A Low Cost Line Pulling Swivel (Wire Pulling Tip)

[guykuo]

As cable is pulled through a long conduit, the pull line tends to twist the cables within the conduit. You really don't want the cables to twist around each other, so professionals use a line pull swivel to release the twisting forces during the pull. The swivel is placed between the pull line and cable bundle being pulled. These swivels are too costly for a DIY IP project. However, a heavy duty fishing swivel is strong enough for our pulls, small enough to fit in smaller conduit, and really low cost.

I have used these successfully for a four cable pull through 50 yards of underground conduit including 180 degrees of turns. No more nasty twisting of the cables. They feed through nice and parallel. This fishing swivel tiny but strong (1320 lb test strength). Does the job for a tiny fraction of a Greenlee cable pull swivel.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008YTNCLS/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This low cost swivel and pull lube are your friends when tackling a long pull

 

[TonyR]

Great post!

You are so right about the twisting; even stiffer, #14 solid will try to spiral when pulled into straight, 100 ft. runs of 2" conduit. In some underground traffic signal conduits we'd have up to about 12 each solid copper #14's for the traffic signals, 4 each #18-2 stranded, shielded Belden cables for the vehicle loop detector home runs and 2 solid copper #14's with black insulation as spares or pull wires. Going back a few years later to replace a bad conductor or pull in a new one for an added function could be a nightmare if all those conductors were overly twisted and intertwined.

It's next to impossible to prevent ALL twisting but I think the swivel prevents most of it and facilitates easier future maintenance of existing conductors in conduit.

 

[eggsan]

I purchase at Home Depot an attachment with metal rollers (fits at single or multi-gang boxes) for pulling cables...it works perfectly! Is also good to consider as a helping hand.

Madison Electric Products Pull-It Universal Wire Pulling Tool-104 - The Home Depot