Do you guys drive your cranes a lot? I always lowbed, seems every where i go we have nasty hills.
That's what its got them low gears for, and hazards.
I will admit that if its a hour+ away from home, I'm much more happy to drive my 40ton RT on the double drop, than I am to hop in my old tms300. I burn more fuel through the lowboy, and the permit costs more. Its probably only 10-15 minutes faster on a hour trip (depends on the hills) But my right leg is much less worn out from pushing on the throttle pedal.
We don't have really long grades by me. Most are under a 1/2 mile, just short and steep. I'd think the really long grades would be a real killer. I've got short enough ups and downs, sometimes I can carry a little coasting through- but that wouldn't help if its 4 miles to the top.
I've never lowbeded one of my truck cranes. Any lowbed that long wouldn't clear corners and would always be hung up (bellied out) in my area.