Crane Spotlight
All-Terrain Cranes conditions, manufacturers are responding with more modular designs and configuration flexibility that enable a single machine to serve as a taxi crane one day and a heavy industrial lift machine the next.
Manitowoc’ s Boyer explained that Grove AT cranes are designed for maximum adaptability.“ There’ s a range of fixed, telescopic and bi-fold extensions available, so customers can fit the right accessory to the boom to suit their particular needs,” he related.“ Similarly, a variety of counterweight options allow owners to scale up or scale down depending on site requirements or local roading restrictions.”
Link-Belt emphasized transportability as a key advantage.“ Maximizing uptime and machine availability are at the core of a successful crane business,” Andrew Soper said.“ To meet these needs, we engineer ATs to meet all North American on-highway transportation requirements, and with modular counterweight configurations to minimize setup time and the number of required overflow loads.”
Dan Melnyk at Tadano also pointed to compact design and efficient setup as core strengths of AT cranes.“ They work especially well because of their compact carriers and efficient set up and rigging processes,” he said.“ Flexible transport and configuration options include quick connections for the main boom and outriggers, and liftable third axles and dolly preparation to comply with local road regulations.”
Embedded Intelligence
Tadano Surround View, Melnyk also reported, is used to support both driving and jobsite placement of AT cranes.“ While turning the crane, blind spots are shown on the display in the carrier cabin,” he explained.” While placing
The Grove GMK5250L-2 AT, expected to be available for delivery in 2027, is a five-axle model with a 250-ton capacity that features new cabs on the superstructure and the carrier.
the crane on the jobsite, the outrigger positions and tail swing of counterweight are overlayed on the display.
“ The Tadano IC-1 Plus control system also provides operators with ease of operation, precise control of crane movements and advanced diagnostics,” Melnyk continued.“ It enhances stability and precision with live determination of crane capacities, automatic counterweight detection and asymmetric outrigger settings.”
One of the defining technologies on Grove ATs from Manitowoc, according to Josh Boyer, is the manufacturer’ s MEGAFORM boom design.“ The U-shaped cross-section,” he pointed out,“ provides for an enhanced strengthto-weight ratio, allowing users to reach further and lift more.
“ Equally important in the Grove AT lineup,” Boyer added,“ is the Megatrak suspension system, which eliminates traditional axles and allows all wheels to stay on the ground simultaneously for stability on uneven ground while reducing tire wear.”
At Link-Belt, related Andrew Soper, the Pulse 2.0 operating system, wireless rigging remote and Variable Confined Area Lifting Capacities( V-CALC) allow for infinite outrigger positions.
“ In addition, our SmartFly technology allows fly assembly by only one operator working from ground level,” Soper continued.“ Also featured on Link-Belt AT cranes is the SmartStack counterweight detection system and our Site Vision Package, which work together to enhance safety for operators on busy jobsites.”
Latest Developments
One of Link-Belt’ s newest AT offerings is the 225-ton 225 | AT, which features longer reach, larger capacities and more counterweight than its predecessor, the ATC-3210. The five-axle model has a 46 – 202-foot six-section latching boom, a 42 – 71-foot two-piece hydraulic offsetable SmartFly, an 8-foot heavy-lift jib, one or two 25-foot lattice fly extensions and a 334-foot maximum tip height.
The 225 | AT crane is also offered with 118,000 pounds of maximum counterweight, a 29,392-pound maximum winch line pull and a maximum line speed of 450 feet per minute. The crane is designed with a single-engine platform featuring an
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March 2026 • www. cranehotline. com