New York City has some of the most challenging restrictions on moving heavy items throughout the city. In other words, moving a 130,000 pound, five-axle mobile crane through the busy streets of Manhattan is a challenge. Crane companies working in the metropolis need to combine real skill with a lot of patience in dealing with physical and regulatory constraints imposed by the city.
For 24/7 Lifting, a New York-based crane rental company, its Grove cranes make the challenges of lifting in New York that much easier. The company’s most recent purchase is a Grove GMK5250L, which 24/7 Lifting is using for a range of tasks, including lifting HVAC and generator units onto New York City buildings.
John Corr, scheduling and estimating manager at 24/7 Lifting, said the crane was able to easily navigate the area’s crowded streets while adhering to the city’s permit requirements.
“We recently did a job placing concrete beams with our new GMK5250L for which the general contractor had requested not one, but two 300 U.S. ton cranes,” Corr said. “But with the easy mobility, fast setup and swift breakdown of our GMK5250L, we didn’t need a second crane. We just moved it around and we were able to complete all the lifts, including a 13,000 pound AC unit pick. The contractor was very pleased with it.”
24/7 Lifting took delivery of its GMK5250L in October 2019. The company already owned a GMK3050B, but needed a larger capacity crane to service taller high rises in Midtown Manhattan and other areas.
“We got the GMK5250L because air conditioning and electrical companies were asking us for 20, 30-story lifts, so we decided to bring it into the fleet,” Corr explained. “A lot of the buildings in Manhattan and the surrounding area are just six stories, which make the GMK3050B perfect for them. But when you get into the Midtown area, and some parts of Queens, most of the new buildings being built are 20 or more stories.”
Easy mobility, more jobs completed
Corr said his company is able to perform more jobs with the GMK5250L, sending it to nighttime lifts at different locations even when the crane is dedicated to larger, multi-week projects during the daytime. At a month-long project in the New York suburb of Montebello, the crane helped lift concrete beams weighing up to 8,000 pounds at a 125 feet radius during the day, while travelling into Manhattan for overnight projects.
“Late at night is when you’re able to deal with the logistics of doing picks in Manhattan,” Corr said. “We went in and out of the island even as we serviced the Montebello project during the day. For one pick, we had to set the crane up over a subway station. That was challenging but it was completed without any issues.”
The 300 U.S. ton capacity five-axle crane has a 230 foot, seven-section main boom, along with a 69 foot hydraulic swing-away jib that helps it lift higher and reach further. For added versatility, the jib can take a 26 foot boom extension, two 26 foot jib inserts or a combination of both for a total possible jib length of 121 feet. Another benefit of the hydraulic jib is its 50 degree offset, compared to the usual 40 degrees, which helps it to reach further over obstacles — a big advantage in places like New York.
“We’re very satisfied with our Grove GMK5250L,” Corr said. “Many of the operators I work with are more used to other brands, but after we give them a tutorial, they’re very pleased with the crane. I don’t have any complaints from any customers about this crane.”
The GMK5250L’s MEGATRAK suspension system is another plus for navigating the streets of New York. The independent suspension and all-wheel steer system means the wheels always remain on the ground and prevents stress and weight from continually transferring between axles. MEGATRAK provides true ground clearance up to 24 inches, where other cranes just raise the chassis.
24/7 Lifting purchased its GMK5250L from Piscataway, New Jersey-based Hoffman Equipment.
“They’re very helpful over at Hoffman,” Corr said. “When I need something, I call them up and they are ready to help right away. They also helped us setup craniMAX, the 3D-lift planning tool. That has been very useful. We use Manitowoc’s website quite regularly. It helps us a lot.”
Pasquale Tomasetti, account manager at Hoffman Equipment, added, “The GMK5250L was the essential tool for 24/7 Lifting, taking their business to the next level in terms of capacity. John Corr and Patrick Connolly, the owner, are hands-on guys that know how to get a job done.”
