In the crane industry, the all-terrain crane is a luxury type 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 mobile truck crane and rough terrain crane. One more great quality of this specific equipment is its multi-functional ability to be able to navigate through all kinds of off-road terrain. Among the main selling characteristics of this particular crane is that it travels equally well at top speeds down roads.
The Very First Rough Terrain Crane
Grove introduced the very first rough terrain crane to the market in 1959. The crane was designed for the intended use of being a multi-purpose device for use on construction locations. The industrial strength of the crane's tires can handle all kinds of tricky terrain and is able to transport small loads in carry mode. During the 1970s, Grove launched the 4 axle Super-RT 1650 model. This unit has an 82.8 meter or 270 foot height under hook in production, in addition to 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 as could not be driven on public roads with any other traffic. Japan is the one nation which has made this rule an exception. Furthermore, one more problem happened when the lowered boom on the crane tended to block the driver's right and left views, that depends on how the cap was placed. All these issues with the crane's design ended up being serious and dangerous and lead to many accidents with RT cranes, especially while turning. As a result, lowboys, flatbeds, low-loaders were adopted as the main means of transporting rough terrain cranes.