Within the crane industry, the all-terrain crane is a luxury kind of a mobile hydraulic crane. The reputation of this particular crane is like 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 specific equipment is its multi-functional ability to be able to navigate through all types of off-road terrain. Among the main selling characteristics of this crane is that it travels equally well at top speeds down highways.
The First Rough Terrain Crane
The very first rough terrain crane was put on the market by Grove in 1959. The crane was intended for application and designed to handle various tasks on construction sites. The industrial strength of the crane's tires is capable of handling all kinds of tricky terrain and could move small loads in carry mode. In the 1970s, Grove introduced the 4 axle Super-RT 1650 model. This model has an 82.8 meter or 270 foot height under hook in production, along with a 135 ton lifting capacity. At the end of the day, the rough terrain crane will become the most notable equipment of the company over the years.
The Crane's Disadvantages
The rough terrain crane is not without its drawbacks as 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. Moreover, one more issue happened when the lowered boom on the crane tended to block the driver's right and left views, depending on how the cap was positioned. All the problems with the design of the crane ended up being hazardous and serious and result in lots of accidents with RT cranes, especially when turning. As a result, lowboys, flatbeds, low-loaders were used as the main means of moving rough terrain cranes.