The launch of the new Ranger Crane R45 launch was very exciting and successful, with a huge response from crane owners all over Australia.
Crane owners Australia-wide were pleased to see this new, but very different, mobile crane that has advanced stability, long five-section full power booms, and more engine power, plus the fact that it is made in Australia.
The design of the new Ranger 45 has always been safety-driven and, with the new outrigger concept, it has given many new owners new opportunities in construction and on mine sites Australia-wide.
The new addition of outrigger stabilisers and the longer booms is a force multiplier in this crane sector. Many construction and mining sites resist the use of normal articulated cranes due mostly to stability issues.
These new stabilisers and longer boom features have not been seen in articulated cranes in Australia before, despite it being a widely-accepted concept on larger slewing cranes.
With Ranger Crane incorporating the stabilisers and longer booms, this results in a more flexible crane with a wider range of applications than existing articulated cranes.
The Ranger R45 boom radius range chart has a much larger reach and range radius than any other crane in its class and this in itself is a major force multiplier for most crane users.
Features include:
• heavier static lifts with 45 tonnes at 2.5m radius on the hook
• 35 tonne pick and carry
• outrigger stability system
• heavier line pull winch of 7.5 tonnes with six falls
• longer booms, five sections, all full powered and a 25m tip height
• more power for better take off and maintaining better speeds on grade
• large rigging storage up to 300kg
(front axle weight of 11,700kg)
• 11,700kg front axle weight and 12,000kg rear axle weight.
Many crane owners and operators raised questions around stability, which has been an issue over the years for many articulated style mobile cranes. The new Ranger R45 now provides the perfect opportunity to bring more safety into the crane operators operations.
New Ranger is the only articulated crane in Australia incorporating the new patented outrigger design. The outrigger concept is designed to provide much better stability with better safety.
The new Ranger can deploy the outriggers quickly and easily to do most of the heavy static lifts. The outriggers can be deployed for both light and heavy lifts with the outriggers just millimetres off the ground constantly providing that safety when required.
The R45 Ranger has a pick and carry capability of 32 to 35 tonnes, but as many crane operators say there are many times when the operator needs to pick up a much heavier load just outside of the pick and carry stability rating and in many cases the crane is usually fully articulated.
In these instances, the operator can simply drop out the outriggers to the ground, extend the boom to the load and lift it off the ground, and then, using the boom, slowly retract the load back towards the crane and back within its pick and carry radius. Once back in pick and carry radius the crane can complete the task safely.
The main thrust of the outrigger system is mostly safety driven but, of course, it increases its lift capacity enormously. The Ranger R45 with outriggers in place will increase the lift capacity by about 30 per cent, with an increased stability of nearly 200 per cent when using the outriggers. This means the crane is now stationary and can lift those heavy 40 to 45-tonne loads off trucks or smaller loads much further out at around 2m to 2.5m radius.
Once the load is lifted it can be lowered to a safer handling height and moved back into a pick and carry radius. Then the outriggers are raised to allow the crane to move into pick and carry mode. The outriggers can also be lowered to just 10mm to 50mm off the ground, or to a clearance height off the ground, when manoeuvring heavy loads and this will provide added safety if the pick and carry load does move out of radius, at which time it will slowly rest on the outrigger, stopping the crane from overturning.
The operator can then stop and readjust the load to a much safer radius and has avoided a dangerous rollover. Most articulated cranes rollover or tip over due to the load being too close to the safe pick and carry rating and doesn’t need much to over-balance. The Ranger R45, with its simple outrigger system, arrests the load to avoid overturning.
Safety was the main design criteria, particularly safety with loads at a much longer and higher reach. The Ranger R45 has an exceptionally long reach of 25m tip height and has a maximum boom angle of 70 degrees, which allows it to work in and around refineries and construction sites, lifting those loads higher and longer than Ranger R45’s competitors.
When working at these heights the stabilising effect of the outriggers come in to play again. Articulated cranes tend to slightly sway or roll when lifting any load this high on rubber tyres.
The Ranger R45 is designed to pick and carry the load with the booms mostly retracted back to a safe radius, manoeuvre into position and then raise and extend the booms, aiming to position the load at 24m up within a structure.
During this time, the outriggers can be deployed quickly, providing better stability and safety to the operator as well as a safer workspace on site whilst lifting the load in high, tight and confined areas. The outriggers can once again be fully deployed on the ground or held just off the ground, meaning that added stability is very close to hand if lifts go wrong.
Although the Ranger R45 has been derated or limited to just 45 tonnes on outriggers it has almost doubled its stability, which is the focus of safety and stability. Other articulated cranes in the Australian market have a greater exposure to rollover, while the Ranger’s outrigger system is positioned almost 1m forward of the axle centre line, which provides enormous multiplier for stability and security when lifting heavy loads.
The Ranger R45 comes with a 3-tonne removable counterweight, which is easily fitted.
The Ranger R45 can be offered with various engines around the 235kW to 240kW (320hp) combined with the popular six-speed Allison automatic transmission and a driveline to match.
The Ranger R45, with its larger engine, easily acerates to a comfortable 80 to 90km/h for on-highway running, combined with the soft handling steering to match and plenty of braking power when required.
The new Ranger R45, with extra stability, is unmatched – forming a new standard in articulated mobile cranes.
With its 45-tonne lift capacity on the hook, fast set-up outrigger stabiliser system providing enormous increase in stability, long-reach 25m five-section full power boom, more engine power for better acceleration and hill climbing, soft ride suspension, a more spacious operators cabin, large storage for rigging, automatic rope compensation on all booms, and integrated spare tyre with an inbuilt tyre lifter, you won’t find these features all in one crane anywhere else.
For further information visit www.rangercranes.com.au or phone (08) 9367 0880.