Grove launches GHC85 mid-size telecrawler

Featuring a capacity of 85 tons and the longest boom of it’s class, Manitowoc has added an eighth model to its telescoping crawler crane range in the Americas.  The Grove GHC85 is also positioned in the middle of Grove’s range of telecrawlers.

With a maximum rated capacity of 85 tons, the GHC85 is a versatile machine suitable for a wide range of applications and industries.

The crane is ideal for use in utility applications, general construction work, bridge work, pile driving and as an assist crane for assembling other cranes. Frame-mounted jacks and counterweight lifting cylinders enable the crane to self-assemble, which can be controlled via a wireless remote. 

“The biggest advantage of a telecrawler is that you can work efficiently on both even and uneven terrain with solid pick-and-carry charts,” said JJ Grace, product manager for GHC cranes.

The 36-inch triple-bar grouser shoes on the tracks offer a high level of stability, in addition to reducing soil compaction, by producing ground bearing pressures as low as 13.2 psi without load, and as high as 24.9 psi with load. The crane’s several track span settings (covering both symmetrical and asymmetrical configurations) are made possible by the hydraulically extendable and retractable cross members that enhance stability even further.

“The maximum track span is 16.7 feet, but one track could be at 100 percent and the other at 50 percent, enabling an operator to maneuver and pick in confined spaces,” Grace explained.

A Cummins B6.7L Tier 3 (218 hp / 164 kW) or Tier 4F (249 hp / 186 kW) engine powers the two-speed hydrostatic drive, giving the GHC85 a maximum speed of 1.43 mph in high range, while creep speeds top out at 0.55 mph in low range.

Functions and options, such as working range limitation and a cold-weather package, will also appeal to those engaged in special civil and hydraulic engineering applications, the company said. 

Offering elevations from -3° to +80.5°, the main boom length covers 36.1 feet to 137.7 feet. Its five sections are adjusted via a four-stage cylinder. A 49.3-foot bi-fold swingaway standard boom extension is offsettable at 0°, 20° and 40°, providing a useful point for attachments that are ideal for the utility sector. A 10-foot heavy-duty jib with 10° offset is another option, and it’s stowable on the left-hand side of the boom.