>
> Can anyone tell me if guy grips can be reused? I purchased a tower
> with guys terminated with guy grips, but the guys will be too long
> in the new installation. Can I remove the guy grips, cut the cable
> and reterminate with the same grips? If so, what's the best way to
> remove the grips?
The manufacturer of the grips (Preformed line products -
http://www.preformed.com) recommends against reusing them beyond a few
adjustments during installation. I suggest you contact them for advice.
>From PLP's installation procedure, page 2, General Notes, section 11:
"After original installation, Big-Grip dead-ends may be removed and
reapplied two times, if necessary, for the purpose of retensioning guys. If
removal is necessary after a Big-Grip has been installed for a period
greater than 3 months, it should be replaced with a new one."
The grips come with a kind of traction-enhancing "sand" along their inner
(gripping) surface and a lot of that sand is left behind on the guys when
the grip is removed. Leave too much sand behind and it seems clear the grip
will, well, grip less. In fact, PLP claims that if the grips are stored
improperly, even "new" ones can be trouble.
Certainly some of this concern is CYA (cover your A55) on the part of PLP.
In practice, I have reused a few MANY times as temporaries: Klein-grip-like
duty during tower installation, and for pulling tree trunks through the
woods along with a comealong (to be honest, they still grab like hell), but
I would never trust my life to a used grip on a tower.
73 Mike N2MG
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