That Liebherr LTM 1050 I ran in Houston taught me a lesson about leveling

Last spring I got a call to set AC units on a rooftop in Houston. The site looked flat from the truck, but after I set the outriggers and started picking, the cab felt off. I ignored it for three lifts because the load was only 8 tons. On the fourth pick, the crane started leaning bad and I had to set the load down fast. Turned out the ground was soft from a recent rain and one pad was sinking. My spotter saved me from a tip. Has anyone else had a close call from trusting a flat looking jobsite?

3 comments

3 Comments

ryan_ellis1mo ago

Man, that's a scary story. I had a similar thing happen on a job in Beaumont. Ground looked solid as concrete after a dry spell. Put the outriggers down on the pads, everything felt fine. First two picks were fine. Third pick I felt the machine start to list. Hopped out and one pad was already two inches deep in mud. Had to get a bunch of 4x4 cribbing under it fast. That feeling when the cab starts leaning is the worst.

johnson.jesse1mo ago

Wait, are you saying you didn't crib the ground BEFORE you set the outriggers? @ryan_ellis, that's asking for trouble if you ask me.

caseym481mo ago

Honestly that Beaumont ground can trick you bad after a dry spell. @ryan_ellis you got lucky catching it at just two inches. I've seen guys not realize until the machine was already tipping and then you're scrambling for anything to wedge under there. That lean in the cab is a wild feeling because you know exactly what's happening but you can't stop it with just the controls. Cribbing is one of those things where you'd rather have too much under you than not enough.