Rigging choice on a tight site: spreader bar vs basket sling on a 14 ton AC unit

Had to swap an old rooftop unit on King Street in Charleston last Tuesday, and the landing zone was tighter than my sleeper cab. I picked a 12 foot spreader bar over a double basket sling because I needed to clear a parapet and a vent pipe without swinging the load. The bar handled it smooth, but setting the pickup height took me an extra 20 minutes of math with the tagline crew. Only issue was the bar's weight ate into my chart, I was at 82% capacity instead of the 68% I figured with the sling. Next time on a pinched spot, would you guys eat the chart hit or trust the sling and rely on a spotter for the swing? Just trying to build a better game plan before I bid on the next one in Mount Pleasant.

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baker.simon21d agoMost Upvoted

That 82% capacity hit is exactly why I'd have gone with the basket sling on a 14 ton unit. A good spotter on the ground with a radio can kill the swing way easier than trying to babysit a spreader bar's math in tight quarters. I've seen too many guys eat up their chart margin on rigging weight when the real risk was the load drifting into that parapet.