Grove makes it four: company fills gap in truck crane line with new 80-ton unit; series now covers 40 to 90 tons
Published in: Diesel Progress North American Edition
Date: 8/1/2005
By: Geske, Dawn
Grove Worldwide has expanded its truck crane range to four models with the launch of its new TMS800E crane to its 40- to 90-ton lineup. The new crane fills the range between Grove’s 60-ton TMS700E and 90-ton TMS900E models with an 80-ton offering that has a maximum tip height of 135 ft.
Grove unveiled the new unit at ConExpo, which David Birkhauser, senior vice president of sales at Manitowoc Crane Group, the parent company of Grove, said was the ideal place to unveil the machine because of its strong appeal in North America. Applications for the new TMS800E include modular home construction, air conditioning installation, steel erection and factory equipment maintenance.
The TMS800E crane has a GVWR of 102,213 lb., the largest rating in Grove’s truck crane series, and is powered by a 10.8 L six-cylinder Cummins ISM450 diesel engine rated 450 hp at 1800 rpm. The turbocharged/aftercooled engine is equipped with an engine brake, audio-visual distress .system and ether cold-start aid. It generates 1450 lb.ft. of torque and is packaged with a General Thermodynamics radiator and AKG oil cooler that is thermostatically controlled.
The 90-ton TMS900E and 60-ton TMS700E models also feature the Cummins ISM450 diesel in the same 450 hp rating with turbocharging available on the larger capacity machine. A 330 hp Cummins ISC330 is available on the TMS500E, the smallest in Grove’s truck crane series at 40 tons.
Grove mated the engine of the TMS800E model with a Roadranger Ultra Shift 10-speed automatic-shifting manual transmission. The Ultra Shift drivetrain has a two-speed auxiliary transmission and an 8x4x4 drive using dual front and rear Meritor axles. Beam-type steering axles are fitted on the two front drive axles while single reduction axles with inter-axle different-vial locks are equipped on the rear. Each of the operating wheels are installed with Meritor S-cam brakes, along with front and rear Raydan air ride suspension and Goodyear G286 tires.
Steering on the truck crane is provided by an R.H. Sheppard Co. steering system, mounted to the front axle. The mechanical steering circuit has hydraulic power assist, which Grove said gives the TMS800E its 45.1 ft. turning radius. Highway speed on the truck is 65 mph.
The crane’s superstructure is driven off the 450 hp engine through a Bosch Rexroth piston pump and three Casappa gear pumps. The 179 gpm hydraulic system has a 4000 psi operating pressure and powers the four-section Megaform boom through Grove cylinders. The boom has a 41 to 128 ft. range and a curved design, which Grove said eliminates excess weight and increases capacity. The boom tip can be extended to 230 ft. with the standard 56 ft. bi-lattice swingaway and optional inserts.
The hydraulic system also powers the crane’s swing using a Geolink axial piston fixed displacement motor and SOM planetary gearbox. This is in addition to the hoist, which uses a Bosch Rexroth axial piston motor and Braden planetary gear and the four hydraulic outriggers.
An 8000 lb. four-section counterweight is standard on the TMS800E crane. It is available with an optional heavy lift package that consists of a 4000 and 6000 lb. section, taking the crane’s counterweight to 18,000 lb. In either configuration, the counterweight is hydraulically installed and removed.
Two cabs are fitted on the truck crane; one at the chassis and one at the superstructure. Both have a new rounded styling constructed from aluminum with features such as tinted safety glass, adjustable operator seat and side and rear sliding windows. All the driving controls and engine instrumentation are fitted in the chassis cab while the superstructure cab has the crane controls integrated into the operator seat armrest and 20[degrees] hydraulic cab tilt, which Grove said gives better visibility to the operator. The cabs are new to the truck crane series but, Grove said, are very similar to the cab on its GMK rough terrain cranes.
Other features of the TMS800E crane include the load moment and anti two-block graphics display system. This provides an electronic display of the boom angle, length, radius, tip height, load moment, maximum permissible load, load indication and warning of impending two-block conditions. Audio and visual notification is supplied through the system. A work area definition system has also been equipped on the crane allowing the operator to pre-select work limits for the machine.
Grove manufactures the TMS800E truck crane at its headquarters in Shady Grove, Pa. Production began midyear.
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