In the crane business, the all-terrain crane is a luxury model 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 mobile truck crane and rough terrain crane. One more great feature of this machine is its multi-functional ability to be able to navigate through all types of off-road terrain. One of the main selling characteristics of this particular crane is that it travels equally well at top speeds down roads.
The First Rough Terrain Crane
The first rough terrain crane was put on the market by Grove in 1959. The crane was intended for use and designed to deal with numerous tasks on construction sites. The industrial strength of the crane's tires is capable of handling all types of tricky terrain and can transport small loads in carry mode. During the 1970s, Grove launched the 4 axle Super-RT 1650 model. This specific 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 machine through the years.
The Crane's Disadvantages
The rough terrain crane is not without its disadvantages as could not be driven on public roads with any other traffic. Japan is the one country that has made this rule an exception. Furthermore, one more problem occurred when the lowered boom on the crane tended to block the driver's right and left views, that depends upon how the cap was placed. These problems with the crane's design ended up being both severe and dangerous and result in numerous RT crane accidents, particularly when turning. As a result, flatbeds, low-loaders, lowboys were used as the primary means of moving rough terrain cranes.