Hi
I have a Palfinger 42 which I had fitted at Truck and Marine Cranes (TMC) John Wain at Stoke on Trent. Found the very helpful. The sell most of the makes. I have had 1 Fassi 2 PMs and now a palfinger. I’ve dealt with a few of the big dealers and not always found them great to be honest although I was only having them serviced etc but I did always feel if you can’t be very helpful on service then it would buy one from them. I have been looking at an Effer laterly which so far I like, I feel they see in the PM league. Palfinger I thought very expensive new compared with others and they seem expensive to fix things like the Scanreco remote is around £5k
I did have a look and demo with a HMF and would seriously look again when I need a new one as their safety load system is really good compared with just about all others as it’s computer senses the lean angles so allows it to lift more further out and even over the front, very different to all others I looked, well worth a look as there 50tm I think would like more than most others in true work situation. Hope that helps a little.
I find HI-AB a good crane but not worth having in Ireland .They have 2 agents,it used to be just 1. One of them is based in the centre of the country and definatly takes advantage that he has no competition.I won’t go into it but they really are a terrible outfit when it comes to serviceing. The lads who work in the workshop are ok.Its when the boss comes outand takes over you have to be careful.I have heard him ask the service man to change a part that didn’t need changing and bill the customer full price on the new part!
DDL, here’s my five penneth worth if it helps? we run a Fassi 45 and a palfinger 44002 of which the palfinger is 360 continuous slew and will do 2500kg at 13.7m on 5 extensions where the Fassi will do near another 200kg at the same length but not 360 slew. I would always favour palfinger as quality but of course they can be the most expensive.
The Fassi is a decent crane but with all new cranes we have issues with setting up as they have safety parameters that the older palfinger does not. If you can afford it I’d advise on Palfinger but Fassi is not a poor crane just like buying a Merc or a BMW I would opt for the Merc all day long but BMW are not rubbish.
It would seem that these days you are close to 2k per metre in sterling, avoid Cormach as non crane men think they are decent as they look big the way they fold but they are pretty poor. I’m sure some will disagree but this is from my own experience.
obviously consider the chassis and payload desired, we have the palfinger on a 8 wheeler which with out the drawbar tares at 21t, the fassi is on a 6 wheeler and tares at 18t.
I see the original question is specifically about new cranes so sorry to ask here but I couldn’t find a used crane thread. Can someone recommend good used crane supplier? I would like to put one on the back of the CF85. Anything from 20t/m and up really but I am finding it difficult to source.There are a fair number for sale lying on the ground but unless it’s from a recommended place or somewhere that fits them I am afraid of buying a large useless hulk of metal.
daesal:
I see the original question is specifically about new cranes so sorry to ask here but I couldn’t find a used crane thread. Can someone recommend good used crane supplier? I would like to put one on the back of the CF85. Anything from 20t/m and up really but I am finding it difficult to source.There are a fair number for sale lying on the ground but unless it’s from a recommended place or somewhere that fits them I am afraid of buying a large useless hulk of metal.
Daesal, I would suggest you approach T.H.White or similar as they fit and re-fit cranes so may have a trade in? Also there are a few dealer in the back of commercial motor magazine that constantly deal with cranes. Consider what you want the crane to do and payload you still want to achieve.
You will be doing well to better John at Tmc ( ACB incorporated ) for second Hand ,we are 2 and a half years in with a new ACB Bc230 Chinese which £20,000 and not one problem .
I’d think long and hard before anybody considers anything Chinese unless its Lucy Lui and do a lot of research on parts and support, if anything like the Chinese motorcycles being sold in the UK they are much cheaper in all ways.
Its good to hear someone is happy with one but that could be a rarity, in all aspects of life you get what you pay for and ‘polishing a turd’ only looks good for so long.
I’d think long and hard before anybody considers anything Chinese unless its Lucy Lui and do a lot of research on parts and support, if anything like the Chinese motorcycles being sold in the UK they are much cheaper in all ways.
Its good to hear someone is happy with one but that could be a rarity, in all aspects of life you get what you pay for and ‘polishing a turd’ only looks good for so long.
Don’t think about it too long ! Been down the uttoxeter dept today there’s a 50 t/m Chinese been on over 5 yrs never had one problem yet we have pm they been out to twice at 1 yr old .
Punchy Dan:
At 3.5 tonne for a 23 t/m it’s well built ,we got palfinger ,atlas ,copma ,pm ,and had others like hap ,hiab ,ect so I know what iam on about .
As I say think long and hard, one mans good experience is ‘one’ mans good experience but compare that with most other products from china. Google Chinese cars, bikes etc.
Punchy Dan, are you a rep for these cranes or fitter of them?
i build the odd body and fit the odd crane ,the above body I made for the 23 t/m cab mount ,it needed to be a light body ,so rather than the usual box sub frame I used 5 inch channel with 12 my side plates ,the cross members are 4 by 2 inch box but at 4 mm ,the side rails are 5 by 3 inch at 10 mm ,it’s welded everywhere possible so it’s light but very strong ,as you can see there are extra cross members too and plenty around the axles too .
Here’s my tuppence worth, we run three chinese cranes, from TMC John Wain, one on a 13 plate, a 68 t/m, one on a 64 plate the same and a 66 plate with a 73 t/m, (the 68 has been uprated), I don’t know about the 73, but my 68 on the 64 plate was tested for it’s annual, and the load was 4000kg at 16.5 metres, I’ve had it for more than two years now, granted, it’s not a Palfinger, but it is still a good machine in my book.
i build the odd body and fit the odd crane ,the above body I made for the 23 t/m cab mount ,it needed to be a light body ,so rather than the usual box sub frame I used 5 inch channel with 12 my side plates ,the cross members are 4 by 2 inch box but at 4 mm ,the side rails are 5 by 3 inch at 10 mm ,it’s welded everywhere possible so it’s light but very strong ,as you can see there are extra cross members too and plenty around the axles too .