Runways, Wheels and Rail Installation

© 2014 Konecranes Plc. All rights reserved.
OBJECTIVES
At the completion of this chapter the student should be able
to:
• State the specification for runway alignments.
• Explain the various methods of installing and anchoring rails
to the runway structure.
• See the various types of wheels used on Top Running
cranes
• See the types of wheels used on Under Running cranes
• Understand Abnormal wheel wear and maximum wear limits
Slide 2 Manual Chap. 3 page 2

1. Types of rail used.
a) Square Bar Rail
b) ASCE Ball Rail
2. Rail Alignment
a) Elevation
b) Straightness
c) Span
3. Rail Installation
a) Top Running
b) Joining Sections
c) Runway Fasteners
d) End Stops
RUNWAY

4. Wheels and wear patterns
a) Straight Tread
b) Tapered Tread
c) Prescription Tread
5. Under-hung Crane and Trolley Wheels
a) Crown Tapered
b) Crowned Straight
c) Patented Track
6. Abnormal Wear and Limits
a) Wheel Wear
b) Rail Wear
WHEELS

Pros
•Low Cost
•Improves structural integrity thus
lowers steel costs.
•Easy Installation
•Works well with derailment catches.
Cons
•Not easily to replace
•Not adjustable
Applications
•Smaller systems
•General duty cranes.
SQUARE RAIL

Pros
•Easy to install
•Adjustable
•Replaceable
•Many size options
Cons
•Expensive
Applications
•Long systems
•Heavy duty systems
•Larger cranes
RAILS ASCE

CRANE RUNWAY ALIGNMENT CMAA
TOLERANCES

RAIL SPLICING
BOLTED SPLICING
STANDARD WELDING
THERMITE WELDING
FLASH BUTT WELDING
Slide 8 Not in Manual

Splices need to be staggered from one side of the runway to the other.
BOLTED SPLICING
Slide 9 Manual Chap. 3 page 6,7 & 8

STANDARD WELDING OF CRANE RAIL
Known as the Bethlehem Procedure:
This is a very tedious method with lost of variables and low success rate.
Requires proper pre and post heating, not recommended when several
splices are needed.

THERMITE WELDING
Iron Oxide and Aluminum mix.
When ignited burns at 5000° F.
Molten iron adheres to rail.
This process takes temper out
of surrounding rail for
approximately 6-12” from
welded joint. The weld itself is
strong but the surrounding rail
has been weakened .

THERMITE WELDING VIDEO
Show the movie now.
Slide 12 Manual Chap. 3 page 10 thru 18

FLASH-BUTT WELDING

FLASH BUTT WELDING VIDEO

RAIL FASTENING
METHODS
HOOK BOLTS (“J” BOLTS)
RAIL CLAMPS
RAIL CLIPS
RAIL CLEETS
Slide 15 Starts on Page 20 of Manual

HOOK BOLTS
Hook bolts are not
recommended for
use on cranes of
CMAA duty class
above C.
Also known as “J” bolts, they are easy to install.
The recommended distance between bolts depends
on the application.
Slide 16 Manual Chap. 3 page 20 & 21

HERE IS THE PROPER SPACING FOR J OR HOOK BOLTS.

RAIL CLAMPS
Also known as rail clips bolts, their installation involves
drilling holes in the runway beams of weld attachment
plates.
The recommended distance between bolts depends on the
application.

SPACERS PLATES
The spacer plates get butted up against the rail after the rail
has been aligned, then the spacer plate gets welded to the
flange of the beam. After that the clip body gets bolted down.
After years of use and the rail floating lengthwise the spacer
plates will get machined down, there should be no more than
1/16 inch gap between the rail flange and the spacer plate.
Maximum 1/16” gap here.

Molynex Rail Clips
SPECIALIZED RAIL CLIPS
Slide 20 Manual Chap. 3 page 23, 24 & 25

GANTREX RAIL CLIPS
SPECIALIZED RAIL CLIPS
Slide 21 Manual Chap. 3 page 26 thru 30

End stops are not Designed to Stop a fully loaded Crane. Just
to limit The crane’s travel.
END STOPS

UNDER-RUNNING CRANE RAILS

DOUBLE HANGER RODS
1/8” sheer plate
Relieves stress on splice
Joint.

Splicing Details
PATENTED TRACK SPLICING

UNDERHUNG END STOPS

CRANE WHEELS
The flanged wheel is the more common wheel. The flanged wheel does
not need any guidance equipment to find its way on the track because the
flanges guide the wheel. However, the flanges should not touch the rail
too often either. If you notice too much wear on the flange, either the
crane or the rail is in need of realignment.
Slide 30 Not in Manual

CRANE WHEELS
Wheel material can be made of either cast iron or steel.
• Cast iron
– Lighter than steel
– can only be used in light duty cranes
• 1040 Steel
– wheels are heavier than the cast iron wheel
– have a greater strength
– are always used when the crane is in heavy-duty applications

CRANE WHEELS
Side note about wheels……
• Standard wheel hardness in industry is 320 to 360 BHN
• Konecranes wheels
– standard industrial cranes wheels are made from spheroidal graphite cast
iron and have a Brinell hardness (BHN) of 225- 305
– These wheels receive no additional surface hardening.
– Konecranes single flanged wheels used on patented track are machined
from steel billets and surfaced hardened to 425 BHN.
• P&H wheels
– Standard wheels hardened to 58 to 60+ HRC.
• Standard ASCE rail is hardened minimum is 320 BHN Maximum is 400
BHN
Slide 32 NOT IN MANUAL

CRANE WHEELS
• Typical flanged wheel has a 15-degree angle on the
flange to reduce rail wear.
• Konecranes flanged wheels only have about 5
degrees of angle since we primarily use square bar
rail.
• Also…
– The surface of the wheel may need to be hardened
due to load
– The wheel is hardened to a depth of a few millimeters
– But it can be hardened up to a depth of 6-8 mm
Slide 33 MANUAL Chap. 3 Page 41

FLAT OR STRAIGHT TREAD WHEELS
• CMAA Spec 70
“Unless other means of
restricting lateral
movements are provided all
wheels shall be double
flanged with the treads
accurately machined.
Drive Wheels must be
matched to within .001” per
inch of diameter to
maximum of .010”
whichever is smaller.”
Wheel Float = 3/4 - 1”
Slide 34 Manual Chap. 3 Page 44

FLAT OR STRAIGHT TREAD WHEELS
Radial Area is what steers the
Crane.
Slide 35 NOT IN MANUAL

TAPERED TREAD WHEELS
Inspect Same as Flat Tread
CMAA Tolerances for Drive Wheels
are the same as Flat Tread
Designed to “self-center” on the
runway

TAPERED WHEEL INSTALLATION
Large Diameter Inboard Small Diameter Outboard

PRESCRIPTION WHEELS (RX)
Original wheel was
360 BHN which
wore out flange
allowing more
skewing, increased
to 60+ Rockwell
Shave down rail until it matches radial area then
work hardens rail
Slide 38 Manual Chap. 3 Page 46 & 47

UNDERHUNG WHEEL SPACING
Or manufacturers recommendations

MATCHED WHEEL AND RAIL TYPES

BEAM REPLACEMENT REQUIREMENT

WHEEL & RAIL REPLACEMENT CRITERIA
10 to 15% Wear in Width
Premature rail wear may indicate an alignment problem
Wheel Flange Wear 
50%
When sharp edges appear
- unacceptable- replace rail
No more than 50% wear.
Increased wheel float
Slide 42 Manual Chap. 3 Page 51, 52 & 53

FLAT SPOTS DUE TO SLIDING (SOFT)
#1 Cause on a drive
wheel is: Brake torque
too high
#1 Cause on an idler
wheel is: Bad
Bearing
VFD Cranes most common Causes: Improper use of E-stop, Radio
timing out & too short Deceleration Times

FLAT SPOTS DUE TO SLIDING (HARD)

This is what it can like
When the hardened wheel
Tread surface
Is worn away.
WHEEL TREAD WEAR

WHEEL ASSEMBLY

QUESTIONS ?

Runways, Wheels and Rail Installation

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