Time-tested concept – Max Bögl Group takes delivery of another Liebherr LTR 1220 telescopic crawler crane

Herbert Wieseckl, Group Leader of the Technical Machines Department at Max Bögl, explains: “The concept of the Liebherr telescopic crane has proven itself. We run several LTR 1100 and LTR 1220 cranes. We are delighted with how quickly they can be moved on site. The cranes are perfectly designed for the economical assembly of prefabricated concrete components, such as columns, girders and floors, and deliver some significant benefits compared to lattice boom cranes. For building logistics centres, for example, the floors may be installed and the LTR can nevertheless drive under them because it can retract its telescopic boom. That is simply not possible for a lattice boom crane.”

High flexibility and good off-road handling

The LTR 1220 combines the advantages of a telescopic crane with those of a crawler crane. The crawler travel gear delivers outstanding off-road handling as well as manoeuvrability with excellent handling. In addition, the full load can be moved with the crane. The advantages of the telescopic crane over a lattice boom crane include the shorter set-up times, simpler transport and the variability of the boom system.

The 60 metre telescopic boom on the LR 1220 can be extended and retracted to the required length quickly and fully automatically. This allows the machine to be driven under obstacles, for example. The telescopic crawler crane also enables large loads to be telescoped using the boom, a feature which is simply not possible with lattice booms. Since, unlike a mobile crane, a crawler crane does not need to be supported it can be relocated on the site quickly and is immediately ready for use again

Economical transport and erection

In addition to the fact that it is very easy to use and provides excellent visibility with its multiple cameras, Herbert Wieseckl also praises the fast set-up time of the LTR 1220: “Both the clearance height and clearance width when supporting the basic machine are designed so that the trailer can travel underneath the crane for attachment. The crawler carriers and the entire crane can then be erected on site very quickly.”

The crane is self-erecting. The basic machine is moved to the site on a flat-bed trailer and is then supported on the jack-up cylinders. The central ballast, cross carrier, crawler carrier and turntable ballast are installed without an auxiliary crane.

The undercarriage of the LTR 1220 is hydraulically telescoped from the track carrier width of 4.5 m to the intermediate width of 5.88 m or the maximum width of 7.25 m. There are load charts in the LICCON control system for all three crawler widths. On uneven ground, the LTR 1220 can operate at all three widths, and even at a lateral angle of up to 4°, a feature which is also supported by the LICCON control system.