How Does a Truck Crane Work?

Introduction

Most truck cranes use a hydraulic system to create the power they need to be effective. The hydraulic pump causes pressure and forces the pistons to move up and down. Truck cranes use two-gear pumps, which consist of inter-meshing gears that pressurize hydraulic oil. When the pressure is increased, the truck crane operator will push a foot down on the throttle and causing the pump to run faster. Truck cranes use a diesel engine that will generate up to 365 horsepower. The engine is attached to the three different two-gear pumps. The first one is the main pump, which controls the piston rod and is responsible for making the boom rise and fall. The main pump is able to generate the most pressure out of all the pumps, because it moves the most weight. The pilot pressure counterweight pump prevents the truck crane from tipping over. The steering and outrigger pump is used to stabilize the truck during any lifting operations.

Parts

A truck crane consists of many parts that all play a role in how it works and functions properly. The boom is the large arm and is responsible for the movement of any objects. Counterweights are placed on the rear of the cab to stop it from tipping over from heavy lifts. The two-gear pump is the hydraulic system that pressurizes the oil. The jib is the piece that allows the boom to be extended, and the outriggers keep the crane balanced. The rotex gear allows the boom to rotate, and the load moment indicator is the lights that flash when the crane has reached its limit capacity.

Operator

All of the parts of the crane are controlled by an operator, and they have many devices inside their cab that help make a truck crane work. A truck crane has two joysticks; one of them dictates the left-to-right movements, and the other one controls the forward and back movements of the crane. The foot pedals in the cab control the extending and retracting of the boom and the amount of pressure generated from the pump. Before a lift, the operator will enter information about the lift into a computer. This information includes the weight, height and path of the object. If the computer senses the object is being moved off course, the load moment indicator will warn the operator with a series of lights. This will mean that the truck crane is close to exceeding its capacity.

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