Maintenance Schedule & Pre-Shift Checklist
Sumner publishes inspection and maintenance intervals in every operator's manual. This chapter consolidates those intervals into a single grid, plus a printable pre-shift checklist that lives with the lift.
Five-minute walk-around.
Before the first lift of every shift. If anything in this list fails, tag the lift out of service until it's resolved.
Visual inspection
- 01Cable: no fraying, kinks, broken strands, burns
- 02Cable: minimum drum wraps at full extension (4 for Series 2100 · 3 for Series 2400 · verify your model's operator's manual)
- 03Sheave: free-spinning, groove not sharp
- 04Forks: tines straight, pivot pins in place
- 05Mast: no dents or sidewall damage
- 06Decals: capacity & warning legible
- 07Casters: lock engages, tread intact
- 08Outrigger feet: rubber pads present
Functional test
- 09Crank up empty: smooth, audible ratchet click
- 10Stop & release: brake holds without drift
- 11Crank down: controlled descent, no surge
- 12Outriggers: latch positively when deployed
- 13Caster locks: hold when engaged
- 14Operator's manual: present and legible
What to do, and how often.
Frequencies assume a lift in regular construction or HVAC service. Increase frequency for stage/AV lifts that travel constantly, and Roust-A-Bouts that are loaded near rated capacity.
What goes where.
Sumner intentionally specifies different lubricants for different parts of the lift. Mixing them — particularly getting grease near the brake disc — is one of the fastest ways to disable a winch.
Pawl & ratchet wheel
3-IN-ONE, sewing-machine oil, or equivalent. Two drops on the pawl pivot, a thin film on the ratchet teeth. Wipe excess.
Never use: grease (gums up the click), penetrating oil (washes out and migrates).
Caster axles, outrigger pivots, fork pins
Sticky, won't fling off, doesn't attract dust as aggressively as red bearing grease. Ideal for sliding-pivot interfaces.
Application: dab on a Q-tip, work into the joint, wipe excess.
Mast slide pads & mast surface
The mast must slide cleanly without picking up grit. Silicone leaves a dry film. Apply lightly, then run the carriage up and down to distribute.
Never use: WD-40 on mast (collects dirt), grease (cakes between pads).
Brake disc face
Any oil, grease, or lubricant on the brake disc face will cause the brake to release under load. If it gets contaminated, replace the disc.
Lift cable
Galvanized aircraft cable is not field-lubricated. Adding lube traps grit and shortens life. If a cable looks dry and rusted, replace it.
Sheave groove
The cable rides directly on the groove — no lubricant should be present. Sheave bearing is a separate, sealed unit.
The yearly going-over.
Once a year, take the lift out of rotation for a half-day documented inspection. This is the inspection that satisfies most regional safety-authority requirements, and it's the one that catches the slow-developing failures (mast play, brake glaze) before they become incidents.
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Records review
Pull the maintenance log. Verify cable, sheave, and brake-disc replacements are within their intervals. Note any recurring failures — those usually trace back to operator habits worth correcting.
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Full visual + dimensional check
Walk every item from the pre-shift checklist. Add: measure mast play at full extension (max 1/8 in side-to-side), measure cable diameter (should not have decreased >5% from new).
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Functional load test
Test at 100% of rated capacity. Hold for 5 minutes at full extension — verify no creep. Lower under control. Re-inspect cable at attachment point.
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Documented sign-off
Complete the maintenance-record decal or your facility's lift-inspection form. Photograph the serial plate and decals as a dated record. File for at least 3 years.