PDI National Cranes, part of the PDI Group of Companies in King, Ontario, Canada, recently purchased a new Link-Belt Cranes 175|AT all terrain crane. The crane was added to the company’s taxi fleet which specializes in commercial, industrial, and general construction in the greater Toronto, Ontario area.
According to Dallen Rands, Branch Manager for PDI National Cranes, the 175-ton (150-mt) all terrain crane is ideal for cell tower work because of ease of transport, one overflow truck, and quick setup time.
“In Ontario we can run boom over the front, so no dolly is required,” Rand said. “Then, we only need one truck and once we stack counterweight on the deck of the crane from the overflow, now we have a clean work platform for the fly – which we typically use the SmartFly for cell tower work. It’s a very clean setup without anything extra.”
A common cell tower setup for PDI is usually just over 200 feet (60.9 m) tall and made up of five different segments. The base triangular section of the cell tower is erected in place on the ground and can measure 24 feet (7.3 m) wide, leg to leg. The tower segments taper as it rises, with the largest section 57 feet (17.3 m) tall. The segments vary in weight from 6,000 to 8,000 lbs. (2 721 to 3 628 kg).
PDI National Cranes Operator Peter Gumney estimates the crane can be set up in 30 to 40 minutes. “Once I get the next section within two to three feet, I am able to fine meter on the crane, and on the camera as well as on the winch to precisely put it in place, just like the guys would want. Everything worked out perfect,” Gumney said. PDI National Cranes is a taxi rental business, so being able to quickly setup for varying cell towers or other applications is important.
“The way the crane walks with full counterweight and jib erected on a job, that exceeded my expectations,” Gumney explained. “A recent project we did involved moving the crane with the counterweights and jib erected. It was a total of eight setups and it was totally amazing how fast the crane could move from set up to set up.”
Link-Belt Cranes, with headquarters in Lexington, Kentucky, is a worldwide leader in the design and manufacture of telescopic boom and lattice boom cranes for the construction industry.
Reprinted from Marine Construction Magazine, Issue I, 2024.
