
of steel-reinforced or full-steel core (IWRC) ropes is becoming
more common.
Preforming
Preformed rope is the industry standard and provides longer
operational life while being easier to handle. All ropes sold by
Draka in North America are preformed.
Galvanizing
Bright (uncoated) is the industry standard and comes without
any coating on the rope other than lubrication. For protection
from weather and corrosion (i.e. exterior or mine elevators),
the use of a galvanized coating is often recommended.
Compacted strands
For applications with reverse bends (such as basement
machines), the use of compacted strand wire rope has been
shown to increase rope life.

7
Handling wire rope
Moving, storing and unreeling

Moving the reel

Reels are best transported on the job site by rolling on a
clean flat surface or by lifting from a pipe in the reel center
hole.
Storage
Wire rope should be stored indoors, off the ground and cov-
ered to protect it from moisture, dirt, dust, sunlight, etc.
Unreeling
Wire rope must be unreeled or uncoiled as shown. If unreel-
ing, a helper can use a board as a brake to control the spin.
Do not pull wire rope sideways off the reel.

YES

NO

Excessive handling is not good for wire rope. Avoid winding

wire rope directly from a reel onto a smaller drum. The rope
will not ‘relax’ and may result in wild and ‘cranky’ behavior.
Art courtesy Gustav Wolf Steel Wire and Steel Wire Ropes

8
Handling wire rope
Inspection and seizing

Constantly inspect the rope

Care must be taken to unroll wire rope when paying it off the
reel. Kinking and dragging ropes over sharp edges must be
avoided. The installer should continually inspect wire rope
during installation to identify any areas which may have been
damaged in shipment or while in storage on the job site.
Seizing rope ends
Rope ends should always be seized to prevent untwisting of
the strands. Untwisted rope ends will weaken the rope and
can cause rope failure.
Prior to cutting the rope, the ends must be seized in three
places with cable bands.

A C
b

Spacing of seizings (in • mm)

Rope diameter A B C
3/8 1
/4 • 6.4 4 • 102 2 • 51
1/2 1
/4 • 6.4 4 • 102 2 • 51
5/8 1
/4 • 6.4 5 • 127 2 1/2 • 64
3/4 1
/4 • 6.4 6 • 152 3 • 76
7/8 1
/4 • 6.4 6 1/2 • 165 3 1/4 • 83
1 1
/4 • 6.4 7 • 178 3 1/2 • 89

9
Installing new hoist rope
Overhead 1:1 roping

Overhead 1:1 roping, with its simple path from cab to counter-
weight, is the most common elevator hoist rope configura-
tion (see pages 20 and 21 for others).
Position the car
If the car was not erected at the top
landing, raise it up to there with a
hoist. Lock it into position by setting
the safety.
Position the counterweight
Place the counterweight in the pit and
use proper support to hold it above the
floor by this formula:
Rope stretch + runby + buffer height
Contact the rope maker to get the
amount of stretch for your ropes. The
runby (a gap of 6 in • 152 mm*) is the
space between the bottom of the coun-
terweight and the top of the buffer.
For example: your rope has a stretch
of 3/4 of 1% (.0075) of its length under
load. If the rise is 100 ft, then it will
stretch 100 ft. x .0075 or .75 ft or 9
in • 229 mm. Add in buffer height (ex.
18 in • 457 mm) plus the runby. The
counterweight should be braced with
wooden supports 9 + 6 + 18 in. or 33 in
• 838 mm above the pit floor.
*Runby dimensions may vary due to local code. rope stretch
+ runby
Local code always takes precedence.
+ buffer height

10
Installing new hoist rope
Pull new rope into position

Pull the rope

Rope, either from a reel or a
coil, is fed from the top landing
to the top of the car. Unreel it
as shown on page 8. Do not al-
low the rope to kink or reverse
bend.
The rope is then fed into the
machine room and through the
first sheave groove.
The rope is then run down to
a helper at the counterweight.
It’s sometimes helpful to
attach a weight to the rope
end using a temporary loop
secured with a rope clip.
Use a board as a brake on the
reel (like in the YES diagram on
page 8) to keep the reel from
overspinning.

supported
counterweight
frame

11
Installing new hoist rope
Use of reeving splices in replacing rope

In rope replacement, an old rope can be

used to pull a new rope into position.
Reeving splices temporarily marry rope
ends together. Three splices are wound
around the ends of the ropes (one is
shown in the diagram at right).
When pulled, the old rope guides the
new rope over the sheave and to the
attachment point at either the counter-
weight or car.
Reeving splices are designed for
specific rope lays and diameters. Make
sure you have the correct size. A reev-
ing splice is designed to bear no more
than 2,000 lbs • 909 kg of rope, so use
the listed weight/ft shown in the Draka
catalog to calculate the weight of the
rope.
Reeving splices are to be used ONCE
and then discarded.

12
Installing new hoist rope
Attaching the wedge socket

Wedge sockets should be attached as

shown to both the car and coun-
terweight frame crossheads. The
threaded bar should be in place as
shown, with enough of the bar below
the crosshead to insert the cotter pin. washer,
Prior to cutting the rope, make sure nuts and
cotter pin
the rope is secure and will not fall ready for
down the hoistway. If the rope is set tightening
in the sheave groove, that should give
enough grip to hold the rope. You
may also want to use a rope clamp at-
tached to the rail to hold the rope.
Mark the cut point of the rope, making
sure to leave enough slack for instal-
lation (2 to 3 ft • 610 to 915 mm), then
seize and cut the rope (see page 9).

13
 Installing new hoist rope
Attach the rope at the car

1 Run the rope down though the

wedge socket body.

2 Thread the rope ‘dead’ end back up DRAKA

through the top of the wedge

socket body. Leave a loop of rope
just large enough to insert the
DRAKA
DRAKA

DRAKA
wedge.

3 Insert the wedge into the loop.

DRAKA
DRAKA

DRAKA
DRAKA

DRAKA

14
Installing new hoist rope
Attach the rope at the car continued

4 Pull down on the rope with one

hand to keep it taut. Use a quick
pull on the dead end to seat the
wedge.

5 The washer and nuts can now be

tightened. Use the lower nut to lock
the upper nut and washer against
DRAKA
DRAKA

the crosshead of the counter-

weight frame. Insert and bend the
cotter pin.

6 Install two wire rope retaining clips

to hold the dead end in place.
Retaining clips bear no load - they
are used only to keep the rope and
wedge in place should there be a
momentary loss of tension. Apply
DRAKA

no more than 8 ft/lbs • 11 N/m of

torque on the bolt and nut.

15
Installing new hoist rope
Attach the rope at the counterweight

The counterweight wedge socket should be attached to the

counterweight crosshead like the wedge sockets at the car
crosshead.
Run the rope down though the counterweight wedge socket
DRAKA
DRAKA

DRAKA
body. Repeat the technique shown in steps 1 through 4 on
pages 14 and 15.
The rope should be as taut as you can get it using only
manual effort. There should be enough threaded wedge
socket below the crosshead to tighten the washer and nuts.
If the rope is still slack, the rope may
need to be re-seated in the wedge
socket. Use a hammer and a drift pin
to tap the wedge down until the rope
loosens. Repeat steps 2 through 4 on
pages 14 and 15 to tighten the rope.
DRAKA

DRAKA

16
Tensioning hoist rope
Individual rope adjustment

After all ropes are installed and the counterweight loaded,

release the car and let the weight of the car and counter-
weight rest on the ropes. The rope and wedge will rise about
1 in • 2.5 cm to the final “set” under load.
Initial equalization
Use a Quick-Check tension meter to get an idea which ropes
are carrying the most tension. Any ropes tighter than the
rest can be slackened and equalized using the hammer/drift
pin method from page 16.
Repeat on all tight ropes until they all carry tension within a
10% range of each other.
Fine tuning
Equalize final rope tension by adjusting the wedge socket
rod nuts. DO NOT let the wedge socket rotate. Rotating the
body will let the rope untwist and weaken the rope. Hold the
wedge socket body to prevent rotation.
Cut any surplus rope off the car dead end to leave approxi-
mately a 12 - 18 in • 305 to 457 mm tail. Install two wire rope
retaining clips to hold the dead end in place like step 6 on
page 15.

17
Preventing hoist rope rotation
Tying off the hoist ropes

Once equal tension is established, the ropes need to be tied

off or secured so that the wedge sockets do not rotate.
Take a length of wire rope (1/2 in • 12.7 mm diameter is nor-
mally adequate, but see local codes for approved diameter)
and thread it through the wedge socket bodies.

Use wire rope clips to tie the binding rope ends together.

18
Installing new governor rope
Use of governor rope wedge sockets

Governor rope does not require the

precise tensioning needed by hoist
ropes.
The governor rope reel is placed
on top of the car and run over the
governor sheave in the machine
room.
The rope is attached dotted line is
to a governor rope the installed
wedge socket (simi- governor rope
lar to a hoist rope
wedge socket but
without the rod) on
the crosshead (see
pages 14 and 15).
The elevator is slowly lowered and
the cable paid out. At the bottom
of the hoistway, enough slack is
paid out to pass around the tail end
sheave and reach the bottom of
the car. The tail end sheave should
be propped up as high as it can go.
The rope is seized and attached to
the car frame with another gover-
nor wedge socket.

tail end sheave

propped up

19
Other hoist rope configurations
Overhead type 2:1

Other roping configurations include

the overhead 2:1, which is popular
because it permits the use of smaller
traction motors.
The same basic principles of hoist
rope installation apply with added
steps requiring a pull rope attached
to the hoist rope end to raise the
hoist rope to the attachment points
at the top of the hoistway.

20
Other hoist rope configurations
Basement type 1:1

Another roping configuration is the

basement type 1:1 that features a ma-
chine at or below ground level that
uses deflecting sheaves to guide the
rope into the hoistway.
The same basic principles of hoist
rope installation apply with added
steps requiring a pull rope attached
to the hoist rope end to raise the
hoist rope from the pit.

21
Lubrication
General application notes

Wire rope comes factory-lubricated. Draka strongly

recommends an annual lubrication application every
spring. Ropes should be field lubricated prior to summer
and the increased temperature and humidity it brings.
Summertime is when the air conditioners in the machine
rooms and offices are operating. Condensation caused by
the combination of an air conditioned machine room and a
humid hoistway must be kept from entering the rope core.
NOTE: Governor ropes should NEVER be re-lubricated.
Type of lubricant
In North America, Draka recommends the use of
DrakaLube™ which reduces wear, protects against corro-
sion and displaces moisture in the rope core.
Application methods
Automatic lubricators are the most time-efficient way
to lubricate ropes. Make sure to manually lubricate the
ropes that are over the sheave when the car is at its low-
est landing, as the oiler does not touch that section of the
ropes. Manual methods, such as paintbrushes or rollers,
are also acceptable. Care should be taken not to over-
lubricate.
Prior to lubricating, clean all lubrication build-up and dirt
from the ropes using an automatic metal-brush cleaner or
wire brush. DO NOT use solvents to clean ropes; solvents
will break down the rope lubricant and the rope will dete-
riorate.

See Draka Tech Tip #6 for detailed instructions on

lubrication.

22
Replacement Criteria
From ASME A17.1-2007/CSA B44-07

Replacement criteria for suspension and compensating

ropes fall into three categories:
1) Crown wire breaks: The crown wires are those that
make contact with the sheave and they will show signs of
abrasion. If enough abrasion takes place, the crown wires
will break. When using this criterion, an inspector is looking
for the number of total crown wire breaks within a rope lay
(refer to excerpts below). A rope lay is approximately 6.5
times the diameter of the rope. For example, the rope lay
for 3/8 (0.375) in. ropes is 2.44 in., 1/2 (0.500) in. ropes is
3.25 in. and 5/8 (0.625) in. ropes is 4.06 in.
2) Valley breaks: Valley wires are located in the valleys
of two adjacent strands and do not make contact with the
sheave. Nor do valley wires make contact with other wires
of adjacent strands. Valley breaks are attributed to rope
fatigue; these valley wires should experience no abrasion
(refer to excerpts below).
8.11.2.1.3(cc) Wire suspension and compensating ropes
8.11.2.1.3(cc)(1) Wire suspension and compensating ropes
shall be replaced:
(a) if the broken wires are equally distributed among
the strands, when the number of broken wires per rope lay
in the worst section of the rope exceeds the values shown
in column A of Table 8.11.2.1.3(cc)(1); or
(b) if the distribution of the broken wires is unequal, and
broken wires predominate in one or two strands, when the
number of broken wires per rope lay in the worst section
of the rope exceeds the values shown in column B of Table
8.11.2.1.3(cc)(1); or

23
Replacement Criteria
continued

(c) if four or five wires, side by side, are broken across

the crown of any strand, when the number of broken wires
per rope lay in the worst section of rope exceeds values
shown in column C of Table 8.11.2.1.3(cc)(1); or
(d) if in the judgment of the inspector, any unfavorable
condition, such as fretting corrosion (red dust or rouge),
excessive wear of individual wires in the strands, unequal
tension, poor sheave grooves, etc., exists, the criteria for
broken wires will be reduced by 50% of the values indi-
cated in Table 8.11.2.1.3(cc)(1) for any of the three conditions
described above; or
(e) if there is more than one valley break per rope lay.
Table 8.11.2.1.3(cc)(1)
Types of Wire Ropes A B C
6x19 class 24-30* 8-12* 12-20*
8x19 class 32-40* 10-16* 16-24*
*The upper limits may be used when inspections are made monthly by a competent person.

8.11.2.1.3(cc)(2) On winding drum machines, the ropes shall

be replaced:
(a) if the broken wires are equally distributed among
the strands, when the number of broken wires per rope lay
in the worst section of rope exceeds 12 to 18; or
(b) if wire breaks predominate in one or two strands,
when the number of broken wires per rope lay in the worst
section of rope exceeds 6 to 12; or
(c) if there is more than one valley break per rope lay.
3) Diameter reduction: If the ropes reach a specified diam-
eter reduction, they should be replaced even if no crown or
valley breaks are present.
24
Replacement Criteria
continued

8.11.2.1.3(cc)(3) On any type of elevator, the suspension,

compensation and governor ropes shall be replaced when
their actual diameter is reduced below the value shown in
Table 8.11.2.1.3(cc)(3):
Table 8.11.2.1.3(cc)(3)
Nominal Size Maximum Reduced Diameter
in. in. • decimal in.
3/8 11/32 • 0.344
7/16 13/32 • 0.406
1/2 15/32 • 0.469
9/16 17/32 • 0.531
5/8 37/64 • 0.578
11/16 41/64 • 0.641
3/4 45/64 • 0.703
1 15/16 • 0.938

8.6.3.2 Replacement of a single suspension rope

If one rope of a set is worn or damaged and requires
replacement, the entire set of ropes shall be replaced,
except, where one rope has been damaged during installa-
tion or acceptance testing prior to being subjected to eleva-
tor service, it shall be permissible to replace a single dam-
aged rope with a new rope, provided that the requirements
of 8.6.3.2.1 through 8.6.3.2.6 are met.
8.6.3.2.1 The wire rope data for the replacement rope must
correspond to the wire rope data specified in 2.20.2.2(a),
(b), (c), (f), and (g) for the other ropes.
8.6.3.2.2 The replacement rope shall be provided with a
wire rope data tag conforming to 2.20.2.2.
25
Replacement Criteria
continued

8.6.3.2.3 The suspension ropes, including the damaged

rope, shall not have been shortened since their original
installation.
8.6.3.2.4 The diameter of any of the remaining ropes shall
not be less than the nominal diameter minus 0.4 mm. (0.015
in.).
8.6.3.2.5 The tension of the new replacement rope shall
be checked and adjusted as necessary at semi-monthly
intervals over a period of not less than two months after
installation. If proper equalization of rope tension cannot be
maintained after six months, the entire set of hoist ropes
shall be replaced.
8.6.3.2.6 The replacement rope shall be provided with the
same type of suspension-rope fastening used with the other
ropes.
8.6.3.3 Replacement of ropes other than governor ropes
8.6.3.3.1 Replacement of all ropes, except governor ropes
(see 8.6.3.4) shall conform to the following:
(a) Replacement ropes shall be as specified by the
original elevator manufacturer or be at least equivalent in
strength, weight, and design.
(b) Ropes that have been previously used in another
installation shall not be reused.
(c) When replacing suspension, compensating, and car
or drum counterweight ropes, all ropes in a set shall be
replaced, except as permitted by 8.6.3.2.
(d) The ropes in the set shall be new, all from the same
manufacturer, and of the same material, grade, construc-
tion, and diameter.
26
Replacement criteria
continued

(e) Data tags conforming to 2.20.2.2 shall be applied.

(f) Suspension, car, and drum counterweight rope fas-
tenings shall conform to 2.20.9.
8.6.3.4 Replacement of governor or safety rope
8.6.3.4.1 Governor ropes shall be of the same size, mate-
rial, and construction as the rope specified by the governor
manufacturer, except that a rope of the same size but of
different material or construction shall be permitted to be
installed in conformance with 8.7.2.19.
8.6.3.4.2 The replaced governor ropes shall comply with
2.18.5.
8.6.3.4.3 After a governor rope is replaced, the gover-
nor pull-through force shall be checked as specified in
8.11.2.3.2(b).
8.6.3.4.4 A test tag indicating the date when the pull-
through test was performed shall be attached.
NOTE: Some in the industry believe that all ropes for an
installation must be cut from the same master reel.
ASME/CSA does not require that the ropes be from the
same master reel.

27
Notes

28