Just some work pics

[Knepptune]

We have a freight liner we use for counterweights and hauling lifts. Has a series 60 with 500hp. 40k rears and 12k front. Dang thing feels like a sports car after driving a crane. I'm not sure on the transmission or rear ends. I do know that with 85k it still will outrun any crane I've ever driven.

It's only the second semi I've ever driven so I don't have much basis for comparison. The first semi I ever drove was when I was taking my cdl test.

 

[crane operator]

Been whittling on the list of things to fix on the western star. I think its going to be okay.

Been setting glass for a skylight at a school (its all on the other side of that brick wall). 136' main, dead stick and jib in the 35 ton. Vacuum lifter.




All in the blind by radio. Boom up, hold the load 3'. Swing left 2'. Boom down, hold the load, 2". Seriously. 100' away from myself and they want 2" boom down . With 500lbs total, glass, lifter, and ball(i'd just bump the winch cable down- they'd say stop on the radio).



Oh well, it went well. I did all I could reach, they're finishing tomorrow with a 210 ton.



Actually the kid signaling on the radio did a great job. I coached him a little when we started, told him I didn't care what the direction was, just as long as it came with a distance and he would count me down (cable down 10', then 8-5-4-3-2-1-stop). I much prefer that over the guys that just say "boom down" and get off the radio. You don't know if its 2' or 50', or if they just fell off the roof.

 

[crane operator]

For you track loader lover's, there is one in that first picture of the last post, if you squint real hard. They're loading fill for the landscaping on the back side.

 

[Knepptune]

Sometimes when they ask for 2" simply revving the engine gets it there. Amazes me how that works. Lol

 

[CM1995]

For you track loader lover's, there is one in that first picture of the last post, if you squint real hard. They're loading fill for the landscaping on the back side.

View attachment 159339

A C model still earning it's keep. I love my track loader, it's going to the shop for new bushings in the bucket pins in the near future other than that 5K + hours and still moving dirt.

 

[crane operator]

CM1995- I know we kind of complain about parts prices on our cranes, I'm always kind of relieved that I don't face the pin/ bushing damage that excavators, loaders, and dozers go through. Undercarriage wear is something else we don't face. Unless you do something really stupid, the crane itself will last "forever".

 

[crane operator]

Job's coming up. Looking at picking these up and moving them. The train engine probably under 30,000. I'm guessing the old shovel at 30-40,000.



It still has gas in it. I really think with not too much work, we could get it running and drive it on a trailer- if nothing is broken deep inside.






As I was looking at it, a old guy came up, and was talking about what a piece of junk it was, I said it sure looked to me like it would beat a shovel.

 

[crane operator]

I'm hoping the bottom has fallen out down there. I cant find a detach by me that's under 25-30,000. I just can't give that kind of $ for 1-2 times a week. I really want a non ground bearing detach (no hydraulic foot). A scissor neck, or a ground bearing (hydraulic foot/outrigger), I just don't see working for me. I've found a older detach, but I wouldn't mind a little newer if one doesn't bring much on the auction. Been looking at this one, its got a little rust, and some bent up middle stringers, but I don't see anything obviously wrong:

https://www.rbauction.com/1996-TALBERT-50-Ton-TriA?invId=9491018&id=ci&auction=FORT-WORTH-TX-2016209


1996 talbert, 25' well.



I posted this over on knepptune's thread. I've been regretting that first sentence, when I read it it sounds wrong. I really don't wish what's happening to the oilfield guys right now on anyone. We probably get 5-6 calls a month right now from oilfield guys looking for work. They've been making big $ the last few years, but I feel for them, it would make me sick to have to send all that new iron to a auction.

I was just hoping for a trailer I could afford.

That said....

I need to make a trip to Ft. Worth. I did get the talbert bought. $17,500, which is a little more than I wanted to spend, but I didn't think that was bad for a 1996, I hope it looks as good in person. And I hope the crane fits on it.

The other trailer I was looking at was a late 70's, and they were wanting $14,000, so $3,500 bought me 20 years newer.

 

[crane operator]

Couple more pics of the trailer

 

[Knepptune]

Looks good man.

There's to sides to everything. The oil prices are nice for everyone but oilfield companies.

I went back and looked at the results from the RB auctions. I know North Carolina is a little drive from you but it looked like there were some good buys on trailers there.

Hopefully your new trailer looks better in person once you see it.

 

[Knepptune]

Meant to say hopefully the trailer looks EVEN better in person. Not looks better in person.

 

[Impact]

Yea, I love when the guy on the radio asks if you can pick it up 2" and move the far end of the beam over 2" then sit it back down. When I answer nope, the rotater switch is out, they beleve me.

 

[crane operator]

Well I thought as I'd get older I'd get smarter, but now it just seems I'm in more of a hurry.

New trailer is in Ft. Worth. Finished a job tuesday at 2:30pm.- no job for me on wed. so I decide I can hop in the new western star, bobtail to texas, hook onto the trailer and bring it home.

Run home, look for ancient logbook, and paperwork to pick up trailer. Go back through the last two weeks, to fill in the logbook. Waste a 1/2hr rounding everything up.

Go to back truck out of shop, sliding the brakes, losing air. Fix airline- old owner rather than fixing a blown airline, wrapped duct tape and zip ties on it. We washed the underside of the truck, weakening the tape's hold.

Jack around with fittings, and make up a air line, finally hit the road at 5:00. Too stubborn to give up and wait for another day, I head out. Traffic in Ft. worth at 2:30am wasn't bad. Shut off light in motel at 3:00am.

Ritchie Bros is right across the road. 5th truck in line, but yard doesn't open till 8:00 Walked around and took some pics. Nice silver liebherr that would match impacts.







Get into the yard at 8:00 and hook up to trailer. Try to back under trailer, too low. Dump bags, back frame rails under trailer, raise bags. Throw blocks under nose of the trailer, dump bags. Try to back under trailer, trailer tries to roll away into the tankers sitting behind it. Throw blocks behind trailer. Shove trailer over blocks, and off of front blocks. Redo everything, only now hooking up trailer brakes, to hold trailer in place while I back under. Didn't hurt anything or anyone, and now hooked up.




Fill out paperwork, load up chains I'd bought, and load up some rigging I bought also, and head out, 11:00.

 

[crane operator]

Traffic in Ft. worth/dallas at 11:00 is bad. I felt like such a hick from the sticks lost in the big city with a big new trailer, a big new truck, and no idea where to go with it. I'm sure people were telling me, but I couldn't hear them.

Hour and a half or so, I'm finally out of dallas, and find a truck stop to get over and check things out. First side of axle hubs are fine, but the middle one on the other side is pretty warm, actually you could say hot.

I pull the little rubber plug, and it starts sending out smoke signals like a panicked indian. Like I said, it was warm. Still has full oil level, but something's wrong.

I go in the truck stop, take a leak, think about the warm bearings, dreaming they're cooling down, and that I don't have 500 miles to home.

Climb back in the truck, drive the next 10 miles, thinking I've got to do something, or I'm going to smoke a axle.



Pull over at the next stop. Thank goodness I stole a 8' 4x4 (sorry ritchie bros, take it out of your buyer fees).



Drive over the 4x4, chain up the offending axle. Discover that's the axle on the leveling valve, much to my luck.



Spend the next 30 miles, pulling over every 5 miles, and messing with the valve, and finally get it where the bad one's off the ground, and I'm not going to blow the bags off the other two axles.

Home by 9:00. Decide I'd never make a over the road driver.

Looks nicer in my yard than theirs.

 

[Junkyard]

Wish I'd have known you were having trouble and going more or less by me, I could have given you a hand! I've backed a lowboy farther than most have pulled them forward, had them custom built and built them from scratch myself. If I can ever help with anything lowboy or hauling related let me know. I've moved some monster stuff and some very odd stuff as well. Looks like a nice rig.

Junkyard

 

[crane operator]

Thanks, junkyard. It really wasn't anything too serious, just a pain. I'm just glad I went down there myself, if I'd have hired it done, I doubt anyone would have checked axles. I'd have got a phone call that my new/used trailer had at best a ruined axle, worst case a tire blowout/ fire/burndown.

I will say this though- when I turned south off I-40 onto 69 in oklahoma bobtailing, I did mutter some choice words on the quality of highway work by your fine road department.

 

[Impact]

I've been on some trips like that. Took me 4 days to get a 50 ton Grove out of Colorado once! Argh...

 

[crane operator]

At least you didn't take that 50 ton through missouri and destroy our fine roads with it

 

[crane operator]

Got to set the Bay City shovel Friday morning. 31,000lbs. One of the museum guys said 1930's. I think with some new brake bands, a couple new cables and a grease gun, a guy could go to work.

They got the engine to turn over, but I don't know why they didn't pump out the old gas.:Banghead

 

[kshansen]

That Bay City looks like it would be fun to play with in the back yard! Wife might not appreciate it though!