Swapped from a friction crane to a hydraulic and holy cow what a difference

I spent 10 years running an old American 5299 friction rig on a bridge job in Pittsburgh. Last month I jumped on a Liebherr LTM 1050 for a steel beam pick and it was like going from a stick shift to an automatic. The control on the load with the hydraulic was so much smoother I didn't have to baby every swing. Has anyone else made the switch and found it changed how they approach a tricky lift?

2 comments

2 Comments

black.joel5d ago

Ten years on an American 5299? That is just crazy to me. I ran a friction crane for maybe two weeks back in the 90s and I swore I'd never touch one again. My hats off to you for lasting a decade with that old beast.

elliot455d ago

Ten years on a 5299 is like signing up for a daily arm wrestling match with a gorilla, but hey, it builds character, right? I almost miss the thrill of feeling every single gear grind on a hot day (okay, I don't at all). @black.joel, you had the right idea bailing after two weeks, I should've listened to my own common sense back then. Hydraulic is a cheat code, plain and simple, but I still catch myself reaching for a nonexistent friction brake lever like a dummy.