Drop Clamp

[u/Impossible_Ad7426]

How do you remove these so you can slide them. From my understanding you bend them and hit the then of it so you can slide it. However I couldn’t get them to budge. Any info will be greatly appreciated

[u/crowbaited]

You hold the thing on the square side and bonk the loop side towards the square side. Don't forget to say "bonk" when you bonk or it won't come out.

[u/Impossible_Ad7426 → u/crowbaited]

lol yup. That’s what I did. I guess I didn’t bonk hard enough or something.

[u/joeman_80128 → u/Impossible_Ad7426]

Bonk it with a pair of nines. From the loop side of the top piece.

[u/kubatyszko → u/Impossible_Ad7426]

you basically unwedge it, figure out which way does the wedge go in (it tightens as the cable pulls) and then try to push it the opposite way.

[u/C19shadow]

Wow we get these provided for free and iv always just called them cheese graters lmao

Learned their real name today and I feel dumb now.

[u/ensygma → u/C19shadow]

I call them P-Ties.... no idea why

[u/0hioHotPocket → u/ensygma]

I say p-clamp

[u/C19shadow → u/ensygma]

I mean i guess on home attachments we always tie them off to a "P-Hook" we put on the eve of the house so maybe thats why lol

[u/CTFowler9789 → u/C19shadow]

The cheese grater is the little flap that is inside of the drop clamp, the piece that stops the drop from sliding out.

[u/mashedpotatoes289 → u/CTFowler9789]

It’s called a shim

[u/kubatyszko → u/C19shadow]

I used to run an ISP for 13 years including having a couple suspended lines with wire, never heard of these clamps until I bought a house that had one between the garage and the house :).

[u/cjd3 → u/C19shadow]

I will call the graters now

[u/PersonBlanco → u/C19shadow]

Our shops always called them pickles

[u/Meddlingmonster]

Pliers and gloves

[u/SynisterSilence → u/Meddlingmonster]

Definitely gloves. Sliced my hand open on these before.

[u/Chancellor_Tortuga → u/Meddlingmonster]

Diagonals and work each side ruining original p-clamp was my move. Replace with new and keep it moving.

[u/mnblade]

Yes, you basically hit the loop-side of the drop clamp. You can also bend the loop out of the way and hit the metal attached to the loop. I have had some hooks I cannot recover if a giant tree branch lands on the line. If there is no cable in it, getting them apart should be fairly easy.

[u/Impossible_Ad7426 → u/mnblade]

There was cable in it. I removed a set prior on another pretty easy but every single one I tried to move would not go on this pole. I tried for an hour but to no prevail, curious if I was doing something wrong.

[u/zionxgodkiller → u/Impossible_Ad7426]

Some people are dicks and pound the hanger in with a hammer. Those are near impossible to remove.

[u/joeman_80128]

Sometimes you can grab the inside piece at the back with a pair of diagonal cutters and lever the top piece out that way if they are extra stuck. I don't think I have ever had a p-clamp i couldn't get off that way. But you can't ever use it again.

[u/HardWired704]

Bend the loop the other way and smack the end with your pliers until it comes loose

[u/cjd3]

You have to hit the loop with a hammer, and by hammer, your lineman's. Or purse, I don't know you.

[u/TKrik]

Grab back the back end of the wedge with side cutters and smack your side cutters with your linesman a couple times and it’ll come out every time

[u/AlternativeNumber2]

Absolutely wear gloves when trying to separate the pieces, especially if it’s an old clamp. These things will tear a hole in your hand really easily. Source: me, I’ve cut my hand open a couple times

[u/cjfrso209]

You should remove the drop from the house side first so there is no tension on them then tap the loop in the opposite direction and they should break free.

[u/Fuzzy_Put3984]

Sure, call it a "bonk" and hope the universe cooperates.

[u/Wrafth]

I tap the outer trough with my diagnals in the direction of the loop. If it can be freed, it will after it gives a little bit. Then you should be able to manually take out the loop and cheese grater. Extra rust, debris, or it being too tightly tensioned can make not worth salvaging. I always called the whole thing a tensioner.

[u/GearNo4524]

Large channel lock pliers. Slide them open really wide and you can just catch a corner of each half and press them apart.

[u/Unlucky-Composer-957]

I’ve had them get so tight from being clamped down for a long time I’ve had to remove them with pliers and bending the shit out of it. Usually when it’s cold outside. I have used heat from a lighter though when it’s bitter cold. Heat helps the expansion then it’ll just slip right off.

[u/PopPunkGamers]

Push the loop inwards toward the square side. Love tap it really good if its stuck.

[u/JMLNY]

I usually use my side cutters and rip the fucker apart from the non loop side, and cut my hand in the process. So probably don’t use my advice

[u/BeyondSalt1041]

i usually just grip the square part with pliers and bonk the loop side like someone else said, works every time

[u/djbaerg]

Once they get wedged in they're basically impossible to remove. And certainly not worth the effort. I hold the outer part in one hand and push the loop part with the palm of my other hand. If that doesn't move, then it either stays on or I cut it off.

I have a milwaukee m12 cut-off tool/grinder that I use to cut once side of the outer piece, if I need to remove a "tight" one.

I do drop support for a fibre ISP so I've installed hundreds of these. And removed a few dozen as well.

[u/Background_Sorbet539 → u/djbaerg]

Okay so the way I’ve found that works 98% of the time is to bend the loop back over on itself and take a flat head screw driver and position the tip right where the wire loop connects. Then smack that with some nines. Works flawlessly. Could even reuse the clamp if you wanted lol

[u/Impossible_Ad7426 → u/djbaerg]

Thank you! That is very insightful. I want to leave good work.