Liebherr LTM 1650-8.1

Clever transport solution for crane booms

The Liebherr LTM 1650-8.1 was presented in 2019 as the legitimate successor to the LTM 1500-8.1, which has been the best-selling large crane until today. In terms of load capacity, the Liebherr LTM 1650-8.1 exceeds its predecessor by 15 to 20 percent, depending on the version. The new 8-axle machine is characterized by a nominal load capacity of 700 t. It can be operated with two different telescopic boom lengths (54 m and 80 m). However, with the 80 m long boom installed, the maximum permissible axle load of 12,000 kg each would be exceeded. For this reason it is necessary to transport part of the telescopic boom separately. With the help of a specially designed self-assembly device, it is possible to dis-/assemble the telescopic parts 3-5 without an auxiliary crane. For this purpose, in cooperation with Liebherr, we have developed an overall concept that is easy to implement.

Locking device and assembly aid for the separate boom of the Liebherr LTM 1650

The requirement: Customers who want to use the LTM 1650-8.1 with the long 80 m telescopic boom should be able to use a relatively simple solution that enables both safe and convenient transport and a simple final assembly. Liebherr constructed two holders for this purpose. The rear of the two is also a hydraulically controlled device that enables fine adjustment of the separately transported telescopic parts. The hydraulics of the crane vehicle supply the manually operated device. A carrier plate was specially designed for this hydraulically controlled mounting. It can be locked in the stake pockets, that are inserted transversely to the direction of travel. The use of the stake pockets means that no individual or costly conversion work is required on the trailer.

Front loading device with rollers

After the telescopic parts 3-5  have been aligned with the aid of the hydraulic device, they have to be mechanically connected to the telescopic parts 1-2 of the mobile crane. During the process, the one carrier in the front plays a decisive role, as the telescopic parts must first be retracted a defined length. During this process, the front assembly aid drives over the loading area from front to back. As the semi-trailer has to be extended for the transport, the use of drive-over aids is necessary. The specially manufactured components are placed between the two parts of the loading area and the intermediate table.Eight aluminum inserts were planned for this. The low weight of the drive-over aids allows them to be easily inserted or removed without any use of tools. They only weigh a little more than 30 kg, but still guarantee a sufficient load capacity.