Had to choose between a Grove and a Terex for a tight downtown job in Seattle

I picked the Terex because the Grove felt too bulky for the alley setup we had. Got 12 picks done without a single swing issue, but the customer kept side-eyeing my choice the whole time. Anyone else ever gamble on a smaller rig and have it pay off?

3 comments

3 Comments

eric_knight72d ago

Did you ever check if the Terex had a tighter swing radius than the Grove specs showed? I was reading a blog from a crane rental guy in Portland who said sometimes the published numbers don't tell the full story until you're actually on site. He had a similar situation where a smaller rig ended up being way more stable than expected. It sounds like you made the right call, especially since the customer wasn't complaining about the work itself just the choice. Sometimes the quiet wins are the ones that stick with you.

the_viola2d ago

I read that blog too. Specs can't account for every real site quirk.

pat_fisher242d ago

Nah, I don't buy that. Specs are specs for a reason. If the numbers said the Grove had a tighter swing radius, I'm going with that until proven otherwise on site. That Portland guy might've gotten lucky with a setup that worked, but I'm not betting my job on a maybe. The customer paid me to make the call, and I did. They didn't complain about the work because it was done right. At the end of the day, you stick with what you know, not what some rental guy heard from a buddy.