Big Mobile Travel Problem ?

[AtlasRob]

Back in August while working away as I do sometimes I spotted this, it caught my attention due to the speed, or lack of on the uphill climb, lets just say that lowloader knew he had it on board



I could not think of one good reason why that crane was on the lowloader,
we regularly see same size and bigger tramping down our highways.
It wasnt heading to the docks which would have been a good reason, ( I know by the junction I was by, when it went off it could only logically head into the city)


Just before Christmas many miles away on a different job I spotted this big mobile in the services area. It got my attention as it was in the normal truck park instead of abnormal load area, where I would expect it to be as it wasn't far from home if you get my drift.
A little while later it had its legs down, boom up and 2 vans and an 8 wheeler flat bed complete with hiab crane in attendance. Unusual but at that distance I couldnt see what was happening and assumed a wheel was being changed. :beatsme A while later both vans and truck departed and crane was on its wheels ready to roll.

Then I spotted this,

NO WAY .......you aint going to............... Oh yes he did :notworthy


Crane was running, well he had steering, lights etc, but it wasnt driving.
That Foden knew he had it, pulled away, sharp left then uphill all the way to the motorway. He stopped a second after I took this and I thought that was it, but I think he must have made a range change having sussed out he was in control.


Question WHY ? Assume loss of drive, so is it feasable the fitters pulled half shafts so it could be towed back to base.

I am not suggesting these are the same make or model of crane, just seems odd to me.
Short vid on you tube
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=eWe48X7f5wU

 

[curly]

Looks like a new machine so maybe the owner didn't want it driven until he had his grubby hands on it?

 

[liebherr1160]

In the first pic of the demag ,,I do notice that the drivers cab on the carrier appears to be bent up ,,so much that its seems to be touching the belly of the boom in the second ...

the other pic,,well ,there could be any number of reasons why it wasnt moving ,,electrical issues ,mechanical failure,,ive been left onside of the road for a broken wire so it very plausable that something happened to her ..

 

[liebherr1160]

its when they look like this that you really have issues ,,major issues

http://www.abc.net.au/reslib/200709/r174315_660278.jpg

 

[Dualie]

well I can tell you that cranes of that size CAN, DO and WILL eat transmissions for breakfast lunch and dinner. That one probably has the ZF automated mechanical trans. if the operator doesn't grasp how those operate he can easily destroy one in a couple hundred miles.

that Foden probably had doubts he could actually manage to drag that crane around. the look huge but truth is have seen 90,000Lbs that only had 300 HP and 10 Spd. Transmissions. That foden looks like it has planetary rears and probably a decent amount of horsepower and gears. A true Prime mover.

I couldn't tell if he was using a Tow bar or a chain though. personally I would definitely want to used an engineered tow bar. IF the crane was running (READ HAD AIR FOR BRAKES AND POWER STEERING) that was probably the safest way to get it moved.

The only other would be to bring a heavy duty wrecker with an under lift. lets just say to pick the nose of that up enough to unload the front steer axle enough so the other two will follow would stand most wreckers up on their rear bumpers.

 

[AtlasRob]

well I can tell you that cranes of that size CAN, DO and WILL eat transmissions for breakfast lunch and dinner.

I couldn't tell if he was using a Tow bar or a chain though. .

Thanks Dualie thats what I wondered.
He was definetly on a bar :drinkup

 

[Dualie]

if they had a bar fabricated then they knew what they were doing. its actually safer than trying to tow that big boy with a tow truck. Takes a pretty exspensive and impressive piece of kit to pick and carry the nose of one of those big boys

 

[liebherr1160]

As long as you pull the out-board drive shafts to disconect the wheels from the power train so you dont tear it up .. a short hump wont hurt ,but if its over a spell you'll turn the driveline to mush ..

I didnt notice the bar ...you simply will not tow one with a tow truck ,,shes a flat tow ..no question ....

if they are like some of the Krupps ..they probably have an auxillary pump in the rear drive train ,,to one wheel that will power the steering as you move along .... the air will have to come from the prime mover ....

 

[gonzo50]

Hello,
I'm getting ready to tow a 95,000 lb Warner Swasey 8445 crane with a ten-wheeler dump half-full.
Sounds like fun!!!!!
Luckily it has a manual transmission, we're going to use this tow-bar I made from a trailer dolly. Took off the axle and did some cutting and measuring and out came this massive tow bar with a pintel hook. We're still going to have a driver in the crane assisting with power, braking and steering. It's justl not road worthy to be driven by itself.
Just bought it and I need to get it back to the shop and go through the brakes and check power output fom the DD 6-71, not great.
I had to get CalTrans to inspect and weigh it before issuing a permit so that it can be moved about 40 miles, mostly freeway.
Anyone have any connections on a Warner Swasey 8445?
Wish me luck
George
619-571-8798