New Tadano RT with right hand drive

Crane manufacturer Tadano in Japan is offering its new GR-500EXL rough terrain crane with a choice of right- or left-hand drive configuration.

The new 51 tonne capacity RT was designed in response to requests from customers in countries that drive on the left side of the road, the manufacturer said. For them the crane can be ordered with the cabin on the right side and the boom on the left. Cranes are more often designed the other way around, in a left hand drive configuration.

It is to give better visibility for safer road travel. Countries with right hand drive include Japan, Australia, the UK and Singapore. Helping improve visibility is the boom elevation design that uses two hydraulic cylinders in stead of one so they can be shorter. The cab is also mounted further forwards than traditional rough terrains to further increase visibility.

The five-section boom is 42 metres long and options include a two-stage 8 to 12.7 m under-slung jib.

The GR-500EXL is designed to have a shorter carrier and carry extra counterweight. It is powered by a 200 kW Mitsubishi Euromot 2 engine and has a fuel monitoring system with the Eco operating mode. Also fitted is the Tadano Hello-Net telematics system which monitors crane activity, work history, machine position data and maintenance information.