A crawler crane is a vehicle that can work only on soft grounds because of the weight dispersal track properties. A crawler crane is usually mounted on tracks with attached crane. It can lift more weight than a majority of tire-equipped cranes which use the same crane attachments. The crawler crane basis is the track propulsion system based on a design which dates back to 1800s. This lifting machine has wide steel tracks, which allow the crane to run on softer ground. Aside from this, crawler crane tracks provide greater stability because of the increased ground contact. But the greatest benefit of obtaining and operating with a crawler crane is that it is adaptable to almost any application and is very maneuverable on a job site.
The main disadvantage of operating with a crawler crane is its bulky structure. Some models are so large that they need to be moved from one job to another by a truck or a train. However, the massive size and huge weight allow a crawler crane to lift tons to great heights and move the loads to desired location.
A crawler crane consists of many different parts. As we mentioned, the basis of a crawler crane are the propulsion system and tracks. On top of the tracks is where the engine, the cab and the controls are located, and above the cab is the boom. The cables which go through the boom are attached to the object in order for the load to be lifted. Very often, at the end of the boom, small extensions are attached and they stick out horizontally from the boom. These extensions are called a jib which allows the crawler crane to move objects far from the center.
One of the main elements that allow a crane crawler to lift massive loads is the counterweight. Nowadays, many crawler cranes have several hundred meters in the air making them perfect for operating in large construction projects. For these and many other reasons, crawler crane has proven to be extremely versatile and a useful piece of lifting machinery and indispensable part of many industry sectors.
