The all-terrain crane is considered in the crane industry as being a luxury model 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 mobile truck crane and rough terrain crane. One more remarkable quality of this specific equipment is its multi-functional ability to be able to traverse through all types of off-road terrain. One of the main selling characteristics of this specific crane is that it travels equally well at high speeds down roads.
The First Rough Terrain Crane
Grove introduced the very first rough terrain crane to the market in 1959. The crane was designed for the intended application of being a multi-purpose device for use on construction locations. The industrial strength of the crane's tires is capable of handling all types of difficult terrain and can move small loads in carry mode. In the 1970s, the 4 axle Super-RT 1650 model was launched by Grove. This unit 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 company's most remarkable machinery through the years.
The Crane's Disadvantages
The rough terrain crane is not without its disadvantages because could not be driven on public highways with any other traffic. Japan is the one nation which has made this rule an exception. Moreover, another problem occurred when the lowered boom on the crane tended to block the right and left views of the driver, which depends on how the cap was placed. These problems with the crane's design ended up being dangerous and severe and lead to a lot of accidents with RT cranes, particularly when turning. Thus, low-loaders, lowboys, flatbeds were adopted as the main method of transporting rough terrain cranes.