“Blue Beast” makes its debut – first Liebherr LTM 1650-8.1 for ALL Erection & Crane Rental

Perfect capacity for the job

The job at the VA hospital involved construction of a mechanical room and lifting six air handler sections. The crane was set up on the street and had to lift over another building to reach the work area. Its capacity was perfect for the job. "Given where we had to set up the crane, higher-capacity machines wouldn't have fit, and cranes small enough to fit couldn't lift the necessary weight at that distance," said Brian Meek, equipment specialist for ALL Crane.

One of the hallmarks of the LTM 1650-8.1's design is its ability to set up close to buildings and obstructions while safely maintaining its swing, going where possibly no All Terrain crane of its size could ever go before. Beside other features, this is also offered by the VarioBallast® system, which provides high performance with a smaller ballast radius. Ballast radius can be infinitely adjusted between 6,4 and 8,4 m (21 and 27.5 ft) using a simple hydraulic slewing mechanism.

In tight spaces, even with its back literally against a wall, it will still handle significant picks. It gives plant and facility managers a new way of thinking about how they maintain equipment and where they can install bigger pieces of equipment.

The LTM 1650-8.1 also has two telescopic boom lengths 54 or 80 m (177 or 263 ft) with an easy change system, adding great flexibility. The long boom system is available when needed, and the short one reduces transport costs and setup time. The long boom configuration is also ideal for long-reach, up-and-over applications, providing additional luffing jib strength - just like conditions encountered in the inaugural job.