Within the crane business, the all-terrain crane is a luxury type of a mobile hydraulic crane. The reputation of this particular crane is 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 types of off-road terrain. Among the main selling characteristics of this crane is that it travels equally well at high speeds down highways.
The Very First Rough Terrain Crane
Grove introduced the very first rough terrain crane to the market during 1959. The crane was designed for the intended use of being a multi-purpose machinery for application on construction sites. The industrial strength of the crane's tires could handle all types of tricky terrain and could transport small loads in carry mode. During 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 will become the most notable machinery of the company over the years.
The Crane's Drawbacks
The rough terrain crane is not without its drawbacks since could not be driven on public roads with any other traffic. Japan is the one nation that has made this rule an exception. Moreover, one more issue occurred when the crane's lowered boom tended to block the driver's right and left views, depending on how the cap was positioned. These issues with the design of the crane ended up being both severe and hazardous and result in a lot of accidents with RT cranes, particularly while turning. Thus, lowboys, flatbeds, low-loaders were used as the main means of moving rough terrain cranes.