Loader cranes are a kind of hybrid of trucks and conventional truck cranes. With their help you can perform a wide range of installation, excavation and construction work. Such universal equipment is very expensive, and to operate it it is necessary to hire specially trained people. In some cases, these expenses more than pay off, but sometimes it’s easier to just rent equipment with the necessary characteristics. What is more profitable, buying or renting, and what must be taken into account when choosing a manipulator?
No. 1. What functions are assigned to the manipulator?
Modern manipulators, which are a truck with a crane installation, are used in construction, agriculture and public utilities, and cargo transportation. Using the manipulator, you can perform the following tasks:
- loading, unloading and transportation of various goods (building materials, industrial equipment, containers, cars, cabins, machine tools, bulk materials, etc.);
- lifting loads to heights;
- lifting workers to a height if the manipulator is equipped with a cradle;
- installation of structures (using a vacuum suction cup you can safely install double-glazed windows);
- drilling wells if the manipulator is equipped with an auger drill.
Platform device
In a vehicle such as a tow truck with a crane, the platform can be the usual stationary or sliding one. In the first case, it is fixed to the car frame and remains motionless during loading. To load evacuated vehicles onto it, special bends (fractures) are used.
The number of these kinks present on the platform increases the convenience of loading the car, but at the same time affects the high cost of evacuation services. If there is only one fracture, only a car with sufficient ground clearance can be safely loaded onto a tow truck. Moreover, the fact that the plane is fixedly fixed on the chassis makes it possible to significantly reduce the risk of damage to the towed vehicle in the event of displacement.
A tow truck with a hydraulic manipulator on which a sliding working plane is installed is more relevant in situations where the vehicle’s chassis is inoperable due to any breakdowns or accidents. In this case, loading is carried out by completely tilting the plane onto which the vehicle is pulled in using the CMU.
The towed vehicle is delivered to the loader using an appropriate mechanism. Relatively recently, it was a winch, but today crane-manipulator installations are increasingly used.
No. 2. The nuances of renting and purchasing a manipulator
The answer to the question of what is better, renting or buying a manipulator , should be looked for in the company’s field of activity. Simple calculations will help you understand what is more profitable : buy a manipulator of a certain model with clearly required parameters, provide it with proper maintenance, regularly refuel and pay a qualified crane driver, or pay for the rental period and not have to worry about maintenance. At first glance, it may seem that the second option is much simpler and easier, and in most cases this is true.
Many owners of medium-sized businesses come to the conclusion that it is better to rent a manipulator , especially if such equipment is needed only occasionally, and sometimes manipulators with completely different parameters are needed. Even in Moscow, renting a manipulator is inexpensive, and serious companies offer a decent fleet of domestic and European-made equipment to choose from, providing timely maintenance and repair. The rental period can be any, and the price, as a rule, already includes payment for the driver.
The purchase is justified if the company specializes in strictly defined types of work, and the manipulator is responsible for a significant part of it. Of course, a transport or large construction company is unlikely to rent such equipment. Of course, you will have to take care of the manipulator, but it will always be available on site.
The quality of the work performed will directly depend on the correct choice of the manipulator, whether purchased or rented. Its characteristics will greatly depend on the type of work performed and the specifics of the area. Companies that sell or rent cranes can offer helpful advice, but this does not relieve you of the need to know the purpose of various crane equipment.
It is imperative to decide what volume, type and weight of cargo will be transported , on which parameters such as load capacity, body volume, type of manipulator, boom radius and its load capacity directly depend. The type of chassis, manipulator and boom characteristics depend on the specifics of the area where the work will be carried out.
Cost of services
You can call a tow truck with a manipulator inexpensively, but the price depends on the characteristics of a particular case. The services of a tow truck for a passenger car cost approximately 3,500 rubles. For SUVs the cost is higher. Their evacuation costs from 4,000 rubles. For special equipment, prices start from 7,000 rubles. Even a motorcycle may need to be towed. In this case, you need to pay approximately 2000 rubles. The cost of operating a crane depends on the lifting capacity of the machine. The price of work per hour with a lifting capacity of up to 5 tons starts from 1000, up to 15 tons - from 1300, up to 20 tons - from 1500 rubles.
A tow truck can be called 24 hours a day. Many organizations offer this option today, since the time of breakdowns and accidents cannot be chosen. You can order a tow truck cheaply during the daytime. At night this service costs more. For example, after 9-10 pm the cost may increase by 50%. The price of a tow truck with a manipulator also depends on the location of the object. For example, in Moscow, travel costs 20-30 rubles per 1 km (one way).
No. 3. Types of manipulators: manipulator crane and hydraulic manipulator
The general name of manipulators usually means the following devices:
- crane arm;
- hydraulic manipulator;
They differ in scope of application, load capacity and cycle time.
Hydraulic manipulators work with hydraulic implements, are usually equipped with an L-shaped boom and are used for high-intensity work, such as handling logs or scrap metal. Such installations are subject to increased reliability requirements, since the operating cycle time is short and the operations are monotonous. The unit is usually mounted behind the cab, sometimes towards the rear of the truck. Not long ago, hydraulic manipulators began to appear in which the boom has a reverse Z-shaped folding pattern, but the scope of such devices is limited.
Loader cranes in the classic version do not have a hydraulic drive and transport loads using a hook suspension. Such equipment is used less intensively, usually for loading and subsequent transportation to the site. Such manipulators have a higher load capacity and a longer operating cycle time, which is why they differ from hydraulic manipulators. Loader cranes are becoming more popular.
Tow trucks with manipulator
A tow truck is a universal type of equipment for loading and transporting various models of vehicles.
With its help, you can pull a car out of a ditch, a swamp, or turn the car over. This technique will cope in cases in which the cable and winch are powerless. The main purpose of the truck is to load or unload vehicles that are unable to move independently as a result of an accident, breakdown, traffic violations and other reasons, in cramped conditions. The manipulator is capable of vertical lifting and lowering. Thanks to the high lifting capacity of the crane, it is possible to work even with heavy-duty models of cars - trucks, buses, construction equipment.
Tow truck manipulator - sale of reliable special equipment on attractive terms
TechModern LLC offers to buy a tow truck manipulator in Russia on favorable terms. High quality, reliability, safety, functionality - a short list of the advantages of the company's transport.
The strengths of this solution are its versatility. The tow truck manipulator allows you to solve any problem. Unlike other types of special equipment, this is the most economical and functional choice. Among the distinctive properties of this equipment, it is worth noting maneuverability, compact dimensions, as well as the ability to carry out operations in cramped conditions.
Special equipment is presented in a wide range. The presence of additional functionality increases convenience and expands possibilities. An important element of a tow truck is loading and unloading equipment.
A tow truck with a manipulator is very popular, as it provides extensive capabilities and advantages, ensures safety and convenience of operations in conditions of varying complexity.
No. 4. Crane boom type
One of the fundamentally important characteristics of a loader crane is the type of boom, or more precisely, the type of its folding. There are two main options:
- Z -shaped , or boom without a winch . It has an articulated design that folds in a Z-shape. It has a higher carrying capacity and range, is easy to operate, reliable, compact and can avoid some obstacles. The hook is attached to the end of the outermost section of the boom. Sections can rotate and change angle, but the angle of inclination is limited and there are certain dead spots;
- L -shaped, or boom with a winch , to which the hook is attached. Benefits include the ability to move the load at any angle, use high sides, lower the load below the base of the frame, as well as full control over the rotation speed and position of the load. The disadvantages include cumbersomeness and the need to frequently change the winch cable.
Today you can also find manipulators in which the boom combines the advantages of both types, which is achieved by using a hinge joint in the first two sections and telescoping the remaining sections from the second.
No. 5. Boom reach and lifting capacity
The reach and lifting capacity of the boom, as well as the lifting capacity of the sides, are selected depending on the type of cargo being transported. All these characteristics are interconnected . Let us note that the crane-manipulator is still inferior to full-fledged truck cranes in terms of capabilities, and its lifting capacity is, as a rule, lower, but still progress does not stand still, and on the roads you can see manipulators of impressive size, which in terms of the length of the boom and the total lifting capacity are almost are stepping on the heels of truck cranes.
The higher the load capacity of the device, the higher its price, both when purchasing and when renting. As a rule, the load capacity of the sides and the boom are directly dependent on each other . The lifting capacity of the boom varies widely, from 2 to 10 tons, and its length can be from 6-7 to 23 m, but in the domestic space, manipulators with a boom reach of 8-12 m . It is desirable that the boom be at least 1-2 m longer than the body, but this advice is not always valid. For example, if the car body is long and you plan to transport long pipes, then it is enough for the boom to reach at least the middle of the body.
Keep in mind that the further the load is from the manipulator, the lower the boom's lifting capacity becomes. In other words, you should not expect a crane with an 8 ton boom capacity to be able to lift an 8 ton load at full boom reach. The crane can handle the maximum weight when the load is located very close to it. This must be taken into account when choosing a manipulator.
To estimate the actual load capacity of the manipulator boom, use the concept of load moment . This is the product of the mass of the load and the length of the boom at which this load can be lifted, measured in tons per meter. For example, if when performing work you have to lift a load weighing 3 tons, which will be located at a distance of 4 m from the manipulator, then the load moment should be 12 t.m. But even here you shouldn’t forget about common sense: if the load moment is 16 tm, this does not mean that it will be possible to lift a load of 16 t located at a distance of 1 m - it is unlikely that such a compact and heavy object will be found.
As for the load-carrying capacity of the sides , manipulators are usually divided into:
- small-tonnage (1-3 t);
- medium-tonnage (5-10 t);
- heavy duty (more than 10 tons).
It is better to choose a manipulator with a small reserve of carrying capacity , which will extend its service life and become a safety net in case of errors in calculations of the weight and dimensions of the cargo. The length and height of the sides are selected depending on what will be transported.
No. 7. Manipulator rotation angle
The angle of rotation of the manipulator is determined by the type of design, but, as a rule, it is 360 degrees, i.e. full circle. In practice, it is limited, since the area above the cabin is considered unstable , and if the manipulator brings a heavy load there, the machine may overturn. Typically the manufacturer's instructions indicate the danger zones , and the angle of rotation may be limited mechanically or electronically.
The manipulator can have manual control of levers, manual control from a platform, from a chair on the manipulator column, or remote control.
No. 8. Choosing a car chassis
Depending on the conditions under which the manipulator will operate, the base for it can be:
- flatbed vehicle;
- tractor unit;
- tractor;
- trailer.
The first two options are the most common. Experts advise that the mass of the manipulator should be no more than 20-25% of the chassis’ load capacity, which is true when cargo will be transported using such equipment. If the loader crane is used as an analogue of a truck crane and serves simply to lift loads, then the weight of the equipment can take up almost the entire lifting capacity of the base.
Features and benefits of the service
Accidents on the roads happen all the time, which is why it is often necessary to evacuate a car using a tow truck with a manipulator. Such a machine allows loading even in cases where space is limited, for example, occupied by other machines or the wheels with the steering mechanism are blocked.
The services of a manipulator tow truck are attractive because the cross-country ability of such equipment is extremely high. This allows you to pull cars out of ditch and cope with work in conditions of snow drifts on the road or wetlands.
The manipulator allows you not only to transport any equipment, but also to transport cargo. If the load has a large mass, then the axial load must be taken into account. In this case, low-loading platforms capable of supporting up to 100 tons are more suitable (parameters depend on the model).
Today, a crane is often required. It is usually used in the transportation of reinforced concrete products, bricks, and construction sheds. This technique is important not so much for transportation as for loading and unloading the necessary materials. This option is relatively inexpensive and profitable, since you only need to pay for the service of one piece of equipment, which will ensure both delivery and unloading.
No. 9. Manipulator Manufacturers
In the domestic space today, Korean-made , which have proven themselves to be a large selection, normal prices and good quality. Japanese manipulators are much more expensive, but they are considered one of the best in terms of workmanship and functionality. The main advantage of Russian equipment is maintainability, since spare parts can be obtained without problems, so if you are considering purchasing a manipulator, then you should pay attention to domestic products. On the other hand, those who rent a manipulator do not want to waste time and wait until they find the necessary part for repair, so the availability of spare parts for the manipulator becomes another important issue when choosing. Chinese manipulators , for example, are notable for their low price, but consumables for them will not be easy to find. European and American-made equipment is high-quality, expensive and is presented in a small assortment.
As for the specific names of manufacturers, it is worth highlighting the following large companies that produce manipulators:
- Palfinger is an Austrian company operating since 1931. In Europe today, every third manipulator is produced by this company; they are also represented in Russia;
- Unic is a large Japanese manufacturer that exports products to 120 countries. In Russia, for a long time, all manipulators were called “uniques”, regardless of the name of the manufacturer;
- Tadano is another Japanese company whose products are quite widely represented on the domestic market;
- Fassi – manipulators made in Italy, characterized by high productivity and safety;
- Kanglim is a Korean company whose significant advantage is the low prices for high-capacity manipulators compared to competitors’ offers;
- HIAB is a large Swedish company whose products are distinguished by consistently high quality and performance;
- Velmash is a leading domestic manufacturer of mobile lifting equipment, including, among other things, cranes;
- BAKM (Balashikha Automotive Cranes and Manipulators) has been operating since 1948 and has recently been producing manipulator cranes with a load moment of 4.6-21 t.m.
Tow trucks for passenger cars
Among tow trucks for passenger cars, there are options for loading using a winch and using a crane. The advantage of the first option is its price, the disadvantage is that loading requires a lot of space, which is always in short supply in a metropolis. Such a tow truck is more suitable for working on the highway, in small cities that are spacious enough for evacuation, and for delivering new cars to a car dealership. They are also used for transporting compact construction machinery and equipment - skid steers, compressors, generators, etc.
A tow truck with winch loading is equipped with a platform, straight or broken. The platform is a frame structure with corrugated steel decking. For loading, the straight platform is shifted, the lower edge of the platform touches the ground, the evacuee is hooked onto the towing loop in the front bumper, which, as a rule, lies in the trunk (here is one of the restrictions), and is pulled onto the platform with a winch. The platform is lowered, the evacuee is secured by the wheels with slings and taken to the right place. Another limitation of this type of tow truck is that it will be difficult to drag a car with low ground clearance onto the platform without breaking the bumper.
The platform can be moved manually or using a hydraulic mechanism. Hydraulics literally make life easier for the driver, but reduce the payload of the tow truck by 400–450 kg.
A tow truck with a stationary broken platform is the most affordable and convenient in that you need to extend and retract the ramps, and not the entire platform. The disadvantage of a broken platform is that it limits the maneuverability of the tow truck itself. Its low and long rear overhang will cling to handmade speed bumps, not to mention the side stone.
A tow truck with a crane truck is deprived of all these disadvantages, and at the same time the advantage in the form of a minimum price, and for some additional payment it will combine the “delights” of a crane truck and a sliding platform. True, the meaning of this combination is not entirely clear. Thanks to the CMU, he can “take” a car from any position in a 270° zone behind the cab, regardless of whether the car has the brakes off, whether it has a towing eye, or whether it even has an owner. In this case, the tow truck does not need to stand nearby; it can pick up the evacuee through a row or even two. The main thing is that the evacuee has 4 wheels, to which, in fact, they cling. City evacuation services are equipped only with such vehicles. In the capital today, this function is performed by attractive-looking green tow trucks on the MAN TGL 12.180 4×2 chassis, of which 259 were purchased in 2013 for the Moscow parking service. They are equipped with a stationary platform and a crane with a lifting capacity of more than 5 tons with a boom reach of up to 10 m, which allows you to take vehicles up to the third parking row. They can lift and carry vehicles weighing over 5 tons, including SUVs of any size, minibuses and vans. The maneuverability of tow trucks on the MAN TGL chassis allows them to carry out their assigned tasks in a short time, without causing congestion on the narrow streets of the city center. CMUs from various manufacturers were used, including HMF and Palfinger.
A significant share of the tow truck fleet in Moscow and St. Petersburg consists of vehicles with Palfinger hydraulic control units. The Austrian company produces a range of installations for tow trucks, and it was its units that were the first to be installed on tow trucks in Russia. Palfinger equipment is distinguished by its sophisticated design, reliability, preparation for Russian climatic conditions, resistance to corrosion and enjoys a good reputation among tow truck drivers. In the basic configuration, the CMUs are equipped with emergency stop and overload protection systems, as well as retractable supports. Each crane that leaves the assembly line is tested on a bench.
The Palfinger KMU models RK 12000T and RK 14500T are designed for evacuation of vehicles weighing from 2.7 to 3.5 tons. The length of their booms allows work to be done at a distance of up to 10 m and to pick up vehicles from the second row. The power of the larger KMU RK 16000T and RK 18000T is sufficient to evacuate even trucks weighing up to 5 tons.
While the Palfinger brand is well-known, the name of the Danish company HMF (Ho/jbjerg Maskinfabrik A/S) is not so familiar. Meanwhile, her technique is worthy of attention. The company began developing CMUs in 1952, their production two years later, and two years later the company completely focused on CMUs, closing the rest of the business. Production facilities are dispersed across several factories in Denmark, specializing in a specific product range. In total, the company employs about 700 people. Development is carried out using modern software tools. The main processes in the production of manipulator cranes - cutting, stamping, welding - are automated and performed with high precision, otherwise it is impossible. The company develops and manufactures hydraulic cylinders independently.
The model range of HMF loader cranes is represented by 39 series, from the miniature 50 series with a lifting moment of 0.5 t/m and then in increasing order to the giants Odin and Thor with a lifting moment of up to 71.4 t/m and a boom radius of up to 35 m (6-section Thor model with extension). The arrows are made of alloy steel. This allows you to minimize the weight of the installation, achieve excellent load-height characteristics and a long service life. For the retractable sections of a number of crane models, a hexagonal profile is used that is resistant to torsional forces.
HMF CMUs of three series are designed for tow trucks: T, TX and TX+. Each series has its own characteristics. Series T – basic. The choice of these units is due to their relatively low cost and ease of operation. The TX series is designed for the more demanding user who requires ease of operation and high load capacity. Compared to T-series cranes, they have higher lifting capacities and smoother crane control thanks to the HDL-h speed adaptation system. The TX+ series cranes are the most modern among HMF recovery cranes. They are equipped with the flexible HDL-d speed adaptation system developed by HMF, which, among other things, ensures the precision and correctness of the crane's boom movements. The HDL-d system adapts the crane speed to the prevailing conditions and helps optimize the power/weight ratio, allowing the operator to make the most of the crane's high power.
The TX+ series cranes are also offered with HMF's market-leading Electronic Vehicle Stability System (EVS), which continuously monitors ongoing stability, including gross weight, payload and boom system movements.
The telescoping cylinders of HMF evacuation cranes are located inside the boom, this applies to both the 4th and 5th retractable sections. The crane is very compact, with minimal space requirements.
In fact, the space requirement on the chassis, even with the additional flaps, is only 820 mm in the folded position for transport. This ensures maximum use of the chassis payload and allows even large vehicles to be transported. For evacuation cranes, HMF offers up to 5 hydraulic sections, which provides a boom reach of up to 12.2 m. All telescoping cylinders are equipped with a working fluid regeneration system, this ensures fast and smooth operation.
HMF cranes also offer a wide range of additional equipment, such as radio control, oil tanks made of polished stainless steel and various lighting systems for the work area and controls.
Nizhny Novgorod Auto produces a range of tow trucks with a sliding platform. The sliding platform is adapted for any medium-tonnage domestic or foreign chassis: Hyundai-78, Isuzu NPR75, GAZ-33106 Valdai, Hino-300, Mercedes Atego 815, Mitsubishi Fuso, TATA 613, KamAZ-4308, MAZ-437041, Hyundai-120 , Avia D120, etc. Depending on the base chassis, the platform’s lifting capacity can range from 3.5 to 6 tons. The evacuee is loaded onto the platform using a professional sliding hydraulic winch.
At the customer's request, it is possible to install various winches from Warn Series 9 Hydraulic (with a maximum traction force of 4.1 tons) and Warn Series 12 Hydraulic (with a maximum traction force of 5.4 tons). The winch is installed in the front part of the platform, on a reinforced bracket. The design of the bracket allows you to move the winch in the transverse direction, depending on the location of the towing loop on the evacuee.
It is possible to install an Italian crane installation Amco Veba. With decent load-height characteristics, these units are distinguished by their attractive prices. A new product among tow trucks with a sliding platform and a hydraulic crane is a tow truck on an Isuzu NPR-75LL chassis with an Amco Veba 809T-2S or 811T-2S crucible with a maximum lifting capacity of 1350 and 1670 kg. The tow truck is capable of transporting a car weighing up to 1900 kg.
As a new product, we can name a model on the KamAZ-4308 chassis with an Amco Veba 818T 5S CMU and a direct fixed platform. Amco Veba 818T 5S is a new modification of a more powerful crane for trucks with a gross weight of 12 tons. The crane with five retractable sections provides a maximum reach of 10.74 m. Loading capacity at maximum reach is 1115 kg, at reach 5 m - 2.5 tons. Crane is able to take from the second or third rows and work not only with ordinary passenger cars, but also with SUVs and minibuses weighing more than 2 tons. The peculiarity of this tow truck is its steel sides, that is, it can be effectively used for transporting various piece goods.
In conclusion
To effectively and quickly carry out the planned work, it is necessary to choose a manipulator with characteristics that fully correspond to the task, but whether to rent or own it is a matter of regular use of the manipulator . Here we could talk about another possibility for purchasing a manipulator - buying a used one , but since we use similar equipment, as they say, to the end, the market for used manipulators has not yet formed.
Tags: construction
