OP
Darren
Veteran Member
- Joined
- Feb 16, 2002
- Messages
- 1,038
- Location
- WVa
- Tractor
- Kubota L3710, Ford 5600, Case MB4/94, Kubota B6200
The original hangers look like they were made on site by cutting to rod material length, forming hooks on the ends and then bending and cinching them on the wire rope. The wire rope cannot be unthreaded and rethreaded.
I can make new hangers. I just need to figure a way to maintain the distance between the top and bottom rope while I'm fitting and attaching the hanger. I looked at a 300' suspension bridge last night that had been built
by families living in the area in the early 1900's and was still used by vehicles until recently. The vertical stays were much heavier than mine. They looked like at least 2" diameter. What caught my eye was that the stays were attached to the ropes via clamps that had a built in eye.
Finding something like that would make my job easier. I could use those clamps on both the top and bottom rope to attach a come-along on both sides to maintain the vertical distance between the top and bottom ropes while fitting the new hangers.
The problem today is that the average hardware store has no source for something like that. Even the closest wire rope supplier has told me finding the bridge rope isn't going to be simple unless I buy an entire roll. Even getting J bolts to attach the planks meant finding a hardware store that special ordered them.
When you look at the hardware made over fifty years ago, everything is heavier even the nuts.
I can make new hangers. I just need to figure a way to maintain the distance between the top and bottom rope while I'm fitting and attaching the hanger. I looked at a 300' suspension bridge last night that had been built
by families living in the area in the early 1900's and was still used by vehicles until recently. The vertical stays were much heavier than mine. They looked like at least 2" diameter. What caught my eye was that the stays were attached to the ropes via clamps that had a built in eye.
Finding something like that would make my job easier. I could use those clamps on both the top and bottom rope to attach a come-along on both sides to maintain the vertical distance between the top and bottom ropes while fitting the new hangers.
The problem today is that the average hardware store has no source for something like that. Even the closest wire rope supplier has told me finding the bridge rope isn't going to be simple unless I buy an entire roll. Even getting J bolts to attach the planks meant finding a hardware store that special ordered them.
When you look at the hardware made over fifty years ago, everything is heavier even the nuts.