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Driving RT crane on public road

ichudov

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 17, 2014
Messages
432
Location
United States
This is a real life question.

I am in Illinois.

Let's say that I took my RT crane to a job site. The crane is Grove RT-60S.

After a while of working, the crane needs to move three blocks down the road (public road).

Can I drive it on the road, perhaps with a lookout person walking by as I move? Is that legal to do or would it violate any laws?

Thanks
 

lantraxco

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 1, 2009
Messages
7,704
Location
Elsewhen
In our state all you need is one of those Orange slow moving vehicle triangles, like all the farm tractors and self propelled machinery.
 

mowingman

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 10, 2010
Messages
1,228
Location
SE Ohio
Occupation
Retired
Check with your state's DMV office. Here, we are supposed to have a special "Heavy Equipment" registration and license plate. We also have to have oversize/overweight permits, if needed. I used to road scrapers, loaders, and motor graders all around our county. Lots cheaper than hauling.
 

renovator

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 27, 2011
Messages
69
Location
New Mexico
Years ago, and I mean years, a contractor I worked for tried to "road" a Cat 966. The state DOT caught him and whipped out the portable scales, measured the wheel base, etc. In short, they applied truck rules to that loader. As I recall, the loader failed on multiple fronts and had to be hauled (it was almost 30 years ago).
On the other hand, if you're only moving three blocks, you can take your chances.
 

td25c

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 14, 2009
Messages
5,250
Location
indiana
Last edited:

Knepptune

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 22, 2012
Messages
757
Location
Indiana
If you move it Sunday morning at church time it probably doesn't have to be legal. But I didn't say that. Lol

I have moved a fair amount of equipment through towns and have never had any trouble. Being a smaller crane and not all that overweight I wouldn't stress about it to much. Obviously try to move it when there's not much traffic.

I drove an RT740 about seven miles one morning and didn't get a second look from anyone. But there's a fair amount of big farm tractors around here so if they can do it I should be able to as well.

Of course your local laws may vary.

Sometimes it's easier to ask for forgiveness then permission.
 

ichudov

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 17, 2014
Messages
432
Location
United States
OK, thanks a lot guys. I did research this and printed out the law and a good comment page that all say that driving my RT on the street is legal.

I did buy a SMV emblem also.

In my state, I may (but do not have to) purchase a "Exempt Vehicle" plate for my crane just to have a belt with suspenders.

By all accounts driving a crane is legal -- but driving it with a load is NOT.
 

lantraxco

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 1, 2009
Messages
7,704
Location
Elsewhen
OK, thanks a lot guys. I did research this and printed out the law and a good comment page that all say that driving my RT on the street is legal.

I did buy a SMV emblem also.

In my state, I may (but do not have to) purchase a "Exempt Vehicle" plate for my crane just to have a belt with suspenders.

By all accounts driving a crane is legal -- but driving it with a load is NOT.

A cousin of my Dad's once got a ticket for hauling a barrel of diesel strapped onto the deck of his truck crane, it had a "Fixed Load" license and as the mighty trooper observed, the barrel was not "Fixed". My hero, LOL
 

ichudov

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 17, 2014
Messages
432
Location
United States
A cousin of my Dad's once got a ticket for hauling a barrel of diesel strapped onto the deck of his truck crane, it had a "Fixed Load" license and as the mighty trooper observed, the barrel was not "Fixed". My hero, LOL

Did he go to court over this ticket? Did he win?
 
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