PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
Gear from overhead crane in Steel mill
PROJECT DETAILS:
Overhead Crane Gear – removing Jet-Lube
CATEGORY:
Shipping & Transport Industry, Steel industry
Overhead cranes are the backbone of any steel mill or heavy manufacturing facility, moving multi-ton loads across the shop floor every shift. The gears that drive these cranes are typically coated with Jet-Lube or similar open-gear lubricants — thick, tenacious compounds designed to withstand extreme pressure and resist washout. While Jet-Lube keeps gears running, it also traps metal shavings, dirt, and abrasive particles that cause accelerated wear if not removed during maintenance intervals.
For this project, Calumet Chicago tackled the challenge of removing Jet-Lube from an overhead crane gear at a steel mill. Jet-Lube is notoriously difficult to clean — it resists most solvents and clings to gear teeth and root surfaces. The Cuda aqueous parts washer’s combination of pressurized hot water at 50 PSI and industrial-strength biodegradable detergent broke down the Jet-Lube compound, flushing it away from every gear tooth profile including the roots and flanks that manual methods typically miss.
The cleaned gear allowed the maintenance team to perform a proper visual inspection for wear patterns, pitting, and micro-cracking — defects that are invisible under a layer of black lubricant. Catching these issues early prevents catastrophic gear failure that could shut down crane operations and halt production.
Calumet Chicago regularly works with steel mills, shipping terminals, and heavy manufacturing plants to clean crane components, drive gears, and gearbox internals. Our Cuda front-load washers handle parts up to 5,000 pounds, making them well suited for the heavy iron found in overhead crane systems. If your maintenance team is still scrubbing gears by hand or soaking them in solvent drums, there is a better way.
