The 40 ton Grove in Tulsa that weighed more empty than I thought

I was reading the spec sheet on a Grove RT540E the other day and found out the bare boom weight is around 34,000 lbs before you add anything. I always figured the counterweight did most of the heavy lifting, but that empty machine still needs the right pad placement or you're sinking in soft ground. Has anyone else run into a site where the math on empty weight caught you off guard?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_elizabeth19h ago

That "bare boom weight" number always gets me too. I remember reading somewhere that a lot of the older cranes hide a ton of weight in the frame and outriggers, not just the obvious counterweight blocks. Sounds like you'd be surprised how fast that empty weight adds up once you throw on some mats and a hook.

brooke_murray19h ago

My dad’s old 50-tonner listed at like 78k bare, but we had to run it across a scale once and it came in at 92k with just the hook and a few mats. You’re totally right, that weight is hiding everywhere you don’t look.