Some jobs from this past few months

dbl612 said:
need the tag axle to comply with axle weight laws for highway travel. it is lifted to allow easier maneuvering when off-road. shortens effective wheelbase and cuts down on turning radius. note location of turret in relation to tandem. axle has to be down for highway travel to prevent porpoising. by the way that is a stout rig right there with the short wheelbase it must get around good.
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Yep, and also that and the 40 tn in the other pics I noticed Brad the Op. Dropped the suspension to get traction backing up a pretty steep snow covered driveway. Worked pretty slick! Another job we did that week, was at night and didn't get any pics, he dropped it down a few inches also to get under the service line safely.
 
treevet said:
does it also aid in not bottoming out the rear end?
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Yes, we can get it in some pretty tight spaces that some other cranes otherwise wouldn't get into. Can't isn't in the owners vocabulary ! He'll find a way to get us a crane in almost anywhere safely! Drove through your neck of the woods today Vet! On our way to Florida for a bit! Just stopped in Birmingham Alabama for the night ! Talk later had a long drive
Devon
 
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Decent sized spruce storm damaged removal from house, needed to get over hydro and a silver maple to stand the tree up, we de limbed it before we stood it up to reduce some weight even though we had the 80 ton! Lol! All my crane guys other cranes were in use. A bit overkill but only charged me a 40 ton rate. No complaining here !
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Really nice pics. What are the standard procedures for "warming up" the crane in such cold temps? My company owner (and primary crane opp) will not operate the crane below 20 Fahrenheit. I have always deferred to his judgement, but considered that he's possibly being overly cautious. Thoughts... treevet feel free to jump in here (y). Again thanks for posting all the picks. Great work!
 
QUOTE="John Uselding, post: 408929, member: 8763"]Really nice pics. What are the standard procedures for "warming up" the crane in such cold temps? My company owner (and primary crane opp) will not operate the crane below 20 Fahrenheit. I have always deferred to his judgement, but considered that he's possibly being overly cautious. Thoughts... treevet feel free to jump in here (y). Again thanks for posting all the picks. Great work![/QUOTE]
I'd have to ask Mike the owner of the company I use mostly all the time, but probably has to do with the type of hydraulic fluid they use, he uses his cranes all year round. I'm sure he has a certain temp also he likely prefers not to run them in cause like vet says and others on here that own their own cranes probably not the best for the seals running them at really cold extreme temps. It's tough being the climber and not moving waiting for the slings to come back to you also! You get cold quick by not moving. If we don't have to we don't work in anything below -10 anyhow!
 
Hello all I have been a lurker for a couple years now but I don't do tree work so have very little to add but I thought this was a good place to jump in. I have a boom truck with a swing cab so I'm never cold but I do take great care of my crane, just my opinion but 20 f. Is pretty cautious and -10 f. Looks like a good place to quite for both man and machine. I run shell hydraulic oil with a really low pour point but it's good for warm weather as well, it was a horrible price but worth it to protect my crane from damage , I also have a tank heater that runs off engine coolant, works well, an hour will bring the oil up to + 5 c from -20, then before I start working the crane I cycle all functions with no load to get some warm oil moving , I might spend 15 minutes warming it up starting with just a couple inches at a time then working up to full stroke ( depending on the temperature ) with exception of the boom extension cylinder it I move four or five feet again to move some warm oil into it , after that as long as my cab heater and the guys out side are still working I'm good to go
 
Thanks for that tradesman! I'm in Canada so it's Celsius. I did text my crane guy and he said the exact same thing you did about the tank heater. I'm thinking of putting one on my lift as they aren't too much $$$. Thanks for posting!
Devon



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Surely even after cycling the warmed oil through the works, the mere exposure to such temps while the stick is extended for the climber to attach slings will cause a drop in temp. Changing out the oil would be quite the process too I imagine. Maybe the owner really does know something :raro2:.
 
Changing the oil didn't really bother me that much , I bought the machine used in 2013 and because I didn't know the level of service it received I felt a swap out was a good idea, so why not put in a really good oil for my climate. Going ahead I send an oil sample away every 500 hrs. to keep track of the condition of my hydraulic system and will replace only when the oil condition warrants it. As for it cooling down between picks it doesn't seem too, even after a half hour lunch break on really cold days it will slow down a bit but I have over 400 liters of oil, one cycle and where up to speed. Yes it would be better sitting in my heated shop, so would I but it isn't gona happen, we're both built to be outside and working.
Regards
Tradesman
 
deevo said:
Thanks for that tradesman! I'm in Canada so it's Celsius. I did text my crane guy and he said the exact same thing you did about the tank heater. I'm thinking of putting one on my lift as they aren't too much $$$. Thanks for posting!
Devon



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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Hay brother Canuk, before I posted that reply I had to use a converter to see if -10 was cold or not, yep it's cold, around -23 c
 
Usually in the cold after warming the oil up and getting the stick stood, I scope in all the way every 20 min or so and swap all the cold oil from the scope cylinder for the warm oil in th tank. summer work too, swap the cold oil in the boom for the blazing hot oil in the tank and watch the temp guage drop.
Before starting this I stuffed out 100' of stick and worked all day in -25 c windchill and took a good 15-20 min to scope in. Can't be good for the seals but that machine only gave a chart reduction for ambient-35c and then I think 5% reduction for every degree below that.
 
you're not supposed to operate in temps of -40 or colder as the cold makes the metal very brittle, also it is really hard on the whole hydraulic system.

P.S. at that temp I'm sure your guys would rather be at home feeding the wood stove.
 
classictruckman said:
you're not supposed to operate in temps of -40 or colder as the cold makes the metal very brittle, also it is really hard on the whole hydraulic system.

P.S. at that temp I'm sure your guys would rather be at home feeding the wood stove.
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Minus 40........ I'll rarely snowmobile in that temp. :sorprendido3:

Picking a good hydraulic oil will make a difference in operating hydraulics in cold temperatures. But boy are they expensive. Couldn't imagine the cost for a large crane (lots of oil).
I use a magnetic block heater of the mini skidsteer to prewarm it at times before use.
Here is a temp chart showing Petro Canada Hydrex XV (it's $100/5 gals)
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