1970 Grove TM155

[FirstEliminator]

Hey guys,

I am new here and new to cranes. Last November I bought a 1970 Grove TM155. It needs odds and ends, but it does mostly function.


I've used it for a couple things so far. Nothing commercial as I am not licensed to operate. However, we did you it to pull an engine out of a car. The car was in the shop and the crane was outside.


When I bought the crane, the seller mentioned that this is actually an 18 ton capacity crane. However, the labels I see mention the capacity as being 15 tons. He said the NY State Thruway had pruchsed some and needed 18 ton cranes but Grove labeled them as a 155 due to something about licensing requirements changing with a crane that is above 15 tons? Eitherway, I will never use it to it's capacity.

I'd like to put some work into this crane. One of the parts I am looking for is the skylight for the crane cab. Anyone have one of those?

thanks,
Mark
Berkshire Transmissions
North Adams, Massachusetts

 

[td25c]

Thats a nice looking crane FirstEliminator.The 6 wheel drive and its short wheelbase makes it a handy rigg for tight spots & off road jobs.We have a 1969 Grove TM 250.One thing I like about a Grove is the company still supplys parts for the older riggs.Here is a link to the grove archive,click on TM 150 or 180 for load chart & specks. www.manitowoccranes.com/MCG_GRO/Downloads/EN/Archive_Lit_TM1.asp

 

[crane operator]

Do you have just broken glass, or are you missing the whole steel door/ hatch opening?

 

[FirstEliminator]

It's missing the whole frame. I suppose at some point somebody unlatched it and just didn't put it back. I did talk to a Grove dealer that can get the part for me. However, the total cost for the frame, glass and weatherstrip was about $2600. If I can't find a used one, I will just make one.


How could I forget to mention what engines are in the machine? It has a DT466 lower and a Ford 300 upper.

With the outriggers extended and all the wheels off the ground. I noticed that the transfer case will always spin the front wheels and only engauges the rear wheels when in 4x4. Is this normal for an FWD chassis? FWD can't really stand for front wheel drive----can it? Or, is there something backwards about this transfer case?

Mark
Berkshire Transmissions
North Adams, Massachusetts

 

[crane operator]

$2600 is kind of steep, but I guess the amazing thing is that it's still available. Try getting a part from GM for something made in 1970.

I think you're going to be best off fabricating your own lid, just remember to use safety glass, so if something comes off the hook and breaks the glass, it doesn't come in jagged pieces and get you. (I see guys get cheap and put in lexan/pexiglass, which is tough, but when it does break its a dangerous deal).

It's also nice to see someone using the old Grove, most of these old rigs are ending up being scrapped. Scrap iron prices are up, and with insurance so expensive on the cranes, it's hard too keep them. Small contractors instead go buy a 10k forklift, and use it for everything, and can let about anyone run it. I saw one advertised real similar to yours a year ago, and tried to buy it myself, but it was too far away (shipping was awful), and I just couldn't justify it, and I know it went away for scrap iron.

You will never wear that crane out, and it's actually a much smoother crane to run, than new cranes are.

FWD is the name of the chassis manufacturer. Grove had some of the early chassis made by them, other chassis manufacturers were Pierce, CCC, and Hendrickson.

 

[TozziWelding]

You only need a 1B hoisting license to run that and it is fairly easy to get, go to the MA Dept. of Public Safety website for more info. When I took my hoisting licence test I was in and out in 45 mins and got the tag in the mall a week or 2 later.

 

[crane operator]

One other thing, the jib hung on the side of that is not a factory jib, and not factory attach points, and if anything ever breaks loose with it mounted, you're exposing yourself to a lot of liability (it's someone's homemade add on). Insurance company's and OSHA are real fussy when cranes are involved. The factory charts, and the one in the crane will be for a under the boom, a-frame type jib (the old mounting brackets are still under the boom). If you aren't going to ever use that jib, I'd take it off and store it somewhere.

 

[gostr8r]

I ran a little one just like that for a while too in the early '80's for my company. It is in fact a 15 tonner and has about 6" less out rigger span than the 18 ton Groves that look just like it. I had to put diesel in the lower at the yard, but went to the corner Shamrock Station to put gasoline in the upper. Mine also did have the correct 'A frame' under swinging Jib for the 70' main boom. http://s1029.photobucket.com/albums...t=loadingdrywallintoaglasswindowindowtown.jpg

 

[FirstEliminator]

Hey Tozzi,
I do have the 2A license---which is of course no good for cranes. Since last November, I have had the 1B Hoisting License application printed out and sitting on my desk. Been too busy to send it out. Someone told me the 1B test was really hard. Though it sounded as if the person he was talking about was testing for the 1A. I have the Bob's Rigging and Crane book and the Canadian Mobile Crane Manual. Which are both really helpful. Although, I think there is actually more info in the Canadian book. It's been a few months since I have opened either of them. If I want to use the crane this summer, I should quit procrastinating and send out the application. Is the 1B license all I will need to operate in Massachusetts? Or, will I also need some additional credentials llike NCCCO?


About the boom extension. It isn't like the Jibs on any other Grove I have seen. I wasn't sure if it was something optional from Grove. Truthfully, I cannot forsee needing it. So why not lighten up the boom by setting the extension up in the rafters somewhere.

Hopefully I can find a skylight cheap on a crane headed for the scrap yard.

thanks,
Mark
Berkshire Transmissions
North Adams, Massachusetts

 

[willie59]

About the boom extension. It isn't like the Jibs on any other Grove I have seen. I wasn't sure if it was something optional from Grove. Truthfully, I cannot forsee needing it. So why not lighten up the boom by setting the extension up in the rafters somewhere.

I'm with crane operator, that machine used an A frame jib, the lattice jib was added by someone, and the way most manufacturers (as well as insurance companies) word things, if you make changes to a boom that are not OEM design, you own it, including liability, I'd be removing that thing unless you got some certification papers for the jib when you purchased the crane.

 

[td25c]

It's missing the whole frame. I suppose at some point somebody unlatched it and just didn't put it back. I did talk to a Grove dealer that can get the part for me. However, the total cost for the frame, glass and weatherstrip was about $2600. If I can't find a used one, I will just make one.


How could I forget to mention what engines are in the machine? It has a DT466 lower and a Ford 300 upper.

With the outriggers extended and all the wheels off the ground. I noticed that the transfer case will always spin the front wheels and only engauges the rear wheels when in 4x4. Is this normal for an FWD chassis? FWD can't really stand for front wheel drive----can it? Or, is there something backwards about this transfer case?

Mark
Berkshire Transmissions
North Adams, Massachusetts

Thats odd that the front wheels spin and not the rears when up on the outriggers.Could just be drag on the countershafts & clutches in the transfer case causing the front wheels to spin rather than it actually being locked in and driving on the steering axil.I also have a 1969 FWD 6x6 winch truck,it drives off the rear axils in normal conditions.When in off road you flip the air swich and it locks the steering axil,power divider,and differentials in via air over hydraulic.Basically it uses an air cylinder that pushes a master cylinder sending brake fluid to all the locking clutches in the transfer to engage the steering axil ,differential locks,& power divider.My transfer case is a 3 speed with hi & low and deep reduction and dang near as big as the 6-V 53 detroit in the truck.After looking at the first picture of your crane it looks like it uses the FWD drivetrain .I wonder if we both have the same setup in your crane and my winch truck FirstEliminator? I like the swing out jib on your crane,I've thought about converting my crane to a swing out style jib.

 

[FirstEliminator]

Anyone know where I would be able to find out the differences between a TM150, TM155 and TM180? On the Manitowoc/Grove website there are some archived spec sheets for Grove cranes. It does not list the TM155. As I mentioned earlier in this thread about the seller telling TM155's being built especially for NY state Thruway and really lifting 18 tons yet being called a 15 ton seems far fetched. By looking at a TM150 and a TM180, is seems there is a possibility that the TM155 is a 15 ton crane unit on an 18 ton chassis. Any ideas?

thanks,
Mark

 

[Knepptune]

Grove derated several models. An RT735 is a 35 ton but past 15 feet radius the load chart is identical to a RT745. Don't know why but grove did that kind of this on several different models. Don't know if this is the case with your crane but it would surprise me at all.

 

[heavylift]

we had several 50 tons that were derated to 35, the reason was a 35 ton didn't need an oiler.

 

[gostr8r]

The 155 has a 6” shorter outrigger stance, it has a gasoline upper but a diesel lower and I think the c/w chunk is slightly less too. I ran one for a while and it was so similar that it was hard to tell.