Swaging sleeves for steel cable assemblies is one of the most commonly performed rigging functions for lighter duty applications. Watch our video for everything you need to know to swage sleeves safely and correctly for your next application.
For a text and picture version of this information, keep reading.
We’re often asked whether it is better to make an eye with hour glass sleeves or with wire rope clips
Swaged hour glass sleeves are stronger, more cost effective, and do not require future maintenance or re-torquing of nuts. They are also more streamlined than wire rope clips.
When forming swaged cable assemblies, there are primarily two types of wire rope that are used: 7x7 and 7x19 strand cable
The shape of the cable is not perfectly round and is made of several strands of wires.
7x19 refers to the cable having six outer strands surrounding the center core strand that counts as the seventh. Each strand is composed of 19 smaller wires.
If you look closely, you can see the V-shaped area between the strands. This is referred to as a “valley.”
Most commonly, aluminum hour glass sleeves are used with hot dip galvanized cable to form cable assemblies.
The aluminum is soft. When compressed by the swaging tool, it will be forced into the valleys of the cable, locking the aluminum sleeve into place.
Make an eye by passing the cable through the sleeve and doubling it back.
Before swaging, make sure the “cut end” of the cable sticks out at a length at least 2 cable diameters. This will allow for full contact with the cable when the sleeve expands during swaging.
Place the sleeve into the tool jaws.
Note the proper orientation of the swage tool cavity with the aluminum sleeve.
The sleeve should always be vertically aligned and never horizontal.
With the sleeve in the proper position, make your first swage by squeezing the swage tool handles together until the jaws are completely closed.
For each sleeve size, there is a prescribed number of swage crimps that must be made.
In the case of this ¼” sleeve, it requires 4 swage crimps.
Be sure to leave a small space in between each of the crimps. Your finished assembly should look as shown.
Different sized sleeves will require a different number of swages.
2 swages are required for sizes 1/16ths" and 3/32nds" sleeves.
3 swages are required for sizes 1/8th" and 5/32nds" sleeves.
4 swages are required for 3/16ths" and ¼ inch sleeves.
5 swages are required for 5/16ths" and 3/8ths" sleeves.
When making multiple swages, it is important to follow the correct sequence for each sized sleeve.
The diagram here can be referenced for the swaging sequences of different sized sleeves.
To make sure the swage crimps are done properly, use an “after swage gauge” like the Tyler Tool Go-No-Go Gauge
Using the corresponding gauge cavity, slide the gauge over the sleeve.
If the gauge turns around the swage crimp area freely, you then know it was done properly.
If the gauge does not slip over the swage crimp area, use the tool to swage again to make sure the sleeve was compressed fully.
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