It has been an especially cold winter in New England, and brutal weather conditions take their toll on people as well as cranes. Astro Crane is a Massachusetts-based company known for crane services and crane rentals. With an extensive fleet of hydraulic cranes, ranging between 6 and 600 tons, Astro Crane rents cranes for projects all over New England.

Should you rent a crane, there are some things you can do to maintain it while in your care. First of all, make sure the crane you rented can and will handle the operating environment you plan to put it in. Check the oil and seals before using it. Don’t start the engine without oil in the crankcase. Make a note of its operating hours to help determine if it will be due for routine maintenance any time soon.

Cranes need lubrication just like people need water. When a crane is sitting idle and the boom has no load, then each section of the crane should be greased. Don’t be stingy with the grease– the more, the better. Pay particular attention to greasing the topside wear pads. Indeed, other parts requiring grease about every 125 operating hours or so include slide pieces, slideway linings, side bars, cross-heads and guide rollers. Just like that 1970s’ John Travolta/Olivia Newton-John movie-musical said, “Grease is the word!”

Besides greasing a crane, pumps and pistons should be checked for leaks. Also, check stress points for damage. By catching little problems before they become big problems, repairs can be made before dealing with an awful lot of dreaded downtime.