Spotlight Cranes By Seth Skydel
Purpose-Built, Cost-Effective Workhorses
Truck Cranes Handle a Variety of Lifts Efficiently and Productively
The reason for their widespread acceptance is simple.“ Truck cranes can really do any kind of work,” said JJ Grace, Grove’ s product manager for truck-mounted cranes.“ What’ s great about these cranes is that they can be used in different applications. They are quite flexible machines.”
Truck cranes are in use from all types of general to specialized construction projects to remote sites at places like wind farms and oil fields.“ They tackle a variety of lifting scenarios quickly and efficiently,” related Lance Rydbom, director product management & engineering at Tadano.“ Truck cranes can also handle multiple jobs a day because they can be set up and taken down quickly.”
There is another factor in the popularity of truck cranes as well. Their acceptance, manufacturers noted, is driven by their lower initial and operating costs.
“ Truck cranes can be a more cost-effective option compared to an equivalent all-terrain crane, giving customers comparable lifting capacities with a less complex chassis,” Rydbom said.
That’ s especially true among crane rental and service fleets, noted Andrew Soper, product manager for all-terrain and telescopic truck cranes at Link-Belt.“ Those operations are primary users of truck cranes because their many uses help accelerate a return on investment,” he said.“ It’ s also a reason that truck cranes are preferred to all terrains in the same category or machine type.”
Valuable Advice
Soper also advised fleets that are buying or considering truck cranes to take advantage of manufacturer and dealer expertise to ensure regulatory compliance.“ Specifications have to address roadability in different markets,” he explained further.“ There are different regulations for oversized vehicles in different states and provinces, which adds another layer of complexity.”
Lance Rydbom also pointed out how working with a crane manufacturer and dealer can benefit crane operators when they are specifying and sourcing truck cranes.“ Having a close working relationship with a manufacturer and dealer means the crane owner will have guidance when making a purchasing decision, ensuring they get the right crane for their fleet,” he said.“ In addition, they will have outstanding local support to work through service and parts needs.”
Tadano truck cranes are in use for all types of general to specialized projects, including at remote jobsites.
The 120-U. S. ton capacity Link-Belt 120HTLB truck crane features a standard 39.8- to 196.9-foot telescopic boom and has a maximum tip height of 263 feet.
22 CRANE HOT LINE ® September 2024 • www. cranehotline. com