HOW TO BUILD A ZIP LINE - SECTION FOUR - INSPECTION

CABLE WEIGHT TEST

 

MARK CABLE AT EACH CABLE CLAMP AND FIST GRIP. AFTER USING TEST WEIGHT TO TEST ZIP LINE, INSPECT MARKS FOR INDICATION OF CLAMP SLIPPAGE.

 

ATTACH A TEST WEIGHT, EQUAL TO WEIGHT OF HEAVIEST PARTICIPANT,  UP TO 350 LBS. TO TROLLEY MOUNTED ON CABLE.

!!WARNING!! NEVER PLACE MORE THAN 350 POUNDS ON ZIP LINE.

!!WARNING!! NEVER USE A PERSON AS A TEST WEIGHT WHEN PERFORMING THE WEIGHT TEST.

BOUNCE TEST WEIGHT UP AND DOWN. OBSERVE ANCHORS AT EITHER END OF CABLE FOR EXCESSIVE MOVEMENT.

ALLOW TEST WEIGHT TO SETTLE AT THE LOWEST POINT OF THE CABLE.

CABLE SAG IS MEASURED FROM THE LOWEST POINT ON THE CABLE TO THE ATTACHMENT HEIGHT OF THE CABLE ON THE ENDING ANCHOR.

DETACH TEST WEIGHT AND INSPECT TERMINATION HARDWARE AND ANCHORS FOR PROPER CONFIGURATION AND STRENGTH.

CHECK FOR SLIPPAGE OF CABLE THROUGH CABLE CLAMPS AND FIST GRIPS TO VERIFY THEY ARE ADEQUATELY TIGHTENED. CHECK ANCHORS FOR DEFORMATION.

!!WARNING!! DO NOT USE ZIP LINE IF ANY SLIPPAGE, DEFORMATION, MISCONFIGURATION, INADEQUATE CABLE SAG OR OTHER POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS CONDITION IS FOUND WHEN PERFORMING THE ABOVE TEST. THE CLAMPS OR FIST GRIPS MUST BE RETIGHTENED, EQUIPMENT REPLACED OR RECONFIGURED, CABLE SAG INCREASED, ANCHORS REINFORCED WITH GUY CABLES OR DIFFERENT ANCHORS CHOSEN, OR FURTHER PROFESSIONAL ADVICE SOUGHT AS APPROPRIATE FOR THE SITUATION BEFORE A PARTICIPANT IS ALLOWED ON THE ZIP LINE.

 

 

CABLE INSPECTION

 

ANATOMY OF CABLE

IF ONE OF THE FOLLOWING IS DISCOVERED, YOUR CABLE MUST BE RETIRED AND REPLACED IMMEDIATELY

SIX WIRE BREAKS WITHIN ONE LAY

THREE WIRES BREAKS IN WITHIN ONE GROUP WITHIN ONE LAY

ONE BREAK WITHIN ONE CABLE DIAMETER OF TERMINATING CLAMPS

OR SWAGE

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT INSPECTING YOUR CABLE, CALL US.

 

 

STOP BLOCK

 

INSPECT STOP BLOCK TO CONFIRM NUTS AND BOLTS ARE TIGHTLY SECURING THE TWO HALVES TOGETHER. BLOCK MUST BE SNUG AROUND THE CABLE. STOP BLOCK MUST MAINTAIN 5 FT. MINIMUM DISTANCE FROM END ANCHOR. CONFIRM THERE ARE NO CRACKS IN THE BLOCK OR OTHER OBSERVABLE DAMAGE.

!!WARNING!! DO NOT USE ZIP LINE IF THERE IS DAMAGE TO THE STOP BLOCK. RETIRE AND REPLACE IMMEDIATELY.

 

 

RIDING GEAR

 

INSPECT RIDING GEAR FOR IMPROPER CONFIGURATION, DAMAGE, FRAYING, BENDING, TEARING, CRACKING, SLIPPING OR ANY OTHER CHARACTERISTIC THAT WOULD INDICATE EQUIPMENT’S PERFORMANCE AND/OR STRENGTH HAVE BEEN COMPROMISED.

!!WARNING!! DO NOT USE ZIP LINE IF THERE IS DAMAGE TO THE RIDING GEAR. RETIRE AND REPLACE IMMEDIATELY.

INSPECT ALL RIDING GEAR BEFORE EACH RIDE.

TROLLEY – SPIN WHEELS TO CHECK FOR EXCESSIVE FRICTION OR ROUGHNESS. CHECK FOR LOOSE HARDWARE AND INSIDE OF HOUSING FOR EXCESSIVE WEAR FROM CABLE ABRASION. THE SIDE PLATES MUST NOT RUB AGAINST THE CABLE OR WHEELS. RETIRE AND REPLACE TROLLEY IF SIDE PLATES HAVE EXCESSIVE FRICTION MARKS FROM CABLE OR WHEELS.

TWIST HANDLEBAR GRIPS IN BOTH HANDS TO CHECK FOR ROTATION OR SLIPPING. (IF APPLICABLE)

 

!!WARNING!! DO NOT USE ZIP LINE IF THERE IS DAMAGE TO THE TROLLEY, LOOSE OR MISSING GRIPS. RETIRE AND REPLACE IMMEDIATELY.

CARABINERS – CHECK THAT GATE PROPERLY CLOSES AND LOCKING MECHANISM OPERATES WITHOUT FAULT. CHECK FOR EXCESSIVE WEAR AT POINTS OF CONTACT BETWEEN CARABINER AND LANYARD, AND BETWEEN CARABINER AND TROLLEY.

!!WARNING!! RETIRE CARABINER IF LOCKING MECHANISM IS NOT CLOSING PROPERLY.

LANYARDS – INSPECT FOR EXCESSIVE WEAR OR LOOSE STITCHING.

!!WARNING!! WEIGHT SUPPORTING EQUIPMENT SUCH AS LANYARDS OR CARABINERS MUST BE ATTACHED ONLY TO FULL STRENGTH TIE-IN LOOPS ON HARNESS.

HARNESSES – EXAMINE ALL STRAPS, TIE-INPOINTS AND SEAMS FOR LOOSE STITCHING, ABRASION OR UNRAVELING. CHECK METAL BUCKLES FOR BENDS, CRACKS OR SHARP SPOTS.

!!WARNING!! IF ANY DAMAGE, FAULT, EXCESSIVE WEAR OR OTHER POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS CONDITION IS OBSERVED, THE EQUIPMENT MUST IMMEDIATELY BE RETIRED AND REPLACED.

IF YOUR ZIPLINE DOES NOT HAVE A BUNGEE BRAKE SYSTEM.

 

 

BUNGEE BRAKE TEST

 

SEND TEST WEIGHT FROM VERY BEGINNING OF ZIP LINE TO TEST BUNGEE BRAKE SYSTEM.

MEASURE TO AVOID OVERSTRETCH

WHEN THE BUNGEE STRETCHES TO ITS MAX, DROP A VISUAL MARKER ON THE GROUND BELOW THE TEST WEIGHT AT THAT POINT. MEASURE FROM THIS MARKER TO THE BUNGEE ANCHOR POINT.

IF THE BUNGEE IS OVERSTRETCHING OR IMPACTING THE STOP BLOCK WITH TOO MUCH FORCE:

  • DOUBLE UP THE BUNGEE’S STRENGTH BY ADDING A SECOND BUNGEE CORD PARALLEL TO THE ORIGINAL CORD.
     -OR
  • REDUCE CABLE SLOPE AND/OR INCREASE CABLE SAG TO SLOW THE RIDER’S SPEED.

LENGTH OF BUNGEE MINUS 3 FT. X 1.75 = DISTANCE FROM BUNGEE ANCHOR TO STOP BLOCK. 3 FT. TO ACCOUNT FOR KNOTS.

EXAMPLE: 20 FT. BUNGEE - 3 = 17 X 1.75 = 29.5 FT. OR 30 FT. BUNGEE - 3 = 27 FT. X 1.75 = 47 FT

 

!!WARNING!! DO NOT ALLOW BUNGEE TO STRETCH TO MORE THAN 175% THE BUNGEE’S LENGTH. BUNGEE MAY FAIL AND INJURE ZIP LINE RIDER OR BYSTANDERS.

 

BUNGEE BRAKE INSPECTION & MAINTENANCE

 

INSPECTING YOUR BUNGEE BRAKE PRIOR TO EACH USE IS A GOOD PRACTICE.

THE BUNGEE BLOCK IS MADE OF NYLON AND THE FRONT BUMPER IS MADE OF RUBBER. THE BUMPER TAKES ALL THE HITS FROM YOUR TROLLEY. IF YOUR TROLLEY IS NO LONGER CUSHIONED BY THE RUBBER BUMPER AND IS HITTING THE NYLON BLOCK, THE BLOCK MUST BE RETIRED AND REPLACED.

THE BUNGEE CORD HAS A BLACK SHEATH THAT SURROUNDS DOZENS OF WHITE ELASTIC CORDS. WITH USE AND EXPOSURE TO THE ELEMENTS, THE BUNGEE WILL EVENTUALLY SHOW SIGNS OF WEAR. IF ANY OF THE FOLLOWING IS OBSERVED DURING INSPECTION, YOUR BUNGEE CORD MUST IMMEDIATELY BE RETIRED AND REPLACED:

  • FRAYING, EXPOSED WHITE ELASTIC ALONG THE LENGTH OF THE BUNGEE CORD.
  • A NOTICEABLY SMALLER DIAMETER OR BULGING ALONG THE LENGTH OF BUNGEE CORD (A SIGN OF INTERNAL STRANDS BREAKING).
  • STRETCHED OUT BUNGEE THAT DOESN’T RETRACT WHEN PULLED.

CONFIRM BOTH QUICK-LINK GATES ARE TIGHTENED WITH A WRENCH.

AS A BACKUP TO PREVENT SLIPPAGE OF THE EYE-LAG SCREW, A CABLE SLING MUST BE WRAPPED AROUND THE BACK SIDE OF THE SAME ANCHOR AND THE TWO LOOPS CONNECTED TO THE QUICK LINK HOLDING THE EYE-LAG SCREW.

BUNGEE CORDS MAY LAST UP TO ONE YEAR, HOWEVER WITH MORE USE AND EXPOSURE TO THE ELEMENTS, IT MAY WEAR OUT SOONER. TO EXTEND THE LIFE OF THE BUNGEE CORD, DISCONNTECT BUNGEE AT EACH QUICK-LINK AND BRING INDOORS WHEN ZIP LINE IS NOT IN USE.

!!WARNING!! DO NOT RIDE ZIP LINE BEFORE INSPECTION OF BUNGEE SYSTEM HAS BEEN COMPLETED.