Quicklift Crane Hire celebrated its 25th year in business with the arrival of several new cranes. The last 18 months have been busy for the business, explains owner and director Jarrod Sutherland.
“Like most crane hire companies, we’ve been busy for some time now, working on all types of projects. General crane hire including commercial and residential construction, factory maintenance, irrigation and concrete panel erection work through to power line maintenance with Powercor and Ausnet. There has also been some work in the infrastructure space as well with some new bridges going in locally,” said Jarrod.
With that, he said, there have necessarily been some additions to the fleet.
“The new additions to the fleet have been fantastic. We recently took delivery of a new Franna AT40 and we are pretty excited to have it out and working. The AT40 will make life a lot easier for us being able to pick and carry with the extra lifting capacity. We currently run eight Frannas in the fleet.
“Our second Liebherr LTM 1060-3.1 60t capacity all terrain arrived in early August and our new Liebherr LTM 1150-5.3 arrived later in the month. Ordering the second Liebherr LTM 1060-3.1 was an easy decision for us, as we’ve been really impressed with the first one.
“Liebherr have a great machine in the 60T all terrain. They are really versatile and an excellent option for work in tight areas. Being a three-axle crane, even without counterweight the lifting capacities are fabulous. With 48 metres of main boom we do a lot of work with this crane, where in the past we would have utilised a 80t machine. They’re a very popular machine and that’s why there is quite a few of them around,” said Jarrod.
With 48m of telescopic boom, Liebherr’s LTM 1060-3.1 offers enormous load capacities. At a total weight of 36 t and with a 12t axle load, it includes a 5.5 t ballast, 16.00 tyres, eddy current brake, 6 x 6 drive and a hook block. To offer the widest range of driving conditions, in particular at an axle load of 12t, a special ballast plate configuration has been implemented in the design. Depending on the crane equipment and the required vehicle payload, the ballast carried may be 3.7 t, 4.3 t, 4.9 t or 5.5 t.
To increase the load capacity, 7.3t of additional ballast is available so that the 60 tonne machine can be used with a maximum ballast of 12.8t.
Latest travel gear technology
Thanks to its compact dimensions, the three-axle machine can be manoeuvred easily, even if on-site space is tight. The 9.44 m long chassis is just 2.55 m wide, even with the 445/95 R 25 (16.00 R 25) tyres. The turning radius measured over the driver’s cab is just 7.58 m and the ballast radius remains within 3.54 m. A support width of 6.3 m is achieved with single telescoping sliding beams. Where space is tight, however, a reduced support width of 4.5 m or 2.3 m can also be used. At the touch of a button, the crane is levelled completely automatically during the support process.
The air activated disk brake developed by Liebherr for a mobile crane provides for increased safety and efficiency on the 60 tonne crane. In comparison to conventional drum brakes, they offer a considerably greater braking force that remains consistent even at high brake temperatures. The much longer service life durations also contribute to efficiency. Another advantage of disc brakes is that changing the brake linings – equipped with wear indicators – is faster and easier.
The active, speed-dependent rear axle steering system from Liebherr, tried and tested many times over, is used in the LTM 1060-3.1. This reduces tyre wear considerably. The driver has five different steering programs available that can be selected easily for a variety of situations.
The six-cylinder Liebherr in-line engine in the chassis achieves 367hp (270kW) and reaches a maximum torque of 1700 Nm. The force is transferred to the crane axles via the 12-speed ZF-AS-TRONIC gear box. A two-stage distributor gear permits minimal creeper speeds in manoeuvring mode. The ABS (anti-lock braking system) improves driving safety significantly.
Long telescopic boom
The six-part 48 m long telescopic boom on the LTM 1060-3.1 is telescoped in and out easily via the tried and tested rapid action TELEMATIK telescoping system. With the 9.5 m to 16 m long swing-away jib, the 60 tonne machine achieves hoisting heights up to 63 m and boom radii up to 48 m. The swing-away jib can be attached at an inclination of 0°, 20° or 40°. For work in two hook operation, a second hoist gear and a 2.5 m assembly jib and a rooster sheave is available.
Ease of control with Load Sensing and LICCON2
In the hydraulic system, the electric “Load-Sensing” control ensures accurate work operations. Up to four movements can be actuated simultaneously. Depending on the requirements for the lifting task and of the crane driver, the slewing gear can be easily switched from “open” to “hydraulic locked”.
The Liebherr LICCON2 crane control is used in the LTM 1060-3.1. Thanks to its modern and future-oriented control architecture, it facilitates adaptation to the continually growing needs of the market. A mobile, multifunctional control and display unit – BTT Bluetooth terminal – is provided for upgrade functions. This means that the crane can be supported easily and safely. The crane driver also has the option of attaching and removing the hook block on the crane bumper with visual contact via remote control of the hoist winch and the luffing cylinder of the telescopic boom.
The Liebherr LICCON2 mobile crane control also offers the option of simple and thus cost-effective conversion into a complete remote control system for the crane. Other than the relevant software on the crane, all that is required is a console with two master switches, which the existing BTT plugs into. A significant advantage for the crane operator is that the console can also be used for other cranes with LICCON2 controls programmed for remote control operation.
Liebherr’s LTM 1150-5.3 is a flexible all-rounder featuring the longest boom in this crane class, at 66 metres, and able to compete with crane models in the 200 tonne lifting capacity class. It delivers outstanding lifting capacities when fully raised and at large radii.
And it is immediately ready for use once it reaches the site. This is because the new 150 tonne crane carries nine tonnes of a ballast with a gross weight of 60 tonnes. That means it can complete lots of jobs without requiring additional ballast transport vehicles. That saves time and money and makes the crane even more valuable to crane hire companies.
Long, powerful telescopic boom
When fully extended to 66 metres, the LTM 1150-5.3 has a lifting capacity of over 9 tonnes, which makes it perfect for erecting tower cranes and radio masts.
Lattice extensions enable the new 150-tonne crane to achieve hook heights of up to 92 metres and radii of up to 72 metres. For this, one 7 metre lattice section as boom extension and a 10.8 to 19 metre double folding jib are used. The latter can be adjusted hydraulically between 0° and 40°. A 2.9 metre erection jib and a runner, which can be swung to the side, round off the equipment list. Particularly economical – the lattice jibs are compatible for many crane models in the 100 to 180 tonne class within the Liebherr portfolio.
Economical drive technology with ECOdrive and ECOmode
The time-tested six-cylinder Liebherr diesel engine in the undercarriage provides all the drive power the LTM 1150-5.3 needs. It develops 400 kW / 544 bhp and a torque of a 2516 Nm. The engine satisfies the new stage V emissions directive and can also be configured to comply with the regulations which apply in countries outside of Europe, for example Tier 4 for the USA or stage IIIA for low regulated countries.
The ZF-TraXon gearbox is used to transfer the power to the crane’s axles. ECOdrive is particularly economical and convenient – the additional eco mode delivers enhanced drive properties which save fuel and reduce both noise and CO2 emissions. In addition, Hillstart Aid makes starting on gradients easier.
Liebherr has continued its single-engine strategy on this crane with a mechanical drive unit for the superstructure. The weight reduction created by the elimination of the superstructure engine from the previous model is used to deliver a longer boom and more lifting capacity.
In keeping with the latest developments from the Liebherr mobile crane series, the new 150 tonne crane also features ECOmode for crane operations to reduce fuel consumption and emissions of both noise and CO2. Firstly, the complete pump drive can be disconnected automatically when the engine is idling and then reconnected by the intelligent controller in a matter of seconds when it is required. And secondly, the crane controller automatically calculates the perfect engine speed for the working speed selected using the control lever, helping to avoid unnecessarily high engine speeds.
For the first time on telescopic cranes – adjustable hook blocks
Hook blocks have to be heavy to ensure that the hoisting winch spools reliably. However, they should be as light as possible for being transported on the crane and for high net loads during hoists. Liebherr has designed a completely new range of hook blocks to satisfy these contradictory requirements – weight plates are attached to both sides of the hook block to change the weight of the block so that it is perfect for the current situation.
As Liebherr’s mobile and crawler cranes division’s sales director Christoph Kleiner says: “Our engineers have produced a simple, but brilliant design as it means that operators can react even more flexibly to every job.”
For example, a 3-roller hook block, which previously has weighed 700 kg in this crane class, now only weighs 500 kg, but can be upgraded to 700 kg quickly and easily when necessary. The new system is available for 1 to 7-roller hook blocks. These can be used on cranes with both 19 mm and 21 mm ropes. The weights can be interchanged to ensure simple handling.
For Quicklift Crane Hire, Jarrod said his operators love to make the most of the cranes’ abilities.
“We have over 20 cranes, ranging from mini crawler cranes through the Frannas and into the all terrains where our largest capacity is the Liebherr LTM 1250-5.1 250t machine,” he said.
“Our operators love the Liebherrs and they think the VarioBase is magnificent. Its functionality means you can short jack a leg where you need to and know you’re safe with the LMI telling you where you are as far as your limits go.
“They also love the LICCON control system. It is a straightforward and easy to operate system. The benefit of having a number of Liebherr cranes in our fleet, makes it easier for the operators to move between machines because they’ve utilised the same operating system across the board,” said Jarrod.
The positive feedback from the team has been welcomed by Jarrod and his business partner – and wife, Karli – saying without the support of the great people in their team, their success wouldn’t have been possible.
“This October, we celebrate 25 years in business, and Karli and I are fortunate enough to have had some of our team with us for most of this time. We are lucky to have a great operations team, with Dion Canty celebrating 20 years with Quicklift Crane Hire last year, and Gary “Wiz” Gerada celebrating 20 years next year. We’ve got a great team, good people right across the board and we genuinely appreciate everything they do for the business,’ he said.
Jarrod and Karli are invested in the crane industry and not just with Quicklift Crane Hire. Karli is the Chair of the recently launched CICA Diversity Network which is designed to attract diverse groups to the industry, especially women.
“Anyone running or working in a crane hire business is busy and we are no different, but sometimes you do need to take a step back and look at where we are at as an industry and make a contribution where you can; and that’s what we’ve done. The CICA Diversity Network is a great initiative and Karli is very happy with the reception it has received. The recent Sydney launch was fantastic with close to 100 in attendance. It’s important to be able to contribute to your industry and what you in turn learn from the experiences of other people that are involved is also a benefit. It’s a two-way street and you get back what you put in,” said Jarrod.
“Karli has been heavily involved in the Diversity Network initiative, and she’s pretty happy with how it’s been received. For a long period of time, our industry has been male dominated, however we are gradually seeing more women enter the industry, which can only be a good thing,” said Jarrod.
READ MORE:
- Quicklift boosts its capacity with Liebherr LTM 1250-5.1.
- Diversity in construction at Inside Construction Expo.