How to choose the right truck mounted crane The Canadian Building Supply Industry has always been a world leader in the use of cranes for delivering all types of materials from drywall to shingles to consumer goods. Many types and sizes of cranes have been used over the years. The most successful and versatile of these have been articulated, or “knuckleboom” cranes due to their high power to weight ratio, small space claim on the truck, ease of use, and secure control of the load. The use of articulated cranes in Canada goes back almost sixty years and these cranes have come to be relied on for their dependability, safety and value. 1 Request Equipment Matching Computer Services for accurately analyzing the truck/crane or truck/forklift relationship. This calculates critical stability, front and rear axle loading and determines the best combination of crane or forklift model, outrigger option and vehicle and frame specifications. The bottom line? You maximize safety, vehicle performance, payload and profitability*. The current cranes used by the Building Industry fall into three categories: (1) large dedicated wallboard cranes, (2) medium dedicated wallboard cranes, and (3) medium mixed use cranes. 2 *Fax back the attached form for your weight distribution analysis. 3 1. Large & Dedicated The commonly used larger cranes dedicated to delivery of wallboard and roofing materials give a 70 foot vertical height. They will handle a full lift of wallboard to the 7th floor or reach onto the roof of suburban housing from 50 feet away. With this ability the boom truck doesn’t need to be positioned close to its job site and can often be left on the street while still delivering its loads where needed. The accuracy of this crane is complemented by a hand held Radio Remote Control. The six functions on the remote provide smooth “feathering” of all the boom functions and can be switched to three different speeds. Without being seated on the crane or tied to the truck with a cable, the operator can be in the safest and most productive place on the job – even in the building where he can help unload the wallboard - turning a 3 man crew into 2. The standard wallboard fork is rated for a 6,000 lb. load. Its ability to tilt hydraulically means the wallboard can be lifted flat from the deck then tilted on edge for safe movement and removal at the job. This tilt feature can also compensate for weight, so sheets of drywall can be lifted level. It is important such a long reach crane have a boom with very little flex. A rated capacity of near 3000 lbs. at full horizontal reach and over 7,500 lbs. at full height is needed to be able to pinpoint its loads with accuracy into window openings and onto rooftops. Speed of movement is critical when working to these heights so the largest wallboard cranes have high flow, load sensing hydraulics and valving that lets the operator get the most speed and precision from each boom function independent of another. This long boom wallboard crane is mounted at the rear of the truck where its reach can be used to best advantage after backing into the job site. The rear crane position is also suitable for unloading a pup trailer. When travelling down the road, the boom stows forward over the deck with the fork supported in a stoutly designed tray over the cab. With the crane stowed over the deck, the boom must provide a tall loading space underneath with nothing hanging into the load area. The truck deck is normally 24 1/2’ long so lengths of 12 ft. wallboard can be carried end to end. Checkerplate steel decks are equipped with tie down winches/ straps, a large tarp box, a 4 ft. headboard with mesh window, a pintle hook, a remote control storage box and all necessary lighting. The stability of the complete package including mounted truck crane and deck must be checked to ensure safe lifting without tipping over. The 23’ hydraulic outriggers and torsion box design crane’s built into the flat deck aid in providing a rigid platform. The truck chassis needs to be well matched to the crane for best performance. Besides having the horsepower and gearing to best suit the terrain, loads, and towing, the chassis needs to have a large section modulus frame and sufficient axle capacities. but in a shorter, lighter, less expensive package. A common size crane has a boom length of 50 ft. to access up to the sith floor often used for residential deliveries. It will lift 3,000 lbs. at full reach and heavier pallet loads off the truck deck. Like their longer versions the best of the cranes in these sizes have strong, rigid booms and crane rotation systems running in oil that allow them to work at full power on the uneven terrain of construction sites. Usually a 20,000 lb. front axle and 46,000 lb. rear tandem are specified – legal road axle ratings may vary in different regions. This full size dedicated wallboard crane is a substantial piece of equipment requiring a significant investment and it needs to work hard all the time. Operators will need to be fully trained by the crane supplier who should be able to give a professional government approved training course leading to the needed certification which varies by Province. The resale/trade-in value of the truck crane should be considered at the time of purchase. Reputable crane suppliers should be able to provide a solid history of the resale value of previous cranes sold in your industry and make assurances that the crane investment will hold its value. Downtime for this dedicated crane can present a very real crisis in the delivery stream. The crane needs to be well supported by a dealer with extensive experience in servicing this specific type of crane. Parts should also be available off the shelf to support repairs beyond routine maintenance in case of accident or the unexpected happens. 2. Medium & Dedicated The medium family of dedicated wallboard cranes offers all the same advantages as the largest booms Radio Remote Controls are increasing in popularity on for these medium sized wallboard cranes due to their advantages in safety and productivity but some areas of Canada prefer the top seat control with the crane operator turning with the mast of the crane and operating joysticks and pedals. These cranes are fast and efficient with high capacity hydraulic systems and hydraulic tilting pallet forks. The sizes of the booms on these medium capacity cranes allows them to be mounted directly behind the truck cab but most Canadian cranes are mounted at the rear of the truck behind the deck so the boom reach is best used. Shorter, 22 1/2 ft. decks are often used for a more manoeuvrable truck but the full length 24 1/2 ft. decks can also be fitted. To carry the most load the chassis are equipped with 20,000 lb. front rating and up to a 46,000 rear tandem rating. The lighter weight of these shorter reach cranes increase overall payload. The medium sized 50 ft. wallboard crane is the most popular size with the best combination of reach, capacity and start up cost. Most Building Supply stores that do wallboard, shingle, or lumber deliveries are using a crane this size. 3A. Medium & Mixed The Medium Sized Mixed Use crane category encompasses a variety of crane sizes with boom lengths from 26 to 46 ft. and ability to lift from 2 to 3 tons off the truck deck. These cranes are true “knuckleboom” cranes that can be transported either stretched over the deck with a hydraulic pallet fork installed or folded in a compact package behind the cab. Mounting these cranes directly behind the cab allow the deck to be loaded with overhanging lengths of product or and the truck can be backed up to a loading dock. The relatively straightforward hydraulic systems used on this size crane means its maximum operating speed is lower than that the dedicated wallboard cranes. Versatility is the key for these size cranes. Building Supply Companies that do mostly mixed use deliveries without a predominance of wallboard should find the cost and performance of these cranes attractive. 3B. Medium & Mixed The smaller loader/ unloader cranes are generally mounted behind the cab on single axle trucks for smaller deliveries where the bundle needs only be lifted from the deck onto the ground. Crane reaches are usually 24 to 30 feet with capacities of one Ton at these distances. The cranes are generally equipped with a load hook and lift by slinging the load, although a simple nontilting pallet fork is often used. This has been Canada’s most popular size of crane with thousands sold since the knuckleboom crane was introduced over 60 years ago. The better cranes in this size have all the features of their larger brothers with individual outrigger control levers, hexagonal shaped booms, and safety check valves on all cylinders. However, these cranes can be equipped with the tilting pallet fork for wallboard, and This size boom is often used as the primary Control levers with the same are often equipped with delivery truck by smaller consumer oriented sequence on both sides of the Building Supply outlets. Even with its lower cost, Radio Remote Control or the crane make operation simple attention should be paid to reliability and less costly Cable Remote and a fully proportional Remote Control. For this class of crane good service/parts support, as this crane Control can be fitted, either should last many years with its lighter usage. the truck, chassis and deck when the crane is purchased or size is usually chosen based later if the need arises. on the loads to be delivered rather than the cranes The Operator training must also not be neglected for 26’ lighter capacity version of these cranes can even be this smaller truck as the reach and capacity of these mounted on a single axle truck if the loads carried are not cranes still require skill and attention to safety. too great. A well chosen crane matched with a well chosen Operators of these medium sized cranes still need to truck should be a profitable tool for your business for be well trained and government certified in many many years. Evaluating your delivery needs and provinces. Resale value should especially be considered working with a reputable crane supplier with for these cranes. They will certainly outlast the truck and knowledge and experience should provide you with the better cranes of this type should hold their value as the most productive, dependable, and cost effective their versatility makes them suitable for many industries. boom truck. A supplier with a long history with these cranes should give a reliable prediction of expected resale value, even to the point of guaranteeing a future buyback value. A t l a s Po l a r C o m p a ny L i m i t e d , 6 0 N o r t h l i n e R o a d , To r o n t o To l l Fr e e : 1 - 8 8 8 - 7 9 9 - 4 4 2 2 Fa x : 4 1 6 - 7 5 1 - 6 4 7 5 ON M4B 3E5 E - m a i l : i n f o @ a t l a s p o l a r. c o m 08-677 AP Crane Weight Distribution Analysis (Truck) C u s t o m e r : _____________________________________________________________ D a t e : _____________________________________________________ C o n t a c t : ______________________________ P h o n e : ______________________________________ F a x : ______________________________________ H I A B C r a n e M o d e l : _________________________________ ■ Rear ■ B ehind Cab Mount V e h i c l e M a k e a n d M o d e l : _______________________________________ B o d y T y p e : ____________________________________________ C a ll Atl as Pol ar t e ch. dept. for tra ctor c a lcul a tion WEIGHTS DIMENSIONS C a b to Axl e ( CA ) _____________________ Gross Ve hi cl e W e igh t ( GVW ) _____________________ W h e e l B a se of Ve hi cl e ( WB ) _____________________ Gross Axl e W e igh t Fron t ( GAWF ) ____________________ Ce nt erlin e of Re ar Axle to End of Fra me ( AF ) ____________________ Gross Axl e W e igh t R e a r ( GAWR ) ____________________ B ody L e ngt h ( BL ) ____________________ B ody W e igh t ( BW ) ____________________ Ta nd e m Spre a d ( TS ) ____________________ Fron t Axl e D e a d W e igh t ( FADW ) ____________________ B ump er to Axl e ( BA ) ____________________ R e a r Axl e D e a d W e igh t ( RADW ) ____________________ Fu e l W e igh t ____________________ Cle arance for Exhaust, Transmission etc. ( XC) ____________________ ACCESSORIES: DESCRIPTION WEIGHT DISTANCE FROM FRONT AXLE TO CENTER OF GRAVITY ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ FRAME STRENGTH STABILITY CALCULATION Ou trigger Typ e _____________________ S e c tion Modulus In3 ___________________ Aux. Ou triggers Typ e & L oc a tion _____________________ Yi e ld Stre ngt h p.s.i. ___________________ RBM In.lbs. ______________________ COMMENTS: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ To l l F r e e : 1 - 8 8 8 - 7 9 9 - 4 4 2 2 E - m a i l : i n f o @ a t l a s p o l a r. c o m 08-667 AP
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