Wire rope has become one of the most widely used pieces of equipment on the market, finding itself being
utilised in dozens of industries around the world. Despite this, it is not a standalone piece of equipment, and instead must be used in conjunction with other pieces of equipment such as cranes, or various accessories. We have covered more on some of the wire rope accessories available below.
Wire rope accessories
The most common type of accessory comes in the form of fittings. Fittings can come in a variety of styles, shapes and sizes, as well as
galvanised steel or stainless steel options.
The former will have been coated in zinc, which adds a good element of corrosion resistance, but this also makes it weaker and cheaper than stainless steel. So while the stainless steel options will be more expensive, you’ll also find that they are stronger too. This isn’t to say that galvanised steel is by any means weak!
An example of the wire rope accessories available
Here’s some of the wire rope accessories in the form of fittings that we manufacture and stock here at Rope Services Direct:
Rope grips
These are ‘U’ shaped bolts which also have a forged saddle and two nuts below. They are useful for creating non-permanent eye-loops on steel rope or steel cables, or for creating end-to-end connections where you are unable to use a socket or a splice.
There are multiple options for this accessory, ranging from 2mm to 50mm in mild steel or 2mm to 24mm in stainless steel. Generally, more than one grip is used for a piece of wire rope.
Thimbles
We have found that thimbles are one of the most frequently used types of wire rope accessory. They help to protect the section of rope that forms the eye, meaning the total service life of the rope can be extended greatly. They also help to make this eye stronger and rigid.
For thimbles, we also have various sizes available. You can purchase them in sizes 4mm to 50mm in mild steel, or 2mm to 24mm in stainless steel.
Turn buckles / rigging screws
These act in a similar manner to like screws, and are used for the tightening or tensioning of wire rope. You’ll commonly find them being used in rigging applications, or where the rope needs to be tightened to a specific tension. Common examples are bridge wires or barriers and fences.
You’ll find that these come in various styles and combinations, as well as sizes.
Shackles
A shackle is a type of connector, that can be easily removed whenever you wish. They help to connect together different pieces of lifting equipment; such as steel rope with chains or slings. They feature a screw pin in a shackle, allowing for the easy tightening or removing. You can also get some with safety bolts, which are designed for more permanent fixtures.
The shackles that we stock
These are available in various Tons, depending on which style you choose.
Eyebolts
Eyebolts help to create a permanent anchorage point to aid with the lifting of objects which otherwise could not be lifted by hand or by the aid of a fork lift. These have a round eye and a threaded shank attached. Available in m6 to m64 in high tensile steel, or if you go for the stainless steel option, available in m6 to m24.
Terminals
These are pressed into ends of rope with high pressure to create a permanent and strong connection. Often used in conjunction with other accessories.
Sockets
One of the strongest types of accessories for wire rope, these are a permanent fixture. They help to fasten the rope to a fixed point.
Hooks
These help to form a connection between the wire rope and a load that needs to be lifted.
Find out more about our wire rope accessories
If you would like to find out more about these accessories, please
get in contact with us here.
