Product Focus By Seth Skydel

Outrigger Pads

Custom Composite outrigger pads from Bigfoot Construction Equipment come in both stock and custom sizes.

However, not all pads serve the same purpose, and there are several factors to consider when making effective choices. Additionally, there are best practices to employ for maintaining pads to ensure safety and long service life.

Suppliers of crane outrigger pads are a key source of important and valuable information for operators. Recently, Eric Steiner, marketing director, Bigfoot Construction Equipment, and Kris Koberg, CEO of DICA, provided expert input on outrigger pad specification considerations and ways to properly maintain the equipment:

What do crane owners need to consider when specifying outrigger pads?

Steiner: Identifying the exact ground bearing capacity( GBC) of the jobsite based on the soil type is crucial. This will not always be easy to find, however certain soil types have established ground bearing capacities which can be used as a guideline to properly broadcast the weight.

Koberg: For the crane owner to determine the required bearing area, two key factors must be defined, including the outrigger reaction force and the allowable ground bearing pressure. Once these values are established, the minimum required bearing area can be calculated by dividing the outrigger reaction force by the allowable ground bearing pressure. The minimum bearing area to meet the allowable ground bearing pressure objectives is the result of the calculation.

DICA FiberMax Crane Pads for mobile cranes up to 500 tons provide similar strength and stiffness characteristics as steel crane mats but weigh up to 60 % less for lower transportation costs and faster setup and tear down times.

What role does outrigger pad material selection play when making equipment choices?

Koberg: When selecting the appropriate

26 CRANE HOT LINE ® November 2024 • www. cranehotline. com