Spotlight Cranes
By Seth Skydel
Game Changers
Service Cranes Turn Mechanic’ s Trucks Into Mobile Maintenance Facilities
Time is money, they say, and on jobsites that means every minute saved on maintenance and repairs translates into operational uptime and cost savings. That’ s why, for crane fleets and service providers, mechanic’ s trucks fitted with service cranes have become indispensable for handling both routine requirements and more challenging tasks.
“ Service cranes and bodies are designed for the application and needs of a mechanic,” said Caleb Boullion, work truck operations manager at Altec.“ Their layout is developed for convenience, and so the mechanic can be safe and efficient by making it easier to move around or on the truck.”
Clint Weckwerth, product manager, service cranes and mechanics truck bodies at PALFINGER North America called service cranes and mechanic’ s bodies workhorses.
“ Uptime is critical to the operator, so these vehicles are designed to be durable in all kinds of conditions, across all kinds of terrain,” he said.“ They deliver consistent performance over the lifespan of the unit so they can be used to reliably and efficiently get another piece of equipment up and running.”
A key feature of today’ s mechanic’ s trucks, according to Brian Christ, product management specialist at Knapheide, is that they can be customized.“ Tailoring these trucks to the needs of the user transforms them into rolling shops,” he said.“ A fully equipped service vehicle greatly reduces the chances of having to return to the shop for a tool or part, saving time and money for everyone involved.
“ Features such as drawers and storage bins maximize efficiency on the jobsite,” Christ continued.“ They keep tools and parts in their proper location, eliminating searches. Items such as exterior task lights and interior compartment lighting also help create a safe work environment.”
Working Together
“ By collaborating with our dealer network, we can recommend the right equipment tailored to the customer’ s specific application,” said Weckwerth.“ That partnership is crucial for minimizing downtime and keeping equipment operating at peak efficiency.”
Tyler Coverdell, fleet sales manager at
Knapheide, pointed out that mechanic’ s trucks are a significant capital investment.“ Ensure that you select a body manufacturer or upfitter with extensive experience in installing, upfitting and after-sale service to keep your equipment running at its full potential,” he added.
At Altec, Boullion noted, the company’ s service technicians provide firsthand feedback to guide mechanic’ s truck and service crane designs. For example, starting this year all of the manufacturer’ s service trucks will have fiberglass bodies.
Next Generation Products
Altec recently launched its next-generation fiberglass bodies, rated up to 36,000 foot-pounds, with features such as an
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February 2025 • www. cranehotline. com