Sometimes it's a dirty job and this time Barnhart had to do it, when the company was tasked with removing a 20,000 lb. crank shaft and flywheel assembly at a manufacturing plant.
After the crank and flywheel were removed, Barnhart also had to extract the 18,000 lb. grease-covered pie weight, which was in a 15' deep pit below the crank assembly. Since the weight was recessed underneath the edge of the floor at the bottom of the pit, a creative solution had to be found to get it out.
Barnhart used chain falls and a 60-ton crane to drift the piece out and safely remove it. Working with minimal headroom and in very tight, dirty and slippery conditions in and around the pit, the crew had to be careful to avoid any accidents. Once the new counterweight and crankshaft assembly arrived, Barnhart replaced all the pieces. The result was a successful job with no injuries and minimal downtime for the customer.