A clevis hanger is a pipe support with a lower U-shaped strap and an upper yoke, joined so the pipe can be suspended from an overhead support assembly. An adjustable model uses the specified hanger rod and nuts to set its elevation. Its job is to carry the supported pipe load while maintaining the intended alignment.
A clevis hanger is a pipe support with a lower U-shaped strap and an upper yoke, joined so the pipe can be suspended from an overhead support assembly. An adjustable model uses the specified hanger rod and nuts to set its elevation. Its job is to carry the supported pipe load while maintaining the intended alignment.
The shape explains the load path
The lower strap cradles the pipe. The yoke connects that strap to the suspension point. The rod, attachment above it and supporting structure complete the load path; the visible metal loop is only one part of the system.
The beam clamp entry covers one possible upper attachment in that load path.
ASC Engineered Solutions identifies its Fig. 260 adjustable clevis hanger for stationary pipe lines. Its submittal shows the yoke outside the lower U-strap and explains that this arrangement reduces bending of the connecting bolt. The manufacturer's installation instructions also require the load nut above the clevis to be secured correctly. An adjustment feature is not permission to leave that nut loose.
This suspended support is different from a riser clamp, which supports vertical piping through a specified clamp assembly. Neither component name supplies a complete support design.
The right model depends on the pipe
Pipe size, material, weight and operating conditions affect the selection. ASC has a separate Fig. 590 adjustable clevis specifically for stationary ductile iron or cast iron pipe. Its general clevis documentation also points to different arrangements for insulated lines and lined options for certain materials.
That matters because an oversized loop, an incompatible contact surface or a hanger that compresses insulation can create problems even when the pipe appears to fit. The Fig. 260 submittal cautions that an oversized clevis may require a specified spacer arrangement so the lower strap does not move inward on the bolt. Follow the actual product instructions; do not improvise a spacer or assume every larger hanger is acceptable.
The pipe insulation shield entry explains the separate support-contact component used in specified insulated-pipe arrangements.
Hanger capacity and the supporting attachment both need to suit the load. Charlotte Pipe's cast iron manual warns that unsecured piping can fall and calls for appropriate support, alignment and restraint. A clevis hanger also does not establish the allowed distance to the next support. That is a separate material-and-application question covered in our pipe support spacing guide.
Questions for an exposed support problem
From a safe location, note whether the pipe sags, the rod leans, the strap is visibly damaged or the attachment above it has moved. Give the installer the pipe material, size, insulation details and any readable hanger identification.
Ask which rated hanger, rod and structural attachment are specified, and whether thermal movement or additional restraint must be accommodated. Do not loosen a loaded hanger to quiet a noise or try to straighten a hanging pipe by pulling on it. Keep clear of a visibly failed support and have the piping secured by a qualified installer. The expansion loop entry explains one designed thermal-movement arrangement, rather than a reason to loosen an existing support.