Gilley Crane Rigging and Lifting of Manchester, Tenn., recently lifted two boilers weighing more than 100,000 lbs. each at the Jack Daniel’s Distillery in Lynchburg, Tenn. The lifts required each boiler to be lifted twice at a 28-ft. radius in a confined space. “At one end of the lift, we had to work around a fenced-in lot nearby other equipment, while at the other end we had to work around rebar sticking up around the boiler base,” said Robert Gilley, owner of Gilley Crane.
Working in the confined area with only two days to complete the project, Gilley Crane’s crew needed a compact crane with excellent maneuverability. A Terex Explorer 5800 all-terrain crane, a new member of Gilley’s fleet, was selected for the lift. The crane was purchased from Terex Crane distributor Renegar-Driggers Machinery Co Inc. in Cleveland, Tenn.
The Terex Explorer 5800 all-terrain crane is designed to quickly travel. It can be configured so its five-axle chassis meets stringent axle loads of less than 20,000 lbs. per axle. The crane also features a compact, 43.3-ft. carrier length and 4-ft. front overhang. Its narrow 9.8-ft. width enables the 245-ton capacity class crane to transport without restriction.
Gilley Crane’s four-man crew quickly roaded the Explorer 5800 crane plus full counterweight 30 miles from Manchester to Lynchburg. It required four additional transports to move the crane’s 154,800-lb. counterweights to the project site.
The Explorer 5800 AT transports with its standard 229.7-ft. telescopic main boom installed. To improve on-site equipment setup, the Terex self-rigged its counterweight panels. “In total, it took us about 1.5 hours for crane setup before we were ready to work,” said Scott Peterson, Gilley Crane’s project manager.
The Explorer 5800 crane also uses a single engine to power the chassis and crane operation. “The engine offers intelligent power management that selects the best performance for all load cycles,” explained Terex Cranes’ Regional Business Manager Steve Ake. “With only one engine, we reduce crane weight, daily maintenance time, and long-term operating costs.”
Powered by a 12.7-liter, 550-hp Tier 4F engine, the crane has the power to quickly make it to the jobsite at speeds reaching 53 mph. Once on-site, engine speed and power is reduced to 1600 RPM and 275 hp respectively. “The fuel efficiency and savings are unreal,” said Peterson.
In total, the project required eight lifts to move and place the two boilers and bases. The 20’ x 25’ boilers and 10,000-lb. bases were first placed onto trailers and moved approximately 200 yd. to their final location. Working with 55.4 ft. of main boom at a 28-ft. radius, the Explorer 5800 crane was able to lift and position the boilers and bases.
The Explorer 5800 crane offers six steering modes, including off-wall and crab, to deliver a turn radius of 37.3 ft (11.4 m), improving on-site maneuverability. “The speed with which it crab steers is very efficient,” added Peterson. “It’s mind-boggling at how quickly and easily it steers and transitions between the different steering selections.”
All crane operations, from steering to boom settings, on the Explorer 5800 crane are managed by the IC-1 computer system. The IC-1 system features touchscreen operation and intuitive controls, and it stores all the load charts.
Within two days, Gilley Crane’s crews transported the Terex Explorer 5800 crane to the Jack Daniels’ Distillery, rigged it for the project, performed the picks and transported it back to the Manchester yard.
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