Truck-mounted crane installation specialists MAC’s Trucks have adopted a revolutionary approach to the installation of HUGE truck-mounted cranes – and it’s paying dividends.
Strength vs weight is an age-old battle when it comes to truck bodybuilding. You want an end product that is strong and reliable, but it has to be able to carry a reasonable payload, or else it becomes nothing but a white elephant.
The heaviest end of the crane truck market is particularly susceptible to this problem. Take a 32-tonne GVW 8×2 chassis, weighing in at around 10 tonnes, add a 10-tonne crane and jib, and this leaves you with a payload of just 12 tonnes for a subframe for the crane, a body, tool carriers plus any additional operational necessities.
There would be little point in having an 84-tonne metre crane on a truck that can only carry one tonne!
The MAC’s Approach
In a recent build for Wigan-based crane truck operation, D Cain & Son, MAC’s design team started from scratch with weight optimisation in mind. This approach resulted in a 6 tonne+ payload on a DAF XF480 8×2 chassis fitted with a FASSI F990RA.2.22 84 tonne metre crane.
Clever Body & Subframe Design
Apart from fitting lighter wheels and specifying the smallest workable cab, there’s not much can be done with the unladen chassis weight of an 8×2 rigid. Equally, the crane weighs what the crane weighs, as it must be able to lift almost five tonnes at maximum reach for this type of application.
MAC’s attention turned to the subframe and body in the search for weight savings. Through the use of 25% lighter materials, significant weight savings were possible without compromising strength or durability. This meant that the magic 6 tonnes payload was comfortably reached – with 6,500kgs available to the operator.
The clever installation of this F990 crane means that the resulting body length was just 150mm shorter than if the smaller F820 crane had been specified.
Unique Front Leg System
Whilst weight saving was important, the high specification of the build could not be compromised, with the operator opting for MAC’s patented front leg system which has been designed to work in harmony with the aerodynamic design of the DAF cab. Using these under-bumper mounted legs means that the truck can operate in a 360 degree area without repositioning – vital in complex lifts in confined spaces.
Additional Extras – Still on Weight Target
Despite the light unladen weight, D Cain’s truck also features a 2.5m fully hydraulic body extension, for carrying longer cabins, hardwood flooring, Mac’s stainless toolboxes, patented side raves and galvanised steel According to Andy Hall, MAC’s technical director, “These materials allow customers to use their trucks for longer, offering a cost-effective and also more environmentally friendly solution.”
The Way Forward
Having completed three of these complex builds using the weight saving techniques, MAC’s Trucks are confident that they have a winning formula for crane trucks of this size. Hall adds, “Most UK bodybuilders avoid the installation of cranes of this size, as they struggle to deliver a truck with a useable payload. Now we have mastered this type of build we are expecting many more orders.”
