Help with Walthers Crane

[Green_Elite_Cab]

Hi GEC,
About the only thing I can suggest is to checkout model crane user groups or there may perhaps be a model train mobile crane/wreck crane sub group.
You cant be the only guy to face this problem, so the solution is out there somewhere.
I do watch one guy on YT, but his clip on reeving was not really helpful , and he mostly models in 1: 50, so its like the difference between O scale and HO.
Picking up an old 200T wrecker at a swap meet does sound like a good idea, if only for a better understanding as to how they are rigged.

Mark

Its not so much the rigging as the model was.

Essentially, the way the model was out of the box was fine, except that the "slot" by the rear spool sheered off for some reason. I tried to fix this by flipping the spool over, but now that the threads cross at some point, the weight and pull of the boom spring isn't enough to lower the boom without me forcing it by hand, which potentially derails the crane, and can cause the spool to unwind on its own.

I could try to flip the spool back and find some other way to turn it, or I can cut the threads and try to swap them.

I'm pretty sure the problem is caused by unnecessary friction and binding.