How maintenance starts a rollercoaster refurbishment

There is a sizable amount of effort that goes into planning the offseason rehab. But where does the effort Start? Does it start when the ride shuts down, or before? or after? Im going to talk about how I would prepare for the off season rehab / refurbishment of some of the Major Rollercoasters.

[@Scjheinen]

I just started the rehab of the second train from our SLC this week, got it disassembled for NDT and replacing all the bearings and bushings. Might do some spindle’s as well if they don’t meet the specs. Love working on those Vekoma trains, they are simple yet exciting to work on.

[@ryantheridemechanic]

And very dependent on how they are assembled. You can really tell he one is thrown together quick.

[@Scjheinen]

@@ryantheridemechanic Yeah it can get really difficult if it's not assembled good. Especially if the hammer mechanic put the spindle's in with a hammer instead of honing it to the right measurments.

[@ryantheridemechanic]

@@Scjheinen one of my video topics coming up is hammer mechanic vs measuring mechanics.

[@Scjheinen]

@@ryantheridemechanic Looking forward to that one!

[@jacksongrace]

I've been binging your videos recently and it's been so fun finally getting an inside look about how all these things work! I've been passionate about coasters since I was in kindergarten, and though I was a ride operator last summer, I've been learning so so much and I feel like I'm finally getting a "complete picture" if that makes sense. It's been incredibly satisfying and I can't thank you enough!

[@ryantheridemechanic]

Thank you very much! I release a new video every Friday at 230 CST so keep checking back.

[@jacksongrace]

@@ryantheridemechanic Nice! Will do!

[@ArtBarn591]

Hammer Mechanics LMFAO! water rides sounds about right HA! the dump trucks and caterpillars tracks of amusement!!

[@oyolajm]

Hammer wrench the best tool.

[@thenorthboundmaiden8418]

Enjoyed hearing about the "group buy!" The theme park I am doing my supply chain management internship in their warehouse this summer is family-owned so it will be interesting to compare their procurement process. I will actually get to participate in their procurement process with ordering their food and beverage and consumables such as cleaning chemicals. I am very excited for this summer since the theme park is my home park and thus, holds a lot of sentimental value for me as I have been going since I was a very young girl.

[@ryantheridemechanic]

Then you will put in more effort than most would.

[@spentron1]

Great sledgehammer story! Reminds me of certain "feats of strength" my own customers have given me opportunity to undo.

[@justtee2116]

im at SFA and we just stripped down our Zamperla spinning coaster prepping for NDT and this was my first coaster to operate on as a ride operator now i’m one of the few who get to take it down to the frame and rebuild it I love it lol

[@ryantheridemechanic]

Fun stuff! How old is that one. The old old rides are very hit and miss with headaches during assembly.

[@aldoparise1224]

​@@ryantheridemechanic2004. It originally opened at six flags great america. Then relocated to six flags america in 2014.

[@foldedlettuce1554]

14:55 you starting talking about lubing the chain, with video of Maxx Force, and it instantly brought me back to the summer when we would have Oiler faults all the time at Maxx Force. It was terrible.

[@ryantheridemechanic]

Are those the lubers for the cable(s))

[@Bogarttherideop]

My park right now has gone into this super big rehab phase and as much us ride ops don’t like having our rides closed every weekend for the necessary repairs it’s one of those things that once it gets done the ride seems like it is brand new and is always nice to be back at it

[@sumguy8]

We agreed "Heighth" isn't a word (39:47). Awesome Video! you answered questions I hadn't even thought of before.

[@danamarie2970]

I've always wondered about this! Thanks for the info!

[@Davidvariance]

It's crazy how many times I see people in the field of mechanics and machinery just taking all logic out of the equation. I love when manufacturers provide mechanical relief to parts. I have a particular affinity for a small engine equipment manufacturer that has some set screws for all their spindle pulleys that double as removal bolts when threaded through the proper holes. Makes it really easy to remove a pulley, which i suspect enables them to use cheaper, not inferior, materials for the part. This is just what I needed-- ive been inventorying and organzing every part, tool, etc in our mechanics shop at my workplace as it hasnt been done in 20+ years and weve not had a full time mechanic in years. I guess the title "Field supervisor/fleet mechanic" suits me well.

[@ryantheridemechanic]

Lack of a full time person has to be rough.

[@Davidvariance]

@@ryantheridemechanic it has been for sure, equipment is starting to go from "needs repairs" to "unusable junk" so I decided it was time for someone to get things back in order. Small repairs that go neglected are ballooning into major repairs that make us question the extent to which we repair vs just buying new. That's a dangerous proposition, I'm sure you know

[@ryantheridemechanic]

@@Davidvariance depends on what it is. New comes with problems as well. Too much new stuff and they will question what they need a full time mechanic, and the cycle repeats.

[@DJWezzyK]

Efteling is open 365 days a year but 55% of the park is now in Rehab either way.

[@friskyent1]

Thanks for another great video Ryan 🤜🏼🤛🏼

[@ryantheridemechanic]

Thank you

[@BulletResistant]

Super great video!!! It seems closer to aerospace requirements than auto mechanic requirements. Video after video, still love all the latitude you guys have to make decisions. And lol to answer your question, you borrowed it from Kevin Hart :)

[@ryantheridemechanic]

Haha!! I’ve listen to Kevin Hart for a long time. People tell me your funny, I respond with I know who to quote and when haha!

[@alexlail7481]

So I think you touched this a while back in another video, but it might be interesting as a more indepth videos... with new rides is there a set time frame that a manufacturer guarantees that new parts will be available for a ride or is it just what ever is economical for them and once they no longer offer it the parks engineering will need to reinvent the wheel so to speak.... especially for the parks that have numerous decades old rides?

[@Project_Storm1999]

For the parks that go down for a few months i always feel bad when they come back online because some rides don’t come out of hibernation easy ( kingda ka especially) quick question can u think of any reason why b&m floorless coasters are starting to trim the train at the mid cause basically to a dead stop ( Medusa sf great adventure, kraken sea world Orlando) thank for the videos great like always

[@ryantheridemechanic]

Trim functions generally are controlled by the PLC and there is not usually operator input to turn the function on and off or what speed they are set to. So I’m thinking they had to go into the program and change something. Or maybe they had to physically move the sensors in the block brakes. Parks must want the trains slower. Reduces wear and tear on the train and track when you run them slower.

[@Colaholiker]

And by now even the last person knows what chain Ryan worked for. There's just one group known for their abundance of SLCs and Boomerangs. 🤣 One thing is absolutely true though. People who worked in the industry can't stop talking about it. Knowing someone who worked as a tide operator for a few years, whatever the conversation is, she always makes it turn to 'her' coaster. 😂 One thing I was wondering about that "group buy" thing - are you aware of any of those rides not actually being manufactured by Vekoma? I know there is at least one "Vekoma" coaster in the US, where track and supports were made by Chance Rides for Vekoma, and only lift, brakes, train and all those more complex components were shipped from the Netherlands. Makes sense to me if you don't need to ship a lot of steel tubing halfway around the globe.

[@ryantheridemechanic]

So it’s kind of like Arrow. If I remember the history correctly (probably not) but I think they got their start as a sub contractor for Vekoma. And there are several B&M rides out there with the intamin badge because B&m were still working for Intamin at the time. So it really just boils down to who got the check for the ride. That’s who has the liability. We bought a ride From premier at came for 4 manufacturers but any parts or headaches if any, are premiers problem because that’s who got the check and that’s who we contracted with.

[@ryantheridemechanic]

Yea is so the same thing as the other person. “Hey I heard you talking about aliens in Florida today. That’s so crazy. I can’t believe anything like that is happening. Have you seen Universal‘s new park down there? I can’t wait to go on velocicoaster one day!” there that’s wasn’t so hard to make a conversation about rides 😂

[@Colaholiker]

@@ryantheridemechanic Nah, Chance have been building coasters way before that. I guess, it was just Vekoma's attempt to make it a little less expensive, and maybe they didn't have capacity to manufacture the track themselves. B&M were not working for Intamin - Walter Bolliger and Claude Mabillard were working for Giovanola, who built rides for Intamin. The coaster landscape is pretty twisted (pun intended) look how Morgan was founded by the son of one of the founders of Arrow, or how wooden coaster manufacturers merged and split.

[@ryantheridemechanic]

@@Colaholiker yea it’s not a tree it’s a spider web. I don’t know it well but it seems as soon as you figure out how to make track you go into business making rides!

[@CheesecakeMilitia]

damn, are those shredded vertical bushings a contributor to SLCs' rough reputation? so many neat insights in this video - love getting the origin behind your iconic chair I would suggest that you be mindful of acronym usage, though. I know NDT = non-destructive testing from other videos, but you never said the full phrase in this video (and there was another acronym early in the video I was completely lost on). It'd be helpful for new viewers if that industry lingo gets defined in each video - just a little text annotation would work.

[@ryantheridemechanic]

Good point. I forget about using acronyms I’ll try and make a note to remember. Of course always feel free to ask when you remember the other one.

[@ryantheridemechanic]

There is no “smoking gun” when it comes to those rides. Lots and lots of factors make those rides shake. The vertical spindle is probably about 15-20% of the cause.

[@fredreubens89]

Do the ride manufacturers require a certain list of replacement parts that the parks must keep in stock or is it order or locate only as needed. I worked in the auto industry in a parts department and each new model year or just new model we were required to stock parts from a list they provided us. Is it your thoughts that some parks just seem to stock more than others? And is it possible for a park that needs a part, can they procure it from another park in their corporate chain?

[@ryantheridemechanic]

No there are no required parts to stock. If you want the manufacturer to maintain the liability on the ride you must use their parts unless agreed-upon by an outside engineering firm. So if you don’t stock any of their parts every time, something wears out or breaks your ride will be down until something is shipped in typically from the European area.

[@fredreubens89]

@@ryantheridemechanic Thank You

[@NewEnglandModz]

How similar are breakers/electrical panels for rides compared to breakers found in most homes/businesses, aside from being 3-phase? You had mentioned the new motor tripping a breaker. How many motors are one one breaker? And how many breakers are on a typical coaster, like the B&M you worked on? I have my 2-year in electrical, so I’m very interested in stuff like this. Also, how big is the breaker for one of those lift hill motors?

[@Colaholiker]

From what I've seen in Europe, the stuff is - where possible - the same as what you'd see at home, just the cabinets are built a little differently, being more accessible. If course when you get to the BIG stuff like LIM/LSM drive units, they operate t higher voltages/currents and therefore have components with higher ratings. They don't make specialized "circuit breakers for amusement rides". It's the same stuff that is needed elsewhere where you need the same ratings. A big difference is that in a lot of places (maybe not for one of the smaller motors, but for big things like lift motors or entire flat rides) you will see big fuses that need replaced once they blow instead of breakers. For one, they can be made for higher currents, and also they are not as sensitive so that a short spike of inrush current doesn't make them go pop instantly, but a true short or overload will make them blow. Especially when you have motors that are just controlled through contactors, they have significant inrush current.

[@ryantheridemechanic]

I agree with @colaholiker the breakers are very common on most rides. In general manufacturers use 1 main breaker to feed an area of motors. But each motor will have its own breakers. So if there are 8 booster drives there are 8 breakers and 1 breaker feeding that area. A big dc motor will have roughly a 400-600amp breaker feeding the drive and fuses between the drive and the motor itself for a lift that is.

[@BrennanWhoLikesRollercoa-ki1uf]

I think I’ve already asked this before, but how much of a different is the maintenance for a wooden coaster daily and in the off season? I don’t know how much experience you have with wooden coasters but I am curious to know about the extra effort in keeping one running smoothly. Also how would this compare to Gravity Group’s new precut track and GCI’s titan track, or other types of wood that you can use (e.g. epay instead of southern yellow pine).

[@ryantheridemechanic]

I don’t think I’ve ever made video on wood maintenance. My experience isn’t the greatest with it but I feel I can comfortably cover the subject.

[@thisguy_w0n]

@@ryantheridemechanic id love to see that video!

[@XRROW_]

​@@thisguy_w0nMe too! Wood coasters are my favorite c:

[@jpgiles1725]

Do you guys get time off during the off season, or does it depend on if a new ride is being installed, weather, or repairs etc..

[@ryantheridemechanic]

Generally speaking there is some time for holiday, over time is highly encouraged and in some places mandatory. It’s mainly all hands on deck

[@jpgiles1725]

@@ryantheridemechanic Thank you for answering, and thank you for the video. I was always curious what happened during the off-season.

[@noname117spore]

Ok, so now I have to ask, why are you using a roller coaster seat as a desk chair? How is it set up, and presuming it was modified, how?

[@ryantheridemechanic]

It’s one of the few seats where the back and on are already 1 piece. So all I did was take a base off of a normal office chair and mounted it on there. 1 step and done.

[@noname117spore]

@@ryantheridemechanic And it just fits?

[@ryantheridemechanic]

@@noname117spore I had to drill some new holes in the mounting plate and add shims. But that’s about it.

[@mrsixflags9453]

How do u get off guest of the b&m ride lift hilllike a Batman ride

[@ryantheridemechanic]

There’s a platform that travels up the lift under the train. Platform stops at each row and guests are let off to the stairs on the side. This is also true for B&m Flyers

[@mrsixflags9453]

@@ryantheridemechanic can you do a video on that for Mr six flags

[@IAmAnonymyz]

Since you worked on rides, why is it that vekoma boomerangs and SLC are always so rough? Why don't more parks invest in newer trains/restraints and even retracks?

[@ryantheridemechanic]

It’s actually not even the fabrication of the ride it’s the construction of the track and train together that do it. So honestly it can’t be “fixed” without moving to a diffent style ride all together. More of a family style track

[@IAmAnonymyz]

@@ryantheridemechanic well one park re-tracked their vekoma SLC and upgraded to the new trains/restraints and the ride quality went through the roof. I know Blue Hawk at Six Flags over Georgia is a sit-down vekoma that got new trains/restraints and I think re-tracked some if not all it. The ride quality is the best Vekomas I've been on....SLCs would be much more enjoyable if you didn't feel the need to call the chiropractor afterwards lol

[@ryantheridemechanic]

@@IAmAnonymyz true. It’s mainly up to the park. Do they want to invest 1/2 the cost into fixing the ride? Pretty hard to swallow and the next years capital project will be to fix an old ride. One off the reasons it’s not done that often. Some parks see the value and execute the retrofits.

[@IAmAnonymyz]

@@ryantheridemechanic from a monetary standpoint it pro-longs the EOL of an already established ride PLUS is a bit more cost effective considering the support/structure/electronics don't normally have to be changed and you can technically market it as a "new-ish" ride

[@ryantheridemechanic]

@@IAmAnonymyz true

[@drdremd]

All heil the algorithm!

[@ryantheridemechanic]

I still want to get out there and be seen. But if you don’t make it happy it will bury the video and then no one will see anything.

[@dindog22]

did you fire the sledgehammer guy?

[@ryantheridemechanic]

No. Hammer mechanics are very useful I’m a lot of situations.

[@The-Bible-IS-our-salvation]

What park did you work at?

[@ryantheridemechanic]

I generally don’t disclose the park I worked at or the company I worked for. It’s too easy for people to think my opinions and observations represent that park / company. That being said, like most viewers, it’s easy to figure out. Just connect the dots over time.

[@The-Bible-IS-our-salvation]

@@ryantheridemechanic Alright, I'm new, so I'll figure it out right now

[@johnfoltz8183]

What is NDT?

[@ryantheridemechanic]

Non destructive testing Is looking for cracks on welds without hurting the welds.

[@johnfoltz8183]

Ah, ok

[@kendonagan5535]

Restraints are what hold in your water dummies... i bet in the industry that is a euphemism for "guest"

[@ryantheridemechanic]

Never heard guest referred to as dummies or anything else. It’s people lives after all. And I ride them as much as my kids so I won’t do anything to put my kids lives in jeopardy.

[@michaezell4607]

Due to google's incessant advertising policies I kinda think you should keep the videos on the shorter side as most of us absolutely HATE having the videos constantly being interrupted by google's advertising policies and the longer the video, the more frequent the advertising breaks will be. I really recommend abandoning KZbin in favor of vimeo because unlike KZbin vimeo NEVER forces it's viewers to suffer through endless amounts of advertising just so that the platform's CEOs can further enrich themselves. Google may as well place the KZbin platform behind a pay wall because that's obviously the direction in which they're heading because user's are eventually not going to tolerate the incessant advertising anymore.