Product Safety Alert

Date: 04 May 2018

Bulletin Number: TDS‐04‐04 Revision: A

Top Drive

Subject: Falling Stabilizer Liner on PH‐75 Pipehandler

Product Model: TDS‐11SA, ‐11SH, ‐11HP, ‐11HD, and IDS‐4A Top Drive Drilling Systems

Effectivity: TDS‐11SA, ‐11SH, ‐11HP and ‐11HD with PH‐75 (P/N 30157366) and IDS‐4A
with PH‐75 (P/N 30173029, ‐1, and ‐2)

Affected Assemblies: Clamp Cylinder Assembly, PH‐75 (P/N 30157287)

Objective
Advise customers of falling objects from the PH‐75 Pipehandler under operating conditions.

Issue
This Safety Alert identifies separate dropped object incidents related to the Liner, Stabilizer
(P/N 30158690) on the PH‐75 Pipehandler. The original release of this safety alert focused on gap
clearances between the Liner, Stabilizer, the Stabilizer, Front (P/N 30124898), and
Body, Clamp Cylinder (P/N 30157221). NOV has been advised of an additional incident involving
heavy vibrations during the drilling process. No injuries were reported as a result of either
incident.

In the original release of this safety alert it was stated that during drilling operations one of the two
Liner, Stabilizers used on a PH‐75 Pipehandler fell to the rig floor. Three of the 1/2 in. diameter by
1‐1/4 in. long hex head screws, which attach each Liner, Stabilizer to the Clamp Cylinder Assembly, failed
and were found on the rig floor lock‐wired together. The investigation determined that clearance may
exist between the Liner, Stabilizer, the Stabilizer, Front and the Body, Clamp Cylinder, resulting in
excessive loading of the mounting screws. The fit between these parts is nominally designed to have zero
clearance.

In the more recent incident, a Liner, Stabilizer fell to the rig floor. The rig was experiencing heavy vibration
during surface drilling operations. This incident is under investigation and will be updated in a future
revision to this alert.

TDS‐04‐04/Rev A Page 1 of 6
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The PH‐75 Pipehandler utilizes two Liners, Stabilizer which attach to the top of the Clamp Cylinder
Assembly, just below the lower tool joint lock. Each Liner, Stabilizer is attached with three
Hex Head Screws (P/N 50008‐10‐C5D), Lock Washers (P/N 50908‐C), Washer, Flat (P/N 50808‐N‐C)
and are safety wired together with 0.051 in. diameter Lockwire (P/N Z6001), as shown in Figure 1.

Solution

From the original release of this safety alert, NOV still recommends inspection of the Liners, Stabilizer
on the PH‐75 Pipehandlers for zero clearance between the O.D. of each Liner, Stabilizer and the I.D. of
the Stabilizer, Front and the Body, Clamp Cylinder, as shown in Figure 1. In the event clearance is found,
NOV recommends that the Liner, Stabilizer be removed, and the three mounting holes, which are
currently 0.563 in. thru, be elongated 1/8 in. to provide adjustment, as shown in Figure 2.

If it is necessary to elongate the holes, a Washer, Flat (P/N 50808‐R‐C5) should be used in place
of the existing lock washer. NOV also recommends that the hex head screws be replaced with
Grade 8 fasteners, Screw, Cap‐Hex Head UNC (P/N 50008‐10‐C8D). Even if the measured clearance is zero
and it is not necessary to elongate the mounting holes, the Liner, Stabilizer should still be removed, and
inspected for liner wear and re‐installed using the Grade 8 Fasteners referenced above. Any other worn
or missing hardware should be replaced. The Liners, Stabilizer are to be inspected weekly to ensure all
safety wire, cotters pins and screws are tight, as outlined in the top drive service manual.

NOV revised the design of the Liner, Stabilizer in January 2003 to add wear pads (as shown in Figure 1) to
prevent the mounting screws from being damaged by coming into contact with the bottom of the lower
tool joint lock. The Liner, Stabilizer involved in the original incident did not have the wear pad design
and the feature would not have been a contributing factor in the occurrence. NOV recommends that any
Liners, Stabilizer found without the wear pad feature be replaced at the earliest opportunity.

If customers are experiencing heavy vibrations during drilling operations, NOV recommends immediate
inspection of the Liners, Stabilizer, and to conduct daily inspections. Loss of clamping force can lead to
fastener failure. To sustain clamping force under heavy vibration, NOV recommends installing the Liner,
Stabilizer with 1/4 in. longer grade 8 fasteners, Screw, Cap‐Hex Head UNC (P/N 50008‐12‐C8D), Washer,
Lock‐Regular (P/N 50908‐C) and adding washers (quantity 3 per fastener), Washer, Flat (P/N 50808‐R‐C),
as shown in Figure 5. Fasteners should be paint marked after properly being torqued to identify fastener
movement (examples shown in Figures 3 and 4). If movement is discovered, fasteners should be re‐
torqued to the proper torque specification included in the top drive service manual.

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Mounting Hardware

Wear Pads
Liner, Stabilizer

O.D.
Liner, Stabilizer

Stabilizer, Front

I.D.
Stabilizer, Front

Body, Clamp Cylinder

Figure 1
Exploded View of Torque Wrench Assembly Liner, Stabilizer

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Figure 2
Liner, Stabilizer Hole Modifications

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Figure 3 Figure 4

Figure 5

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Ordering and Contact Information

Please contact your local National Oilwell Varco (NOV) Service Center, with reference to PB TDS‐04‐04,
for further assistance.

Economic Impact

All parts, and installation are at Customer cost. Parts will be supplied by NOV, delivered FCA,
NOV facility, FCA, NOV facility, (Incoterms 2010), for all equipment defined by NOV to be
affected by the above described issue.

Customers should also refer to previous NOV Product Bulletins for additional information regarding safe
operation, maintenance, and inspection criteria by signing in to your MYNOV account at
https://portal.mynov.com and then searching with the Product Bulletin Search available below the
heading ‘Application Groups’. For information on registering, please visit
https://www.nov.com/Search/register.aspx.

Failure to follow the recommendations and/or guidance in NOV Manuals and Product Bulletins may
result in death, bodily injury or property damage.

Please contact your local National Oilwell Varco (NOV) Service Center if you have any questions
regarding this bulletin.

Revision History
Revision Date Change Description
00 Month 0000 (vertical line to the side of a paragraph indicates a change)
‐ 29 Mar 2004 Initial release

A 04 May 2018 Updated Figure 1 to illustrate current design, and add recent incident
and solution for heavy vibration while drilling.

TDS‐04‐04/Rev A Page 6 of 6