Link-Belt has put a new boom with a luffing attachment onto its HC-278H II lattice boom truck crane.
The model, rated at 300 US ton capacity, now uses the new JE boom that since last year has been used on the LS-278H crawler. The new boom, used for the first 58m (190ft) of the maximum 100m (330ft), is made of higher strength steel than the boom it replaces, with a thicker wall. This makes it a heavier boom with much stronger lifting ability – up to 25% stronger – at short radii. The trade-off is that it is not as strong as before for picks at longer radii.
The capacity increase is also partly due to the addition of 4.5t (10,000lb) upper counterweight. The additional counterweight is part of the standard counterweight configuration for the luffing attachment.
The luffing attachment comprises a maximum 61m (200ft) luffing boom, 61m (200ft) luffing jib and 9m (30ft) fixed jib.