The all-terrain crane is considered within the crane business as being a luxury model of a mobile hydraulic crane. It has the reputation of being 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. One more remarkable quality of this particular machinery is its multi-functional ability to be able to navigate through all types of off-road terrain. Amongst the main selling features of this specific crane is that it travels equally well at top speeds down highways.
The First Rough Terrain Crane
Grove introduced the first rough terrain crane to the market during 1959. The crane was designed for the intended use of being a multi-purpose device for use on construction sites. The industrial strength of the crane's tires is capable of handling all types of difficult terrain and can transport small loads in carry mode. In the 1970s, Grove introduced 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 would become the company's most notable machinery over the years.
The Crane's Drawbacks
The rough terrain crane is not without its drawbacks as could not be driven on public highways with any other traffic. Japan is the one country which has made this rule an exception. Moreover, another issue occurred 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. These problems with the crane's design ended up being serious and dangerous and lead to lots of RT crane accidents, especially when turning. Thus, lowboys, flatbeds, low-loaders were utilized as the primary method of moving rough terrain cranes.