Why Won’t My Casket Lowering Device Lower at All?
Updated: 1 day ago
A casket lowering device that will not lower can have several different causes.
The first thing to determine is whether the device will not begin lowering at all or whether it begins lowering and then stops or hangs during the cycle.
Those may sound similar, but they can represent very different conditions.
If the device begins lowering and repeatedly stops or hangs, see our separate resource on lowering-device hesitation and intermittent stopping.
If the device will not lower at all, there are several safe observations cemetery personnel can make before the equipment is professionally inspected.
First Determine What the Device Is Actually Doing
Before attempting to diagnose anything internally, pay attention to the basic operating behavior.
Useful information includes:
Does the device refuse to lower completely?
Does it move slightly and then stop?
Does anything feel unusually tight or bound?
During setup or wind-up, does the crank handle feel normal and free, or can you feel unusual resistance, roughness, or another change through the handle?
Is anything visibly broken, bent, disconnected, or obviously out of position around the device?
Those observations can give a technician valuable information without requiring cemetery personnel to open the heads or diagnose internal components themselves.
Proper Lubrication Is a Reasonable First Check
Lubrication is one of the basic maintenance items published in lowering-device manufacturer guidance.
If the device has not been properly lubricated, the appropriate first step is to make sure the factory-recommended lubricant has been applied in the proper amount to the designated lubrication point.
More lubricant is not necessarily better.
Do not pour large quantities of oil into the head or pack the mechanism with grease in an attempt to make a device move.
The goal is to apply the proper lubricant in the proper amount and determine whether lack of lubrication was contributing to the condition.
If proper lubrication restores smooth, normal operation, continue to monitor the device closely.
If it does not, repeatedly adding more lubricant is unlikely to solve the problem. The device needs further inspection.
A Device That Still Will Not Lower Needs Diagnosis
Once basic lubrication and obvious external conditions have been checked, a device that still refuses to lower can involve a wide range of mechanical conditions.
Possible areas can include wear, binding, bearings, the governor or speed-control system, gears, internal alignment, or damage or distortion within the mechanism.
The important point is that “it won’t lower” is a symptom, not a parts diagnosis.
Replacing a component simply because it is associated with the lowering system can waste money and may leave the actual problem unresolved.
Intermittent Stopping Is a Different Complaint
A device that will not move at all should not automatically be treated the same as one that lowers and then periodically hangs.
Intermittent stopping can involve different mechanical conditions.
Damage from overloading, over-cranking, impact, wear, or internal distortion can sometimes affect the way a device moves through certain portions of its operating cycle.
Because multiple internal conditions can create similar symptoms, this is where experience with the complete device becomes important.
We intentionally do not publish the internal testing sequence used to identify those conditions.
Do Not Force a Bound Device
If the device feels mechanically bound, unusually difficult to operate, or significantly different from normal, do not keep applying more force in an attempt to make it move.
Continuing to operate equipment that is binding can turn an existing problem into additional internal damage.
A device that still refuses to operate normally after basic safe checks should be removed from normal graveside service until the cause is identified.
Perform Checks Away From the Open Grave
Any troubleshooting or operational check should be performed on stable ground in a controlled area away from the open grave whenever possible.
Do not position a questionable device over a grave simply to see whether it will operate differently.
The purpose of a safety check is to determine whether the device is ready for graveside use—not to discover a serious mechanical problem while a casket is already depending on it.
Why Experience Matters With These Devices
Some lowering-device problems are straightforward. Others are not.
Cantrell’s has repaired equipment with everything from normal wear and adjustment issues to severe impact damage, including lowering devices that have been dropped during transport or struck by heavy equipment.
Years of working inside these devices makes it possible to recognize operating patterns and narrow down a problem much more quickly than someone who understandably only encounters lowering-device problems occasionally.
Cemetery personnel are not expected to be lowering-device repair technicians.
Their job is to recognize when the equipment is no longer behaving normally, perform the appropriate basic checks, and know when professional inspection is needed.
Early Service Can Prevent Additional Damage
A device that begins showing symptoms should be inspected before the condition progresses.
Continuing to use a worn, binding, or damaged lowering device can allow one developing problem to affect additional components.
That can turn a relatively contained repair into a much larger one.
Regular preventive maintenance is intended to find wear, lubrication issues, adjustment concerns, and developing mechanical conditions before the device reaches the point where it will no longer operate normally.
Call Us Even If You Are Not Sure You Need Service
If you are dealing with a lowering device that will not lower, stops during operation, makes an unusual sound, or simply does not feel right, Cantrell’s is glad to help you talk through what you are seeing.
Even if you ultimately do not hire us for the repair, we would rather help cemetery personnel determine the safest next step than have someone continue operating or disassembling equipment they are unsure about.
A description, photo, or safely recorded video of the symptom can often help us understand what you are experiencing.
The Bottom Line
If a casket lowering device will not lower, first determine whether it is completely refusing to move or whether it begins lowering and then stops.
Check for obvious visible problems and make sure the device has the proper factory-recommended lubrication—without over-oiling or over-greasing it.
If the device still will not operate normally, do not force it and do not begin replacing parts based solely on the symptom.
Remove it from normal use and have the complete device properly evaluated.
NEED HELP WITH YOUR EQUIPMENT?
Have a question about what your equipment is doing? Tap the chat button in the bottom-right corner of your screen and ask us. Tell us what you're seeing, hearing, or experiencing, and include photos or video when helpful.
No sales pitch — just practical equipment support.
Need professional service for this equipment?