Learned a neat cable tension trick from a veteran mechanic

I was struggling to get good readings on an elevator cable today. My coworker showed me a counterweight method for a fast check. What do you all use for quick tension checks?

3 comments

3 Comments

thea7711mo ago

Actually, the counterweight trick is good for a rough guess. But it can be off if the pulleys aren't clean. I always use a calibrated tension meter for real work. The digital readout helps avoid mistakes, and you can log the numbers for later.

robin6651mo ago

Ever notice we overcomplicate stuff that works fine?

piperschmidt1mo ago

A lot gets missed if you only check tension when the car is empty. Heavy daily use stretches cables unevenly. Robin665 has a point about overcomplicating, but sometimes the simple check hides bigger wear patterns. I've seen cables pass a quick test but fail under load. It's not just about clean pulleys, it's about history. You need to know how the system behaves when people are actually using it.