For the first time a 300t crawler crane is strengthening the fleet of the US crane rental company Crane Service Inc. Liebherr LR 1300 SX is equipped with pendants made from carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP).
Besides being basically maintenance-free another benefit of these carbon fiber pendants are the increased load charts, which was a key reason for the company for purchasing the crane. In the specific combination with carbon fiber pendants the crane is able to self-erect 86m of main boom and a 7m heavy duty wind jib. In this configuration the LR 1300 SX is able to lift a maximum of 75t at a radius of 15m.
The premiere jobsite of the Liebherr LR 1300 SX is in a wind park in Nolan, Texas. The crane is used for hoisting and then again for installing the rotor of five 80m tall wind turbines for maintenance works. Each of the rotors has a weight of approximately 69t. The rotors have to be removed in order to replace the gearboxes and main shafts in the wind turbines.