Just some work pics

[crane operator]

What are they going to do with the conex wall?

I think they are going to sheath the other side, and its going to be a large panel to display/project images on- kind of like a old drive in theater screen. Its at a local amusement park.

12 conexes x $3,000 per is $36,000 wall. But you wouldn't buy much structural steel for that kind of $, that you could take down and resell in a couple years when you want to change things again.

 

[Welder Dave]

nice bar setup
don`t believe that cummins would fit my pete either

But it would sure be cool if you could make it fit!

 

[DARO]

Sure looks fun and interesting.

 

[kshansen]

But it would sure be cool if you could make it fit!

I think a K50 might be just a tad heavy for the Pete's front axle! But before you go for that one be advised there is an 18 cylinder version if you need a bit more power for the hills!

 

[crane operator]

Last Friday was my day. Went to my first job, set some steel plates. They weren't ready, so I skipped them across the wall and moved the crane, and went to do another job. Discovering in the process that I had leaking power steering line on the 35 ton.

Then went to do a different job, with the 25 ton. On the way to the job, it sounded like a turbo boost leak on the crane, but I checked at the jobsite and couldn't see anything. Made the first set up, and went to tear down after my picks in that spot, and the winch wouldn't cable up. Cable had hopped the drum on the last wrap and got wedged. But in hopping out to find that, I discovered a huge gushing pile of engine oil growing under the crane.

Quick broke the crane down to travel, and moved it to the corner of the parking lot. Went back to the shop and got the mack. Finished the job with it. Couldn't really see where the oil was coming out of the 8.3 in the 25. Somewhere behind the air compressor/ injector pump. It was running ok, just puking oil everywhere. Did find a bolt laying in the oil puddle. About a mile and a half or so back to the shop, so I poured some oil in it and went home. It made it, but it was leaving a pretty good spot, when I stopped and spun the boom over the rear before backing into the shop.

Finished up the plates with the 35, and poured some atf in the power steering res. and just drove the 35 home too. But things go bad in three's, so I got mine all done in one day!

 

[kshansen]

crane operator, Not wanting to wish bad weather on you but do hope you get some good steady rain soon to wash off the road from that leak! As a motorcyclist I can tell you those little drips can be very dangerous. I know it not wise to ride in the center of the lane but sometimes you have to when changing lanes or turning.

 

[crane operator]

The plate job with the 35 ton was the plates I unloaded a while back. They are around 3" thick, 6-7' wide and around 24' long.

Couldn't have rigging under the plates, because how it set on the stand, so I had the welder make up some picking plate brackets. Used some c- clamps to keep it from sliding, even though I didn't think it would.

Worked like a charm.

 

[crane operator]

In other news, parts and pieces are starting to show up for my next project.

 

[crane operator]

crane operator, Not wanting to wish bad weather on you but do hope you get some good steady rain soon to wash off the road from that leak! As a motorcyclist I can tell you those little drips can be very dangerous. I know it not wise to ride in the center of the lane but sometimes you have to when changing lanes or turning.

We've had a little rain, so I think we are ok. I just would rather fix things at the shop if there's any way. If we had been any further away, I would have probably drug it up on my rollback trailer instead of driving, it was leaking pretty fast. The compressor had a mounting bolt work out, and the power steering pump hanging on it made it crack the housing of the air compressor.

 

[crane operator]

I've made two trips to North Carolina/ Kentucky and back in the last two weeks. Two weeks ago we made a loop and looked at some cranes for sale. The ones I was most interested in were a grove gmk 150 ton, and a liebherr 100 ton.

I really liked the grove, it was n14 down and 6bt upstairs. 151' main and 131' of jib. It was only a 4 section main boom 151', and full power, not a locking pin boom. Much less complicated than the locking pin booms.

I ended up deciding that it was just going to be too big. 5 axle carrier, and being only a 4 section boom it stuck way out over the front cab in the rest, and wayyy out the back in boom dolly. It was also 28' wide on outrigger jacks, a real pain in my crowded jobsites.

The 131' of jib sounds nice, but there's just not many jobsites I have the room to put together that much jib and get it off the ground. Every crane I went and looked at that had inserts, they were all stacked out in the weeds and hadn't been used in years.

It was really a smooth operating crane, and they had kept up on the maintence.

 

[crane operator]

And this is what's coming home, I finished loading it in North Carolina yesterday at 3:00. I made it home today by noon. He didn't get permits to leave North Carolina until this morning.

I left Friday after my great productive day. Got it running Saturday, read the operators manual at the resturant and motel room that night. Went there Sunday morning and figured out how to undeck the weights and run boom in and out.

It had been setting for over a year. Maybe a year and a half.

I'm on my second set of fuel filters. And I've drained 2 gallons of water out of the fuel tank. Along with the bottom 3 gallons of fuel, that didn't smell great either.

I'm going to just drain what's left of the fuel when it gets home. Its got some other issues, nothing major, I think its all related to not having moved for a long time.

Anyways, 157' main boom, 62' of jib. Only 23' wide/ 27' long on jacks, so narrower but just longer than my rt- the compact package is probably what sold me on this rig more than anything else. 35,500 of counterweight.

 

[crane operator]

All the weights and boom dolly I loaded up on a trailer Monday morning. I was sure glad I had the crane running. It would have been a big pain getting the weights off and loaded if it wouldn't have been. It wasn't able to operate the first time I went out there and looked at it.

 

[crane operator]

Loaded up crane tuesday.

I pulled out block and took the pads off and put them on my truck. Also took off all the front steps under the cab so that area was open to clear the trailer.

Delivery driver thought he might make it here by Friday night. It was a heavy tall trailer. He said he was 60,000 gross empty, so with 90,000lbs of crane along, he probably isn't setting any speed records getting here.

 

[Raildudes dad]

Nice looking machine I hope it treats you well

 

[Kiwi-truckwit]

Nice looking crane. You won't know yourself with that, they're certainly a step up in comfort, chart and maneuverability from the old truck mounts.

 

[hvy 1ton]

I don't know how much fuel is left, but it might be worth it to do an algaecide treatment instead of draining the tank(s).

 

[still learn'n]

The plate job with the 35 ton was the plates I unloaded a while back. They are around 3" thick, 6-7' wide and around 24' long.

Couldn't have rigging under the plates, because how it set on the stand, so I had the welder make up some picking plate brackets. Used some c- clamps to keep it from sliding, even though I didn't think it would.

Worked like a charm.
View attachment 195759 View attachment 195760 View attachment 195761 View attachment 195762

Nice tool for lifting the plates. Just curious why they need such heavy plate on an entrance? Something real heavy going on top?

 

[Welder Dave]

Nice looking crane! Ritchie Bros. has a huge 5 day sale in Nisku coming up with some nice looking cranes in it.

 

[DMiller]

Very nice unit, should be pleased with that as is a small package. The mechanics/millwrights that used the Liebherr at the plant said it spoiled them. Only thing they screwed the pooch on first off on the plant crane was twin winches, two hooks, to stick out had to swap back and forth to lower both hooks as were independent and could not run both same time, they two blocked the sheeps head sheared cable and dropped the compound block. Had been a whole three weeks on site.

 

[Junkyard]

All this expert consulting and the first pics I see are on the forum.....? Lol

Glad it worked out. I think it’ll be a good fit!