Serious question, why are so many guys running their cutterhead chain tension way too tight on the old Ellicott 12s?

I've seen three separate units in the Mobile ship channel this year with worn sprocket teeth and snapped links because the crew kept cranking it down, thinking a tighter chain moves more material, but it just kills your drive train faster.

3 comments

3 Comments

susan_adams28d ago

What if they're just trying to keep the chain from jumping off in heavy silt? A little extra tension might seem like cheap insurance against a bigger shutdown.

christopherw3428d ago

Sure, a little extra tension is cheap insurance until you're the one paying the repair bill for a snapped shaft or toasted bearings. That's like over-tightening your belt after a big meal to keep your pants up, ignoring the fact you're about to pass out. Feels safe right up until it causes a whole new problem.

jakeb8127d ago

Ran into that exact silt problem on a dredge pump last year. We switched to a heavier grease in the chain case and backed the tension off to just a slight bit of slack. The thicker stuff held up better in the muck without putting all that stress on the shafts.