Got a call for a stuck car in a 15-story building downtown, found the governor rope frayed at the sheave.

I was on site at the Grand Plaza last Tuesday when the safety circuit tripped, leaving the car between floors 8 and 9. We had to manually lower it to the nearest landing to get the doors open for the passengers. What's your go-to method for checking governor rope wear before it gets to that point?

3 comments

3 Comments

leo_park211mo ago

Honestly, I don't wait for a set check. If I'm in the pit for anything else, I run my fingers along the rope right at the sheave. You can feel the broken wires before you see them. A visual from the car top isn't enough because the worst wear is hidden in the groove. That fraying happens in the same spot every time, so that's where I look.

the_kai1mo ago

Running your bare hand along a moving rope is a good way to lose a finger.

terrywilson27d ago

Used to think you had to see a problem to fix it. Leo's point about feeling the rope changed my mind completely. You can't spot hidden wear from a distance, but your fingers find it right away. That's how you catch a small issue before it turns into a major failure. Makes a visual check seem pretty weak now.