The all-terrain crane is considered within the crane industry as being a luxury model of a mobile hydraulic crane. It has the reputation of being similar to driving a Range Rover or a Hummer on pavement. All-terrain cranes are considered to be a hybrid between a rough terrain crane and mobile truck crane. Another remarkable quality of this particular machinery is its multi-functional ability to be able to navigate through all types of off-road terrain. One of the main selling features of this particular crane is that it travels equally well at high speeds down highways.
The First Rough Terrain Crane
The first rough terrain crane was put on the market by Grove during 1959. The crane was intended for use and designed to handle numerous tasks on construction sites. The industrial strength of the crane's tires is capable of handling all types of difficult terrain and could transport small loads in carry mode. In the 1970s, Grove introduced the 4 axle Super-RT 1650 model. This model has a 270 foot or 82.8 meter height under hook in production, together with a 135 ton lifting capacity. At the end of the day, the rough terrain crane would become the company's most remarkable machine over the years.
The Crane's Drawbacks
The rough terrain crane is not without its disadvantages because could not be driven on public roads with any other traffic. Japan is the one country which has made this rule an exception. Additionally, one more problem happened when the crane's lowered boom tended to block the driver's right and left views, depending on how the cap was positioned. All the issues with the crane's design ended up being both dangerous and serious and lead to many accidents with RT cranes, particularly while turning. Therefore, lowboys, flatbeds, low-loaders were utilized as the primary method of transporting rough terrain cranes.