The all-terrain crane is considered in the crane business as being a luxury type of a mobile hydraulic crane. It has the status of being similar to driving a Hummer or a Range Rover on pavement. All-terrain cranes are considered to be a hybrid between a rough terrain crane and mobile truck crane. Another great feature of this specific equipment is its multi-functional ability to be able to traverse through all kinds of off-road terrain. One of the main selling features of this crane is that it travels equally well at high speeds down highways.
The Very First Rough Terrain Crane
Grove launched the first rough terrain crane to the market during the year 1959. The crane was designed for the intended application of being a multi-purpose equipment for use on construction locations. The crane's tires have the industrial strength that can handle all types of tricky terrain and can move small loads in carry mode. During the 1970s, Grove launched the 4 axle Super-RT 1650 model. This unit has an 82.8 meter or 270 foot height under hook in production, together with a 135 ton lifting capacity. At the end of the day, the rough terrain crane will become the most notable machinery of the company through the years.
The Crane's Drawbacks
The rough terrain crane is not without its drawbacks because it is not able to be driven on public highways with any other traffic. Japan is the one nation that has made this rule an exception. Additionally, one more problem occurred when the crane's lowered boom tended to block the driver's right and left views, depending upon how the cap was placed. These problems with the design of the crane ended up being both severe and dangerous and lead to numerous RT crane mishaps, especially when turning. Thus, low-loaders, lowboys, flatbeds were used as the main method of transporting rough terrain cranes.