Pipe Lifts

What a Pipe Lifter Does on a Pipe Crew

A pipe lifter is a grip device that hangs from an excavator thumb, bucket hook, backhoe, or crane hook and clamps the outside of a pipe section so it can be carried, aligned and lowered into a trench. The alternative methods are nylon slings or chains through the bell, both of which usually require someone in the trench to release the rigging after the joint is home. Pipe lifting devices remove that step: the operator sets the pipe, slacks the line, and the jaws release on their own.

The other reason crews buy pipe lifting tools is joint control. A sling lets a pipe rotate and swing as it comes off the stringing line. A scissor-grip lifter holds the section in a fixed attitude, which makes it far easier to bring a spigot into a bell squarely instead of gouging the gasket. On C900 PVC and ductile iron, that alone can pay for the tool over a single job.

Hydraulic Pipe Lifter vs. Gravity Scissor Grip

Buyers searching for a hydraulic pipe lifter are usually after one thing: a grip that will not let go mid-lift. It is worth knowing that the Kenco Pipe-Lift models in this collection reach that result mechanically rather than hydraulically. Their product data lists Hydraulics Required: No across the line. The scissor linkage converts the hanging weight of the pipe into clamping force at the pads, so the harder the pipe pulls down, the tighter the jaws close.

The practical trade-offs are worth weighing. A mechanical grip has no hoses to route, no couplers to leak, no auxiliary circuit to plumb, and nothing to winterize, which matters when the tool moves between a mini excavator, a backhoe and a crane on the same project. It also has no powered opening function, so the operator has to set the pipe down and slack the line to release. Hydraulic and powered grips can open and close on command and can hold a pipe with the load unweighted, which is useful for feeding pipe horizontally or working at odd angles. For open-cut utility work where pipe is picked from a stringing line and lowered into a trench, the mechanical grip is generally the simpler tool.

Sizing by Capacity and Outside Diameter

Two numbers decide which model fits: the weight of the heaviest section you will pick, and the pipe's outside diameter. Outside diameter is the one people get wrong, because pipe is usually specified by nominal or inside size. A nominal 12 in. ductile iron pipe, a 12 in. C900 PVC pipe and a 12 in. reinforced concrete pipe do not share an outside diameter, and the grip has to close on the actual OD. Measure the pipe you are buying, and check the OD range on the product page before you order.

Verified figures from our product data for four of the Kenco models:

The collection also carries the PL2150, PL2250, PL2500, PL3000, PL3500, PL4500, PL2750 X-Treme Capacity and PL8500. Capacity and diameter range differ by model, so confirm both on the individual product page rather than assuming a model number equals a rating.

Custom Pipe Lifting Equipment and Odd Sizes

Requests for custom pipe lifting equipment usually turn out to be sizing problems rather than fabrication problems. Because the Kenco line is split into narrow diameter bands, a crew running several pipe sizes on one job often needs two lifters rather than one custom unit. Before assuming you need something built, list every OD and section weight you will handle, then see which bands cover them. If a diameter falls between the published ranges on our product pages, or you are handling a material not listed for a given model, contact us before ordering.

Standards, Inspection and Trench Safety

A pipe lifter hangs below a hook, which puts it in a regulated category. ASME B30.20 covers below-the-hook lifting devices, including requirements that the device be marked with its rated load and inspected on a defined schedule. OSHA 1926.251 requires that rigging equipment for material handling be inspected each day before use and removed from service when damaged or defective. Damaged grip pads, bent linkage, elongated pin holes and worn bushings are all reasons to pull a lifter off the job.

The trench itself carries separate rules. OSHA 1926.652 requires a protective system for trenches 5 feet deep or greater unless the excavation is in stable rock, and OSHA 1926.651 requires a competent person to inspect excavations daily and as conditions change. Never suspend a load over a worker in the trench, and never ride a load. If a forklift is used to move pipe in the yard, OSHA 1910.178 requires operator training and evaluation for powered industrial trucks.

Moving Pipe at Ground Level

Not every pipe handling job is a lift. The Vestil V-Groove Pipe Movers (VGP) in this collection are ground-level dollies with a V-shaped cradle for rolling pipe across a yard or shop floor. Two models are listed: the VGP-100 with pneumatic wheels at $398.69, and the VGP-100-FF with foam-filled wheels at $449.77. Both are made in the USA by Vestil Manufacturing and carry a 1-Year Limited warranty. Foam-filled wheels are the choice where debris makes flats likely; pneumatic wheels roll easier over rough or soft ground.