Seven Costly Hire Mistakes

When you hire hydraulic torque wrench equipment from Gee-Force Hydraulics, we want to make sure that your overall experience of dealing with us is both positive and beneficial. As with most things in life, good communication is central to preventing misunderstandings and delays so here are seven tips to ensure that you don’t get frustrated with us – nor us with you!

  1. Typically, hire charges will commence on the day the equipment is delivered. We offer standard next day, pre-noon and pre-10.30 a.m. delivery options. Sometimes, it is worth paying an extra £20 for a premium delivery to ensure that the equipment use doesn’t drag into an extra day thus incurring an extra day’s hire charge.
  1. Do contact us as soon as the equipment is finished with. Even if it takes a couple of days to get the equipment back to us we will normally end the hire charges on the last day of use. When equipment arrives back with us without any prior notice then we will assume that the last day of use was the working day prior to its arrival back with us.
  1. Make sure the operator knows what he is doing and is competent to use the equipment. Whilst hydraulic torque equipment is relatively easy to use, you need to know the good habits. You would not believe some of the things we have seen! We can arrange and/or supply; formal ECITB accredited competency training; informal training in the safe use of the equipment; detailed operating instructions; quick set-up and user guide; telephone advice.
  1. What power source (air, electric) are you using? Will the hydraulic pump be powered using long air lines or extension leads? Air hydraulic pumps gobble up the air so you need around 100 psi and minimum ¾” dia. air lines. 110V hydraulic pumps will not run properly without sufficient amperage reaching the motor. In case of need we can supply 10m length (4mm dia. wire) extension cables. Longer extension leads require an even bigger gage cable.
  1. Are you using the equipment in conjunction with sockets? If so, these must be good quality impact sockets (we can supply if required). If there is much stud protrusion beyond the top of the nut then you may need to use deep length sockets in order to ensure fit. Alternatively consider using a limited clearance (direct fit) wrench instead.
  1. Do you need to ensure that the stud won’t turn when tightening/loosening the nut? If so you may need a back-up wrench. More often than not you will find that a slogging spanner will do the job although removing these, post tightening, can sometime be problematic and possibly also compromise the  bolt load. In case of need there are alternative, more bespoke, back-up wrenches available although these may require a few days notice to obtain.
  1. Are you intending to use the equipment on High Strength Friction Grip (HSFG) bolts? Some HSFG bolt sizes utilise larger nuts than their non-HSFG equivalents so make sure that you know the nut AF size before ordering sockets or limited clearance wrench hex links.