Thanks again for your input: If I don't have to spend $1M on a cranes. I don't want to. Who does. If I go used...what is theoldest you would recommend? 5 years old (2000), 10 years old? Less, more? If it helps, I'm looking at Grove, Leibherr and Terex (ranging 35 - 150 ton) - will start out with two per advice in another thread. Also, anyone have experience purchasing cranes from Canada, Europe or South America....the exchange rate is finally in our favor in those areas and there are cranes available....
If my customer base would support it and I wanted to make a jump like that and stay under the Million dollar mark on the two units I would look pretty hard at the 2000 & up Grove rigs . This 50 ton GMK3050 just looks like a money machine with it's all wheel drive & short wheelbase would work great for jobsites . That's a cool crane ! I really like that one .:thumbsup I imagine It can pull in a job site , turn around and give you 10 cent's change with it's agility & small turn radius . http://www.machinerytrader.com/listingsdetail/detail.aspx?OHID=10786463 This 165 ton Grove GMK 5165 would fit the bill for bigger tasks & still be pretty agile on a job site . http://www.machinerytrader.com/listingsdetail/detail.aspx?OHID=10827415 That's probably what I would look at in that situation . Now with all that being said ..... My Grove 25 ton rigs are ancient by todays standards . One is a 1969 , 1971 , and a 1972 . Damn near as old as me . But when the owner called me & asked if I was interested in them I said yes and did not have to worry about the condition of them as I already knew the maintenance history on the rig's and the company . They took good care of there equipment . Easy decision for me , and my customer base would support it . I'm just a small outfit and most jobs are with in 25 miles of the shop .
Man there's so many things to consider. Basically when I'm thinking about a crane I want to cover the widest range of jobs I can. For example look at a terex t340 xl. 3 axle truck crane with a 105 ft live boom. That crane can get to a job just as fast and easy as most boom trucks. Then it can turn around and actually do a fair amount of work on bigger jobs. Another point to consider is the local union laws. I think in Nyc anything over a 60t takes an operator and an oiler.there are some terex t560's out there that have been derated and badged as a t550 to get around that. Seriously study load charts as well. That t550 will compete and really almost beat most 70t cranes out that. That would be a tremendous advantage to only have one guy on your payroll vs two for the same size crane. That could be a nice starter size. Also I beleive in nyc all cranes have to be rated at 75% capacity. The rest of us get cranes rated at 85% capacity. Also think about your terrain. An AT crane is super nimble but only has a top speed of 53 mph. A truck crane won't get around a jobsite as well but will travel 65 mph. On a 40-50 mile trip that extra 10 mph makes a big difference. Now that I've rambled on, to answer the question. If I were in your shoes. I would start with t340 and probably a terex t780. Around here Im pretty sure I could haul the counterweights on the deck and have only one guy in the 80. Since we are not union I think one guy would be fine on the 80t. That's about as big as you can get without adding a support semi and tying two guys up every time it leaves the yard.
I have a Grove TMS760E 60 ton, A liebherr LTM1080 100 ton and a Grove GMK5165, 165 ton. If I could only chose one crane the 60 ton is the one. It's a one man taxi crane, has a good chart, is economical to run. Not near as much electronics as the AT cranes. BUT..I love the AT cranes. Great charts. Long booms. But, maintenance nightmares. I've decided, that's just part of it on the ATs.
Thanks again. So, you purchased from someone you knew which is easy. LOL. I know people but they aren't giving up there equipment. Any advice on auctions? At those ages, have they crane ever lacked anything to get the job done? Like newer technologies?????
THIS INFO IS SO SWEET.... Especially the MPH and navigation around the jobsite. Suggestions on AGE? OH...I responded on the other thread that I'm set with ANY extra resources - men, semis, mechanics, etc. To get pretty much any job done. So I don't have to worry about that too much. So.....without those restrictions, are there any changes to choices and why? Please ramble...it helps a TON!!!!
MAINTENANCE NIGHTMARES..... Does this have to do with all the newfangled electronics?
I will throw in my 2 cents worth looking at it from a site superintendents perspective. When we rent cranes (all the time, many longer term) we will take an all terrian crane any day over a truck crane all else being equal. Unless you can sit in one spot and just make picks, a truck crane is not near as mobile on site and you can not pick and carry like an all terrain. An example, we had to move 8 shipping containers about 100 yd on a site recently. Two big for our forklift but we picked them and carried them with a 65 ton Linkbelt all terrian well under the charts. Many times we are setting big steel concrete forms in the morning and placing rebar somewhere else on site in the PM. Or moving to unload something. It is just hard to beat quick and easy mobility on site. I suppose they are spendy but we are starting to see more of the 100 ton class all terrian cranes that are built into a custom trailer. They lower the outriggers, lift and unpin the rear axles and the goose neck, removing them and go to work. One outfit we use frequently is a one man operation and he has all the work he can handle and then some. He just drives his Mack to the motel when on multiple day durations.
WOW...this perspective is priceless OLDIRONHABIT. What is the average duration of your crane rentals? Weekly out here can easily run $8 - $10,000. What are the numbers out there in MN?
Short answer ..... No . Although I tried my best to get the owner to throw in the Eight Track tape player in the deal but he would not budge :beatsme Now at times we have to make special rigging or spreader bar & purpose build items for certain jobs but as far as the cranes in general they perform fine as designed . No complaints .
I think age on a crane is kinda hard to gauge. Some applications the crane is working every minute. Other times it's just idling away. If I had the resources I would prob try to stick to less then ten years old or less then 10,000 hours. There is no doubt that on long term projects an rt crane is far superior to a truck crane. Are you looking for a long term rental or are you wanting a taxi crane ie mostly one day jobs.
Do you have any pictures of a crane that is built into a custom trailer? I have some ideas of how I would do it, but curious what is already been done. Thanks.
Yeah GrainBinMan , I wanted to say Grove offered a self erecting tower / hydro boom unit on a trailer mount . But this is a GCI . Possibly some kind of joint venture of sorts ? Kind of a cool rig . http://www.manitowoccranes.com/~/me...ion Cranes/GCI5400/GCI5400-Specifications.pdf
Hmmm..... interesting, but I was hoping to see one of the AT cranes with a trailer hookup. Like old-iron-habit said, an AT crane would be so much more versatile once it is on the job.
Yeah , sorry GrainBinMan . I missed old-iron-habit's description of the custom trailer all terrain crane . That would be a handy item .