looking at cranes for some cabin and shop projects

[crane operator]

This first one might be stretching the budget, but I bet they'll take a lot less. Its 5.9 cummins, the 70' full power and the dead stick for 92'. Plus the jib. Joystick controls with LMI.

https://www.cranetrader.com/listing/for-sale/207732825/1995-link-belt-rtc-8030-rough-terrain-cranes

And they have one a couple years older that isn't as pretty.

https://www.cranetrader.com/listing/for-sale/208846169/1993-link-belt-rtc-8030-rough-terrain-cranes

Also joystick, 5.9 and jib.

The seller is a dealer and also bare rental outfit. I bet they want them gone because they don't want to mess with dead stick in bare renting. And there's just not a lot of demand for sub 50 ton rt's in bare rental any more. All the big contractors want 60-70 ton and up RT's.

I got my Grove RT from this dealer. They are owned by Barnhart, a large nationwide rental/ contractor. I wouldn't offer $25,000 for either one of them- if you really don't want it, because I don't think it would take more than that to buy either of them. Barnhart has a washington location, and their own trucks. I'd try to swing delivery in the purchase price if I was serious about either one of them.

 

[skyking1]

yes that tadano I have been interested in too. I see them in rental service in Seattle.

 

[crane operator]

Could have had your galion today for $8,000 5.9 and 60' main with 20' jib

https://www.rbauction.com/1998-gali...vId=13011832&id=ci&auction=houston-tx-2022117

Or a Grove with a detroit for $4,500 Also 60' main with 20' jib.

https://www.rbauction.com/grove-rt5...vId=13033077&id=ci&auction=houston-tx-2022117

 

[skyking1]

Those Link-Belt are joystick machines too. Good thoughts on having barnhart work them into a trip.

 

[crane operator]

Just a extra FYI- the tadano's aren't a rigid front axle/ oscillating rear like U.S. RT's. That one has some kind of a leaf spring suspension, and I hear they road much better than the typical RT. They drive them around in Japan, no room for lowboys there.

 

[NwbHoss]

Man if either of those link belts could be had for 25k I would be all over that! Love the idea of joystick controls like my 4 block cranes I used operate at work.

 

[skyking1]

Man if either of those link belts could be had for 25k I would be all over that! Love the idea of joystick controls like my 4 block cranes I used operate at work.

If you could get them to deliver that single drum one for the 30K, that would do the trick!

 

[John C.]

Barnhart has a shop in Kent east of the Komatsu dealer. Used to be Sicklesteel’s shop.

 

[skyking1]

John, I found a local inspector on that Grove for a good price. Sounds like he knows his stuff.

 

[John C.]

Sounds good. Maybe save some travel expenses.

 

[NwbHoss]

I have not yet called the guy to inspect the Grove RT 625 in Stockton https://www.cranetrader.com/listing/for-sale/203899703/1994-grove-rt625-rough-terrain-cranes
because I am really interested in the 1993 Link Belt RTC-8030 https://www.cranetrader.com/listing/for-sale/208846169/1993-link-belt-rtc-8030-rough-terrain-cranes
Both are Cummins powered which I really like and The Link Belt has more stick at 91' plus a jib and joystick controls.
Are there any issues with the Link Belt that I should be concerned about? I am going to call on it to find out how many hours it has since it is not listed. If I can get the Link Belt shipped without breaking the bank I think I would prefer it over the Grove.

 

[skyking1]

definitely a different class of machine for sure. That crane inspector I spoke to warned of the older Link-belts with twin boom lift cylinders. He said the outriggers on those are crap, and need gone through early in life. The crane you linked is not one of the twin lift cylinder models. I will ask him of he has an opinion on the 30 above.
Knowing the hours would be helpful.

 

[skyking1]

Just because we were talking about terex cranes, I know nothing else about the pictures, except these are terex booms.

View attachment 253865

<David Attenborough voice> here you have the rare mating pair of terex ductile wrex. </David Attenborough voice>

 

[skyking1]

There was more than one picture of that link belt where the ball was on the ground a little bit. That crane inspector in Sacramento thought that was a pretty good sign that maybe either the telescope cylinder or boom cylinder are bleeding off. The other explanation is a dork bucket salesman who just puts the ball on the ground because he doesn't know any better.

 

[HATCHEQUIP]

I have some bad experiences with Omega cranes and would never recommend one. ZF transmissions have a habit of dying by locking up and killing all functions on the machine. All I have had to work on did it with the boom in the air and a load on the hook in the middle of a time limited construction site. Three swivels down the middle of the machine, hydraulic, electrical and brake/throttle. Boom cylinder leaks onto all of them. I think Crane Operator has what you need to look for in a neck breaker.

John the omegas didn't have the ZF that was the century series that had it and the 8.2 boat anchor , the only problems we ever had on the omegas were the wiring harness connections , redo those and they were dependable .

 

[NwbHoss]

I talked to the sales guy on that Link Belt he said it's got about 5,800 hours on it and as far as the hook on the ground goes he said he told the guy who took the pictures run the boom all the way out and the hook all the way down and if the guy put the hook on the ground he is an idiot. He said the crane is currently in use and has current inspection on it and if it had a bleeding off issue they would not put it in service and he would check with the maintenance guys and find out if it has any issues.

 

[crane operator]

I talked to the sales guy on that Link Belt he said it's got about 5,800 hours on it

I'd take that number with a pretty heavy dose of salt.

You're talking about a 30 year old crane. Maybe it hasn't done a lot of hours in the last couple years, but someone used it sometime in its life.

If its on current rent to someone, and they 've been renting it out all along, that's actually a great thing. Cranes being used is better than sitting.

Anything you likely look at in that age, is going to be a 15-20,000 hour crane minimum. Not many business buy cranes to just have them sit, they are too expensive.

Personally, I wouldn't care if it does have 15,000-20,000 hours on it, (which it likely does), if its in good shape. I realize the salesman has to say something, when you ask how many hours it has, but expecting it to only average under 200 hours a year, for 30 years is a bit much.

I wouldn't worry about the hook on the ground in the pictures either.

Things I would look at pretty close in a inspection- Tires- They are $2,000 apiece and not something I want to do myself in the backside of beyond. So its $8,000 if it needs new rubber.

Structure- I want to make sure theres no welding, bends or huge dents in the tele boom sections. I don't mind if it has a cylinder or two weeping, that's to be expected. I don't really want a pouring tele cylinder- because that's going to be hard to fix yourself. But outrigger cylinders aren't a big deal to repair.

You want a generally straight frame, most have some dents and dings on the fenders and such, but as long as its mostly straight, you'll be fine. I want a reasonable wear turntable bearing, I'd expect a little slop, but I don't want a rocking chair.

Swivel, a leaky swivel is a pain to deal with. They aren't unfixable, just a bit much for a DIY project.

Cable- a rusty or slight waves in a cable isn't a big deal, and actually cable isn't that expensive. You can put new cable on it under $2,000.

LMI- I want it to work, or I want to be able to afford to fix it. Budget appropriately if it isn't working.

A separate inspection is a good use of $3-400. It will give you a little piece of mind having someone look at it, that knows what they are looking at. Good luck.

 

[John C.]

John the omegas didn't have the ZF that was the century series that had it and the 8.2 boat anchor , the only problems we ever had on the omegas were the wiring harness connections , redo those and they were dependable .

You are probably right. Stuff is running together in my head now days. I can probably go back to my old time logs and see.

 

[NwbHoss]

I'd take that number with a pretty heavy dose of salt.

You're talking about a 30 year old crane. Maybe it hasn't done a lot of hours in the last couple years, but someone used it sometime in its life.

If its on current rent to someone, and they 've been renting it out all along, that's actually a great thing. Cranes being used is better than sitting.

Anything you likely look at in that age, is going to be a 15-20,000 hour crane minimum. Not many business buy cranes to just have them sit, they are too expensive.

Personally, I wouldn't care if it does have 15,000-20,000 hours on it, (which it likely does), if its in good shape. I realize the salesman has to say something, when you ask how many hours it has, but expecting it to only average under 200 hours a year, for 30 years is a bit much.

I wouldn't worry about the hook on the ground in the pictures either.

Things I would look at pretty close in a inspection- Tires- They are $2,000 apiece and not something I want to do myself in the backside of beyond. So its $8,000 if it needs new rubber.

Structure- I want to make sure theres no welding, bends or huge dents in the tele boom sections. I don't mind if it has a cylinder or two weeping, that's to be expected. I don't really want a pouring tele cylinder- because that's going to be hard to fix yourself. But outrigger cylinders aren't a big deal to repair.

You want a generally straight frame, most have some dents and dings on the fenders and such, but as long as its mostly straight, you'll be fine. I want a reasonable wear turntable bearing, I'd expect a little slop, but I don't want a rocking chair.

Swivel, a leaky swivel is a pain to deal with. They aren't unfixable, just a bit much for a DIY project.

Cable- a rusty or slight waves in a cable isn't a big deal, and actually cable isn't that expensive. You can put new cable on it under $2,000.

LMI- I want it to work, or I want to be able to afford to fix it. Budget appropriately if it isn't working.

A separate inspection is a good use of $3-400. It will give you a little piece of mind having someone look at it, that knows what they are looking at. Good luck.

Thank you for the info!
Now I just need to find somebody in the area to do the inspection. Skyking found the guy to look at the Grove in Stockton (thank you very much Kelly!!) I will follow his lead in searching for someone not affiliated with Barnhart to do the inspection.
The sales guy said they had an empty trailer headed this way around the middle of March and he was checking on whether or not they could get it on that truck.

 

[HATCHEQUIP]

I know what ya mean John were all on the train of life some get to blow the whistle some shovel coal others set on their ass and get a free ride .