Within the crane industry, the all-terrain crane is a luxury type 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. Another remarkable quality of this machine is its multi-functional ability to be able to traverse through all types of off-road terrain. Among the main selling features of this crane is that it travels equally well at high speeds down roads.
The Very First Rough Terrain Crane
Grove introduced the very first rough terrain crane to the market in the year 1959. The crane was designed for the intended use of being a multi-purpose equipment for application on construction sites. The crane's tires have the industrial strength that is capable of handling all kinds of difficult terrain and is able to transport small loads in carry mode. In the 1970s, the 4 axle Super-RT 1650 model was introduced by Grove. This unit has a 270 foot or 82.8 meter height under hook in production, along with a 135 ton lifting capacity. At the end of the day, the rough terrain crane would become the company's most remarkable equipment through the years.
The Crane's Drawbacks
One of the main drawbacks of the rough terrain crane was the issue that it was not capable of being driven on public roads with any other traffic. Japan was the only country within the globe which would make an exception to this rule. Moreover, one more problem happened when the crane's lowered boom tended to block the driver's left and right views, depending on how the cap was placed. These issues with the design of the crane ended up being hazardous and serious and result in many accidents with RT cranes, specially when turning. Thus, low-loaders, lowboys, flatbeds were utilized as the main way of transporting rough terrain cranes.