Since the invention of the construction crane by the Greeks in the 6th century, this simple tool that does indeed appear to reach into the skies to perform its job has greatly advanced in its capability of moving heavy loads. It is commonly utilized in the construction industry, the transportation industry, and even in the manufacturing industry.

Alternatively, Gottfried Daimler, a German pioneer within the internal combustion engine, centuries later in 1886 took his 4-speed transmission engine and mounted it on the stagecoach frame thereby designing the first 4-wheeled automobile. Flash forward to 1925 and Henry T. Ford's introduction of the first factory-produced vehicle, the Ford Model T Runabout with Pickup Body. From the first truck which was introduced in 1917 to today, truck technology has greatly advanced being the workhorse vehicle of countless different industries.

Imagine combining these two divergent examples of vital equipment into one, and you have the 'truck with crane!' A crane truck is a perfect example of synthesizing two different pieces of equipment into a whole unit that greatly enhances the usefulness of either part separately.

In constructing high-rise buildings, a truck with crane lifting capability is necessary to obtain construction materials in the ground towards the necessary high places. Imagine construction workers trying to transport cement or steel from your ground on the 7th floor; it would probably take forever and be very labor-intensive. Employing a crane truck for these tasks would surely save a great deal of money and time.

Crane Truck Types

The crane truck will come in different types, some erogenous and several very sophisticated - in the basic for the most sophisticated; its functionality is almost irreplaceable! Consider the following kinds of crane trucks:

Side-lifter - The side-lifter crane truck is a form of crane truck containing the capability of loading and unloading containers from various locations, including the ground, another truck, railway car, and dock locations. An exceptional feature of the crane truck is its ability to stack two containers on top of themselves. Lifting is accomplished by means of a mounted set of hydraulic cranes. The crane has hydraulic adjustable legs which have been ideal for operation especially on uneven ground.

Truck-mounted crane - Truck-mounted cranes are designed for highway travel, thus eliminating the need to transport the crane from site to site by some other means. This truck is only capable of traveling a few miles per hour with a suspended load and extra precautions should be taken to prevent the load from swinging sideways. Crane operators use electronic safeguards to calculate the maximum load as well as safe traveling speeds.

All terrain crane - An all-terrain or rough-terrain crane truck is geared with axles to accomplish rough terrain jobs. The number of axles of this crane ranges from 2 to 9 axles and, dependent upon the number of axles, is the maximum capacity of the crane's lifting loads - usually up to 1,200 ton lifting capacity. This truck with a mounted crane combines together the ability to travel on road and the ability for easy maneuvering on rough terrains.

Rough terrain crane - This specialized hydraulic crane truck is design for rough terrain operations. The crane is mounted basically over a platform with four big tires that will travel under off-road and 'rough' conditions. For hoisting, the crane has outriggers that accustomed to stabilize also to level the crane on rough terrains.

This vehicle is another form of truck that is extremely popular on construction sites as people like to halt watching the crane reach greater than it's possible to imagine. The unique usability on this truck cannot be easily duplicated specially in a movable form. The building industry certainly appreciates the usability and also the significance from the crane truck and the way it can certainly grab the skies!