35
MAY 2014
ACT
BOOM TRUCKS
PRODUCT FOCUS
T
heboom truckmarket is
recovering, according to Jeff
Jones, creativedirectorwith
SmileyLiftingSolutions. SmileyLifting
Solutions is aboom truckmanufacturer
and spider cranedistributor.
“It’s still notwhere everyonewould like
it tobe,which canbemeasuredbefore the
market crash,” Jones said “Thehigh cost of
new equipment alsodictates the growthof
theboom truckmarket.”
Smiley’sRevolution series of boom
truckswork in a rangeof industries, from
steel erection andgas andoilmarkets to
rental and arborists.
“A lot of industries are realizing the
capabilities of ournew cranes over larger,
more expensiveboom trucks.”
But larger boom truckswere someof the
biggest head-turners atConExpo/Con-
Agg2014.
Is bigger better?
Inwhat they’redubbing thebiggest
boom truck inNorthAmerica, Terex
Cranesdebuted its brandnewCrossover
8000 atConExpo inMarch. The80-ton
capacityboom truck features theupper
works of theTerex780 truck crane and
X-patternoutriggers.Mountedon a
Freightliner chassis, theCrossover 8000
is the first of theCrossover range tohave
the recently introducedTerex cab that
tilts 18degrees and features aheated seat,
standard air-conditioning and electronic
joystick controls.Optional hydraulically
removable counterweight packages are
available at 5,000pounds, 7,000pounds,
11,000pounds and15,000pounds.
TheCrossover 8000 crane features
the sameX-patternoutriggerdesign
pioneered in theboom truckmarket by
theTerexCrossover 6000model. Terex
AerialWorkPlatforms alsouses the
X-patterndesign for its 180-foot boom lift
chassis. TheX-patternoutriggerdesign
lowers theoverall center of gravity and
isolates the crane’supper structure from
the truck chassis, reducing chassis torsion
and extending its lifetime, according to
Terex.
TheX-patternoutrigger positioning also
eliminates theneed for the front stabilizer
jack, typically required for boom cranes to
Themarket might not be as hot as it once was, but
manufacturers have unveiled a number of new boom trucks
over the last fewmonths.
Lindsey Anderson
reports.
Boom truck
boom?
counteract theweight of the enginewhen
lifting. Thisdecreases overall crane length
andweight.
The crane’s three-positionoutrigger –
minimum6.5-feet,middle19-feet ,9.3
inches andmaximum26-feet position
span– allows theCrossover 8000 to
beused in confined spaces and further
enhances cranemaneuverability, Terex
said.With travel speeds in excess of 70
mph, theCrossover 8000 canquickly
move from job to job at highway speeds.
Onceon site, the crane isdesigned to
deliver quick leveling and set upwith
its independently controlledoutriggers
and jib that quickly swings andpins into
position.
For Jones, however, the company’s
smaller,morenimbleboom trucks, are its
bread andbutter.
“Our boom trucks offer substantial reach
and capacity allmountedon single axle
non-CDL trucks or 33,000GVW trucks,
amajor cost savings overheaviermore
expensive tandem trucks that call for
special licensing andFederal ExciseTax
(FET),” Jones said.
Terex Cranes debuted its brand new
Crossover 8000 at ConExpo lastMarch.
The Terex Crossover
8000 features a new
cab that tilts 18
degrees.
