What to Consider When Choosing a Crane
With many used cranes offering similar reliability to new ones, they’ve become a great cost-effective alternative to ordering new machines. Remembering what to look out for when shopping for a used crane should make it easy to find the right one for you.
Consider Your Construction Project’s Needs
Since cranes are often the most expensive construction machines on the market, it’s important to find the right crane for your construction needs. Here are some tips to help get you on the right track:
• Set a realistic budget. You should know how much you can afford to spend on equipment. If a new crane isn’t within your budget, there are many great options for second-hand machines. Buying a used crane from Ring Power offers reliable service as well as the reputable Cat® brand.
• Evaluate your purpose. When choosing the right crane, it’s important to evaluate your business needs. Price considerations alone won’t ensure the right crane. So be sure to ask yourself what you need get done and how hard the machinery must work to accomplish that purpose. Ideally, your purchase will meet not only current objectives, but future ones as well. Ring Power’s extensive line of used equipment can offer reliable service for many years. If you need equipment for a specialized purpose, Ring Power’s wide range of products and features will prove useful in a variety of industries.
• Be clear on the amount of work to be done. You should outline your requirements from the beginning so you’ll be aware of the amount of work the crane will need to accomplish. Remember to consider basic requirements and dimensional specification such as capacity, duty class, span, runway lengths, motion speeds and lift height. You should also consider differences between aluminum and steel systems, as well as manual and motorized systems.
Be sure not to push your equipment beyond what it was intended to do. For example, a lightweight crane won’t be a safe choice for heavy-duty lifting. Losing weeks of productive time for damages and mechanical failure is not worth the savings from cranes with insufficient capacity.
Operating an overhead crane outside its recommended service class can be destructive to the machine as well as dangerous to anyone using it. There are six CMAA classes to consider:
• Infrequent service
• Light service (2 to 5 lifts per hour with an average of 10 feet)
• Moderate service (5 to 10 lifts per hour with an average of 15 feet)
• Heavy service (10 to 20 lifts per hour at an average of 15 feet)
• Severe service (20 or more lifts an hour)
• Continuous severe service
Ask yourself questions like: What kind of material (weight and size) do you need to move? How high will the loads be lifted? Will the crane be used every day, and will you still need the crane in a year or two? You should also consider whether you need a crane that can rotate and, if so, do you need 360-degree rotation or is 180-degree rotation enough?
Purchase the Right Crane
When you have the right equipment, you save time and money in damages and repairs. Ring Power will not only help you choose the right crane for your business needs, but we will also ensure periodic inspection and maintenance. Here are several additional aspects to consider when sourcing equipment for your project:
• Consider your job site. You should buy a crane that matches your working environment. Will there be enough room for a crane to move freely in a 360-degree radius? And will you work mostly overhead or in front of the crane? You should consider any surrounding environmental conditions that may impact use of the equipment. For example, an environment with large amounts of dirt and particulates will have a negative impact on the efficiency of oil and crease lubrication.
• Determine needed features. Buying a crane with the right features and controls will increase productivity and efficiency. Although newer models come with more innovative features, there are plenty of used models with the same advanced features like remote control systems, variable hoisting speed, sway control, target positioning, rotation stops, casters and festooning.
Remote-controlled operations will permit control of the crane from a safe distance. Top seat stations may offer improved visibility, but the distance from the lifting area could be a problem. A fixed control station could be helpful, although obscured visibility might be a problem for some operators.
Be clear on the technical aspects of the job when determining needed features. Unnecessary features could require additional maintenance and training and may not add much value to your fleet of cranes.
• Consider the need for proper care. Cranes require proper care and regular maintenance for efficient operations. Before purchasing a used or new crane, you should consider the ease of providing regular oil changes and the difficulty of acquiring parts for more substantial repairs.
Buying a crane with Ring Power means doing business with a company that can also provide routine service and maintenance for your purchase. With an extensive line of new and used parts, Ring Power can perform routine service in a very timely manner. Our certified technicians are experienced with a variety of repair needs, although regular maintenance should reduce the likelihood of significant repairs.
• Ensure used equipment has been inspected. As a crane buyer, you should make sure the equipment you want is not excessively worn. Consult checklists to determine what items could require attention in the near future. Because of the difficulty of determining acceptable limits of wear, the following is a helpful checklist of common areas of concern:
- Load test: When keeping the boom under load, you can observe items such as valve malfunctioning, seal leakage, hydraulic leaks, excessive boom deflection, control valve bypassing, winch “jerking,” load time fraying and outrigger cylinder bypassing or leaking.
- Rotex gear: “Play” tolerance specifications for a specific rotex gear are available from the manufacturer. On a hydraulic boom, check the amount of play as compared to crane specifications.
- High-stress areas: While under load, check the base room section and look for cracks. Check for excessive negative deflection in a fully extended boom and check outrigger beams for damage in high-stress areas. The “bellying” out of side plates is a good indication of eventual boom failure.
- High-wear areas: Check for missing or worn slider pads. Under load, check the pivot pins, cylinder pins, journals and bushings.
At Ring Power, we thoroughly inspect our used cranes before offering them for sale. We also work with manufacturers like Cat that provide inspection checklists, providing an opportunity to identify items that may have experienced too much wear.
• Evaluate vendors. Using the right vendor can help determine the market value of used equipment. At Ring Power, generators and steer loaders, for example, have been pulled from their rental fleet, meaning that equipment for sale comes with a detailed service history. As a reputable Cat equipment vendor, Ring Power also allows potential buyers to inspect and test equipment, backing everything up with warranty support.
Why Buy Used Equipment?
A used crane can be a great investment, especially if purchasing from an authorized dealer of top manufacturers, like Ring Power. We’ve been in business a long time and offer high-quality machinery, parts and services. Our commitment to high quality ensures the best used equipment in the region.
Some of the benefits of buying used cranes include the following:
• Cost savings. When buying used cranes, higher caliber machines become more affordable. Since used machines lose between 20% and 40% of their value the first year, cranes that are more than a year old won’t experience the same dramatic depreciation. If serviced properly, used vehicles will still retain a large portion of their resale value.
For machines over a year old, the number of hours on the machine becomes significant. A properly maintained machine with older parts can offer tremendous value. Any machine that’s treated well will have fewer problems in the long-term, so it makes very little difference whether it’s new or not.
When your used machine eventually wears out, Ring Power purchases used machines for dismantling.
• Time savings. Used cranes are ready for immediate delivery, and new cranes could take weeks to build to desired specifications. Going used is a huge benefit when time is of the essence.
• Similar benefits to new models. It’s unlikely that component parts will change much from year to year, which means used machines are likely to be just as well-equipped to handle future challenges as new equipment. Equipment that’s a year or two old will still offer the same commitment to performance and safety as brand new machines.
Fewer equipment changes also mean less training on new control systems. If changes are still needed to improve equipment performance, our inventory of more than 175,000 heavy equipment parts makes such changes easy.
While buying a crane that’s 5 to 10 years old may not be a problem, older cranes may offer more limited performance. Then again, some customers might find older machines to be more mechanically-friendly than newer ones.
• Warranty protection. Dealers like Ring Power offer comprehensive warranties, preventive maintenance plans and other service agreements for all construction equipment. Ring Power also offers physical damage insurance and extended service insurance.
• Quality vendor with a wide inventory. A vendor of high-quality cranes like Ring Power can handle all lifting and foundation needs throughout the Southeast, offering a wide variety of used cranes for sale, rent or lease. We sell rough-terrain cranes, truck trains, lattice boom crawlers as well as the largest selection of hydraulic boom cranes in the world. Take a look at some of our offerings:
- Industrial Cranes 2.5 - 22 Tons
- Boom Trucks 3.5 - 50 Tons
- Rough Terrain Cranes 30 - 130 Tons
- Truck Cranes 40 - 100 Tons
- All-Terrain Cranes 60 - 550 Tons
- Crawler Cranes 85 - 1000 Tons
With a huge inventory of previously-owned machines and power systems, Ring Power has earned its reputation as a leading provider of genuine value on quality used equipment for construction, earthmoving, paving, utility and material handling.
Our used equipment also comes with the same high-level customer support, preventive maintenance programs, comprehensive parts inventory, product support, full-service machine shops and skilled technicians that earned us our reputation for quality service in the Southeast. Our parts experts are on call around the clock and can meet your needs within 24 hours of your request, for minimum downtime and maximum productivity.
If you buy a used crane from Ring Power, we offer equipment in the best condition, and we can help you maintain optimum working condition.
Used Cranes and Used Crane Trucks for Sale
Ring Power specializes in providing an extensive selection of used cranes for a variety of Florida businesses. We offer a large inventory of carry deck cranes, used crane trucks, used boom trucks and used all terrain cranes for sale.
Ring Power inventory consists of items drawn from our own rental fleets, including late model equipment that has been expertly maintained and serviced by our own technicians. Before our units are sold, they’re brought to "zero defect" status before the sale and are ready to start performing immediately. All cranes are thoroughly inspected and tested to ensure they perform at optimum levels and that no cranes are sold with unsafe critical components. We offer:
• Boom trucks and used crane trucks. Our used boom trucks (also known as cherry pickers) provide access to elevated locations and muscle for heavy vertical and lateral lifting. Our used crane trucks also provide plenty of lifting power and accessibility, along with a rugged truck body for improved mobility.
• Used crane crawlers. Used crane crawlers are not only maneuverable while carrying loads, but they can also handle light to heavy lifting.
• Used carry deck cranes. Our used deck cranes provide considerable lifting power along with 360-degree rotating booms to pick up loads in confined spaces. They’re also efficient at transporting materials short distances.
• Used rough-terrain cranes and all-terrain cranes. Used rough-terrain cranes provide access to off-road locations and perform well in the most rugged terrain, featuring a stabilized telescopic crane fitted on a compact, four-wheel drive truck capable of maneuvering over muddy ground. All-terrain cranes offer the drive and steering to go off-road while providing superior extension and load handling.
Choose Ring Power for Used Cranes
Businesses across Florida count on Ring Power for used carry decks, crane trucks and all-terrain cranes. We also provide expert support for all used cranes, from our carry decks and carry trucks to our all-terrain cranes, and provide oil and fluid sampling services.
We sell premier used cranes from America’s leading manufacturers such as Broderson, Manitowoc, National, Grove, Tadano boom trucks and Manitex boom trucks. Thanks to Cat’s certified rebuild program, equipment holds its value since parts that can easily be reconditioned, rebuilt and replaced.
What to Expect From Ring Power
Since 1962, Ring Power has sold new and used equipment to landscapers, construction companies, mining companies and agribusiness operators. We work closely with buyers looking to maximize their budgets. Our huge selection of pre-owned used cranes and other equipment makes it very easy to replace aging parts or expand operations.
With 26 locations in the Southeast region, Ring Power has proven itself a valuable ally to anyone in the market for Cat heavy equipment throughout Florida and beyond. Whether you’re in the market for used or new equipment, you benefit from the largest inventories of Cat equipment in the Southeast. This helps minimize the time it takes for repairs and scheduled maintenance.
Our technicians are available around the clock to address service issues. With a line of more than 600 service vehicles, we’re familiar with a wide variety of maintenance and diagnostic issues, and can provide repairs to the highest standards set by Cat brand. ProductLinkTM, Cat’s real-time monitoring system, alerts us of any issues with equipment, reducing downtime needed for closer inspection.
As Cat’s only representative in north and central Florida, Ring Power offers authorized repairs and exclusive service programs to ensure your equipment always provides exceptional performance.
Ring Power offers used and refurbished cranes including crawler cranes, industrial cranes, all-terrain cranes, rough-terrain cranes, boom trucks and crane trucks. Our many types of used cranes for sale also include bridge cranes, jib cranes, overhead cranes, hydraulic cranes, knuckle boom cranes, heavy-lift cranes and bucket trucks.
Our crane models include Manitex boom trucks and cranes, Tadano cranes, Gantry cranes, Terex cranes and National boom trucks.
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Give us a call today to learn about the latest options we have in stock, and we’ll help you get the right machinery into your fleet.
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