The invention of the mobile crane in 1922 completely revolutionized the field of construction, and allowed us to build the world we live in today. A mobile crane can provide massive amounts of power and speed up construction time drastically when compared to other building methods. Mobile cranes are still being used today because they are the tried-and-true way of getting construction projects done efficiently and safely. With new technology, cranes are only getting better at what they do. Let’s focus on the truck mounted mobile crane today to learn how this machine works and when it should be used.
Most Common Type of Crane
Truck mounted mobile cranes are the most common type of crane in use today. They are reliable and versatile in their uses, which is why most contractors opt to use this type of crane over other options. A truck mounted mobile crane sits atop a standard truck chassis which is important for multiple reasons. Firstly this allows the crane to be driven independently from the crane rental warehouse to your site. When using other crane types you have to sort out transportation to get from point A to B, and you will likely need to gain special licenses to carry such an oversize load. A truck mounted mobile crane can be driven on city streets as well as the highway, so you can get your crane on the job site quickly and easily.
The use of a standard truck chassis means more cash stays in your pocket as well. In addition to cutting costs in terms of special licensing, the truck mounted mobile crane uses many mass produced parts that run cheaper than specialty parts for other types of cranes. Tires or other parts that may need to be replaced will be much less expensive with a truck mounted mobile crane than a crawler crane for example.
Accessible and Versatile
The commercial truck chassis makes this kind of crane much more accessible and versatile, but the real heavy lifting is done by the boom. A boom is the protruding arm that you see sticking out of the crane, and it needs to be both agile and powerful to get the job done. The boom of a truck mounted mobile crane is able to lift anywhere from 14.5 to 1,300 tons of cargo. When lifting this much weight, it is imperative that the boom is properly counterbalanced so the weight of your load does not topple the body of the crane. Most truck mounted cranes nowadays are able to rotate a full 360 degrees so you can move heavy loads with ease around your construction site. The boom can also be extended with a jib to lift loads farther vertically or horizontally.
If you think a truck mounted mobile crane may be right for your job, or if you have any questions on crane types, reach out to B&M Crane Rental today. We are more than happy to assist you in choosing the right tools for your job.
