Why Is My Casket Lowering Device Lowering Too Slowly?
Updated: 1 day ago
A casket lowering device should descend at a smooth, controlled and consistent rate. If a device that has normally operated one way begins taking noticeably longer to lower, that change is worth paying attention to.
A device lowering too slowly is not necessarily the same problem as a device that hesitates, stops and starts, jerks or will not lower at all. How the device is behaving is useful information when determining what needs to be inspected.
What Does “Too Slow” Actually Mean?
There is not one simple speed that can be applied to every lowering device in every situation.
What matters most to cemetery personnel is a noticeable change from the way that particular device normally operates.
For example, if a device has consistently lowered smoothly at a controlled rate and gradually begins taking significantly longer to complete the same lowering cycle, something in its condition or maintenance may have changed.
That does not identify the cause by itself, but it is a legitimate reason to have the device inspected.
Too Slow Is Different From Hesitating or Stopping
It helps to describe exactly what the device is doing.
A device that moves continuously but noticeably slower than normal is presenting a different symptom from one that pauses during the lowering cycle, repeatedly stops and starts, jerks or binds, changes speed during the descent, or will not begin or complete the lowering cycle.
Those distinctions can be very helpful when describing the problem to a technician. They do not require cemetery personnel to determine which internal component is causing it.
Pay Attention to How the Change Developed
A few observations can make the complaint much easier to understand.
Was the device becoming slower gradually over several services, or did the change appear suddenly?
Does it remain consistently slow throughout the entire descent, or does the speed change at different points in the cycle?
Did a new sound, unusual resistance or other operating change appear at the same time?
Did the condition begin after the device had been transported, stored, serviced or otherwise handled differently than usual?
Those details help establish what changed without turning the symptom into a parts diagnosis.
Make Sure the Device Is Set Up Normally
Before assuming the lowering device itself has developed a mechanical problem, cemetery personnel can make sure there is no obvious external setup or interference issue affecting normal operation.
The equipment should be assembled and positioned normally, with nothing visibly interfering with its movement.
If the normal setup has been verified and the device is still lowering significantly slower than it previously did, the condition should be evaluated.
Proper Lubrication Is a Reasonable First Check
If a lowering device begins operating slower than normal, make sure the speed-control assembly has the proper amount of lubrication according to the manufacturer’s guidance.
A device that is dry or overdue for normal lubrication can operate differently than it should, so applying the correct lubricant in the proper amount and then checking the device’s operation is a reasonable first step.
If proper lubrication restores the device to its normal smooth, controlled lowering rate, continue to monitor its operation as part of normal maintenance.
If the device remains unusually slow after the speed-control assembly has been properly lubricated, do not keep adding more lubricant in an attempt to make it move faster. At that point, the continued slow operation indicates that another underlying condition may be affecting the device and further inspection is appropriate.
Do Not Make Speed Adjustments by Trial and Error
A lowering device that has changed speed should not be repeatedly adjusted until the operator finds a setting that seems acceptable.
The lowering rate is part of the device's controlled operation. An unexplained speed change should be evaluated along with the condition of the complete device.
This is especially important if the slower descent appears along with another symptom.
When Should the Device Be Removed From Service?
A noticeably slower device deserves inspection, particularly when the change is significant or continues to worsen.
Remove the device from normal use if slow lowering is accompanied by binding or unusually high resistance, grinding or another new mechanical sound, jerking or stop-start operation, slipping, brake problems, unexpected changes in speed, or any behavior that makes cemetery personnel uncertain how the device will perform during the next graveside service.
Do not use a casket as the test for whether an unexplained operating problem has corrected itself.
Professional Service Should Verify the Complete Lowering Cycle
A professional inspection should look at the lowering device as a complete mechanical system rather than selecting a replacement part based only on the complaint that it is “too slow.”
After the condition is corrected, the device should be operated through its complete cycle to confirm that it again lowers smoothly, consistently and predictably.
The Bottom Line
If a casket lowering device that previously operated normally begins lowering noticeably slower, pay attention to the change.
Determine whether it is consistently slow or whether it is actually hesitating, binding, stopping and starting or changing speed during the cycle.
Verify that the device is set up normally, apply the proper amount of lubrication to the speed-control assembly according to manufacturer guidance, and if the condition remains, have the device inspected rather than continuing to add lubricant or making trial-and-error adjustments.
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