4 June 2015, 08:00
Robert Kelly from VW Trafford Park, Manchester contacted Penny Hydraulics in March this year to discuss his requirement for a hydraulic truck mounted crane for their customer DRAF Engineering Ltd. DRAF Engineering are a well know and well established pump supplier and service provider based in Greater Manchester.
Penny Hydraulics, accredited converter for VW Commercial Vehicles were able to specify a crane to suit the brief which was a lightweight hydraulic crane for a VW Crafter double cab to lift pumps and plant up to 850kg in weight.
Area Sales Manager Martin Oke specified a crane from Penny Hydraulics new hydraulic crane range for pickups called PH Cranes. A PH180.2 was specified as the best crane for the job.
The PH180 weighs in at only 180kg, runs off the Crafter’s vehicle battery in 12V and was supplied with ECI safety system which suited DRAF Engineering’s requirements. The ECI unit is a device displaying the lifted load capacity by means of an LED scale. The lower green LED shows that power is ON. Five further green LED’s show a range from 30% - 70% of the maximum rated capacity permissible. Two yellow LED’s indicate 80% and 90% while the final red LED (100%) shows that the maximum rated capacity has been reached or “exceeded”.
The PH180.2 has full hydraulic control and comes with a standard outreach of 3.01 m, lifting 570 kg at this reach. At 1.16M the crane will lift 1500kg. This model also comes with 330° slewing rotation, 4 function valve bank, motor pump kit with 11 lt. oil tank and fitting kit.
Through consultation, VW and DRAF Engineering specified a crane complete with sub-frame and one hydraulic and one manual stabiliser leg. The installation is scheduled for August this year and will be carried out at Penny Hydraulics premises in Chesterfield.