Roadmaster 9000 demo. today

Last time because you still dont understand me then I'm out. That crane could only enter a 22percent apron or 13 degrees. This has nothing to do with gradeability.

Gradeability is:

What the plywood would show you is that the crane cannot go up a hill that is pitched like you see the plywood. Not enough power or traction or something? Picture that plywood going off into the sky as if it were a hill, anything steeper than that and the Roadmaster cannot ascend it. This is what the spec says not me, I'm just trying to point it out to you. I know that if I am correct you will appreciate me bringing this to your attention.

I just looked a GMK3055 has an 82.5percent gradeability or can climb a 40degree hill.

Gradeability has nothing to do with driveway aprons it's more about the hills the road master can climb. She can only climb a 16.7degree hill, (but she will get hung up on a 14degree apron)

Man I hope this helps, is anyone else getting this?
 
wow, seems like this thread took a big turn somewhere along the line.

great purchase Cameron!! Gonna have to let us in on some work pics when you get her in May, looks like a sweet rig for what you bought it for.

btw, I believe Cameron bought this crane with the idea he wouldn't be backing it into too many drive ways and most of the work would be done from the street. I think it fits the bill, even with the gradient issue. Don't think he'd have a problem with it driving around his area, pretty sure it could climb most anything street wise in his area. Barring he doesn't move west, I think he's good.
 
No you cant compare that 9000 to a 4100, and especially not a 4115. What you're comparing is boom length, and capacity? What about the 4115L (which is what most companies buy, 197' boom, 205' tip height of main boom).

You are also losing all of the creature comforts, and bells and whistles associated with those other cranes.

I'm not bashing you, I just found it awkward you compared this to a 3055 and 4115. i think the 4100 is the correct comparison here.



I think of a recent article I read on the new Hynudai Equus. It is direct competition to the BMW 7 series and Mercedes Benz S class. The article stated that with the Merc and BMW you get crazy supple Italian leather hand stitched seats, real wood interior, a ride so smooth, quit and responsive you would think you were driving an air tight sound proof jet, etc etc. The Hyundai had none of these features, though it had leather, and fake wood on the interior. The last line of the article was "And, of course, buying a big Mercedes-Benz doesn't require any explanation. It's an S-Class. You might have to explain to people why you bought a $60,000 Hyundai."

I just took exception of comparing apples to oranges.

I am not bashing you, or your company, I actually admire what you do on such a large profit scale with no chippers! its incredible what you're able to do with the amount of guys and equipment you have, look at what you have purchased and paid off in the last few years....AMAZING!
 
Cam,
You ever want to sub it out and come my way let me know. I'll put it to use with ya!
cool.gif
 
Cameron, seems to me that you have a selection of cranes to fit to the job specs. and this crane gives you the versitility to do another aspect of work (mostly large radius residential from the street).

Seems that the niche is filled with this machine and at a lower cost than other choices you have, and from reading your posts on the subject you would probably sell this at some point or put it to the side for other work and continue to grow in the large and hazardous removal aspect of the business. Correct me if I'm wrong.


Good for you and best wishes in the coming year and remember to keep those saws a buzzin'


Steve
 
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I am not bashing you, or your company, I actually admire what you do on such a large profit scale with no chippers! its incredible what you're able to do with the amount of guys and equipment you have, look at what you have purchased and paid off in the last few years....AMAZING!

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We have three chippers, although one is mearly a back up.

Bc 2000 with Grapple

Bc 1800

Bc 1230A
 
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Cameron, awesome crane! Let me know when you take delivery of it, I would love to drive to NJ just to see that beast in action for a day.

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Will do
 
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wow, seems like this thread took a big turn somewhere along the line.

great purchase Cameron!! Gonna have to let us in on some work pics when you get her in May, looks like a sweet rig for what you bought it for.

btw, I believe Cameron bought this crane with the idea he wouldn't be backing it into too many drive ways and most of the work would be done from the street. I think it fits the bill, even with the gradient issue. Don't think he'd have a problem with it driving around his area, pretty sure it could climb most anything street wise in his area. Barring he doesn't move west, I think he's good.

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Thanks ranger, It is mostly flat around in south jersey. Never saw the gradability as an issue as some here.
 
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Gradeability has nothing to do with driveway aprons it's more about the hills the road master can climb. She can only climb a 16.7degree hill, (but she will get hung up on a 14degree apron)

Man I hope this helps, is anyone else getting this?

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I have the same questions, its hard for me to imagine using a machine with such limited gradeablity. Our markets must be entirely different.
I want to be clear I am not bashing, criticizing, or insulting you, your company, your potential new crane, or your knowledge. I am asking these questions simply to understand more about this very impressive crane and how it could fit in our industry. You clearly know what your doing to be in the position to even consider such a crane.
have you had a chance to drive it on any significant hills?
How do you deal with fences, walls and other obstacles with the swingout X style outriggers? We always seem to be extending our riggers thru gates and inbetween bushes and things in order to setup. I have no experience with x style riggers, having a hard time picturing how you would deal with that.

Here in the boston area it seems like very town is full of hills, I am not sure you could drive a crane like that thru most of the towns up here. The first time I ran a 4115 ii had to back it up several driveways which were very steep (I am tempted to go back and calculate the slope ) I was very impressed width how such a large crane was able to climb a tough driveway. With all that said I have never worked in southern nj so I have no idea if you even have any hills to try it on.
 
When I see gradeability statistics, I think of theoretical maximum torque through the tires for a given weight on an ideal surface at a minimum sustainable speed. Trying to give a gradeability statistic otherwise is extremely complicated due to the nearly enumerable variables that come into play.



The very basic formula for gradeability is

Grade= (100 x in/lbs x gear reduction) / (Rolling radius in inches x GVW in lbs)


Picture the tires as a winch drum, the vehicle weight as the load, and the road as the winch line. For a given amount of torque on a given diameter drum, you can only pull the weight up so steep of a hill before you run out of torque and stall.


I seriously hope that it's a poorly written statistic.

To put that 16.7* in other perspectives, think of an equipment trailer with a 2' deck height. With a 16.7* gradability, you would need ramps over 7' long to load just to be able to crawl up the ramps.

Heavy drawbar equipment's grabability is typically limited by oil starvation and stability, as their torque far exceeds their weight.
 
Gradient is one of those things that can be hard to have a feel for especially when you try to compare to degrees.

Running larger equipment on anything over 10% keeps you watching.

Some Boston streets:

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=2378185
this is short, but steeep: 13m rise over 107m = 12.15% grade.

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=2378195
segment between Columbus and Centre: 12m gain over 114m = 10.5% grade

Philadelphia: "Manayunk Wall" 17%

Steepest Highway in Canada 18%

Steepest street in San Francisco is 31.5%

Guinness officially recognizes Baldwin Street as the world's steepest street at 35% grade

Olympic Ski Jumping runout grade 35%


Anything over 20% with a rig that big will have you puckered pretty good. At 25%, given the wheelbase, one axle will be on the ground and the other will have 6' of clearance when leveled out. The approach apron is close to 25% which is pretty darn steep and throwing down a few blocks easily gets you a little more.

A gradeability of 30% seems more than sufficient. Nice rig! Best of luck.
 
Another question I have is how does it feel on a 10% or 14% grade? I have driven boom trucks and gmks on some serious grades but I don't think I was near their published gradeablity.
if the max of this unit is 16.7 I wonder if it struggles with minor grades or handles them with ease... most things don't respond well when pushed to their limits
 
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...if the max of this unit is 16.7...

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Little bit of apples and oranges happening. The rated gradeability of the unit is 30% which is 16.7 degrees...

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Sorry, I was interchanging the two terms incorrectly.

Again I am not being negative on this unit, it is just something I never really gave much thought, the cranes I have used would always climb as steep of a grade as u would ever try . It might be no issue at all, I am only asking if he has tried it on any hills and if so how it handled
 
Cameron,

Totally cool. Impressed that you got that one for the tree biz' Great job, man.

BTW, do you have a website? I was trying to learn more...

Tierson
 
Just an update. We decided not to go through with the deal at this time. We got our deposit back and we are reevaluating which make and model crane we would like to move forward with.

We did run into a finanicial hurdle of securing a loan for such an amount. My credit is excellent but we have not borrowed any amount remotely close to that. Lenders want to see you make gradually larger and larger purchases over the years.

Originally our goal was to wait a year before the purchase to make a significant down payment. However, I made a rush of judgement on our purchase seeing that cranes in general have been going up in cost at a pretty rapid rate. I think we will be foscusing more on the purchase of a gmk3055 or ac60 towards the end of the year depending on the capital saved in this time frame.
 
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