BOOM TRUCK MAINTENANCE SEMINAR - FREE

Each spring and fall Runnion Equipment Company holds a  FREE  Boom Truck Maintenance Seminar here at our Lyons, Illinois location.

Customers from Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin make it a point to send their operators and maintenance people to take advantage of the opportunity to hear from our Shop Superintendent, meet our Product Support people and to get some one-on-one hands-on time with our Technicians, learning the correct steps and proper products with which to maintain their truck mounted cranes. We cover a lot of material for both telescoping and knuckleboom cranes.

Face it, while they are a money and time saving tool to many industries, boom trucks are not cheap to buy nor are they inexpensive to own and operate. Add to this the fact that OSHA and all crane manufacturers require documented daily, weekly, monthly and annual maintenance and inspection procedures (the lack of which will find you paying hefty fines or voiding warranties); it is without a doubt in the crane owners’ best interest to make sure his people know what they are doing.

Greasing the boom - everybody gets a turn

Keep in mind as well, that the required inspections are designed to catch problems before they become critical. To that end, employees have to be able to recognize when an issue can be handled “in house” and when it is time to call the professionals. An additional bonus is that trained employees can better document and explain to our Service Manager and our technicians, just what is happening with their crane when they do bring it to Runnion for crane repairs, annual inspections or scheduled maintenance services.

Our Free Maintenance Seminar is always held on a Saturday usually starting at 8 am (donuts and coffee are served) and it runs until 11:30 formally or until everybody has their questions answered.

We always have our Product Support people at the seminar -



Product Support Dude



offering special pricing on the parts, tools and lubricants you need to keep your crane well maintained – (everybody gets a giveaway or two as well). It is always a good time filled with crane stories as there are many years of crane experience represented in the group from which to draw from.

Manufacturers’ reps for the cranes we sell also show up from time to time and make themselves available for questions.

While the seminar is free, we do ask that you call and register for the event so that we have an idea of how many people to expect.

To register;

Call Frank Fitzgerald at 800-824-6704 or email, frankf@runnionequipment.com

One more item to note - the first telescoping crane and the first knuckleboom crane customer to register get their cranes lubed for free (since we will use them in the demo)!

2011 ILLINOIS CONSTRUCTION SUPPLY EXPO

As members of the ILMDA (Illinois Lumber & Material Dealers Association)

Runnion Equipment Company will be exhibiting at the 2011 Illinois Construction Supply Expo which is being held at the Peoria Civic Center and Hotel Pere Marquette from March 21st to March 23rd in Peoria, Illinois.



Palfinger Knuckleboom

 Co-sponsored by ILMDA and the Home Builders Association of Illinois, the “Supply Expo” features an exhibitor area occupied by vendors and suppliers offering building products and solutions geared toward the lumber and building material industry – be sure to visit Runnion Equipment Company at our booths 228 / 229.



Palfinger Crayler


As suppliers of truck mounted telescoping cranes, trailers and transportable forklifts, we want you tell you why we consider ourselves to be the best in the business and how we can help you to save money.  Ask about our "Show Special"!

National Crane

Whether you are interested in replacing equipment, trying to tame your crane maintenance and repair costs on equipment you own, or if you are thinking about renting a crane, transportable forklift or bucket truck to try out for the short or long term – we know we can offer you a range of solutions tailored to your business size and budget.








Educational seminars and workshops at the Supply Expo offer attendees an opportunity to stay on top of changes in the Lumber and Building Materials Industry and to find out about new ways to grow their business.

Finally, we are all familiar with the old saying that begins with “All work and no play..etc,...”, so to keep things even - make sure that you don’t miss the Texas Hold’em Tournament and be sure to take advantage of the blackjack tables. It is all for a good cause as a free-will donation of $25 will go to:

The ILMDA College Scholarship Program.

If you are a local or regional material supplier or building component contractor in our area, do not miss this show.

BOOK IT!!

2011 Illinois Construction Supply Expo,  

Peoria Civic Center and Hotel Pere Marquette 

March 21st to March 23rd in Peoria, Illinois.

SPRING THAW? GOOD NEWS / BAD NEWS.

Valentines Day gift?.    The 2011 Chicago Blizzard's 20" of snow - is going away.  We are finding all kinds of neat stuff in the deteriorating drifts here at Runnion.

Now come the floods -  




and a chance to see the DesPlaines River up close..... (from the Hoffman Dam?)



The economy seems to be a version of the same thing.  Thawing and good news, but new challenges lurking.

There is this good news from  Manitowoc   and this good news from  Palfinger - good news if you are a shareholder (or a dealer!).

Good news from the Wall Street Journal - we are spending more

Bad news on fuel prices... expect this to telegraph down to us consumer types. 

Bad news on the Federal Deficit.

With all the Good News / Bad News, it is obvious that depending on your niche, certain segments of the economy are doing well.  Note this key takeaway:

Sales at Victoria's Secret stores climbed 35 percent for the month.

The bottom line is that we all have to dig ourselves out.....

This is the time of year that our customers bring their cranes in to get inspected and repaired to be ready for the spring building season.  Our Service Department is busy at this time of year and we have special pricing available if you need work done on your transportable forklifts - whether you own a Crayler or one of several competing brands.  We service them all.   

PALFINGER CRAYLER. TRUCK OR TRAILER MOUNTED TRANSPORTABLE FORKLIFT.

In keeping with our committment to our customer base in the midwest, Runnion Equipment Company is now a distributor for Palfinger Crayler - Transportable Forklifts.  The Palfinger Crayler line includes six models of forklifts, each of which can be loaded and unloaded from the back of a truck in less than a minute. 

Runnion will be providing our full range of service, parts and rental of the Crayler product line. 

The Palfinger Crayler forklifts are designed to be easy to transport. They are lightweight to put less stress then the competition models on the truck or trailer that is carrying them. They also feature forward wheel mount support pads to take pressure off the forks which minimizes bounce and ensures a smooth ride when in the transport mode.

Ideal over rough terrain and in tight spaces, the forklifts are sufficiently versatile for any type of work, such as delivering brick, block, lumber and wallboard. In operation, the location of the operatore seat provides excellent views of the center of the load.

The Crayler CR moving mast series is designed for the customer who needs serious terrain ability. The toughest job sites are no obstacle for this units’ powerful engine and drive system.




Among the models we will be offering for sale or rent:

The CR45 was designed with single axle trucks in mind.

The CR50 has an air cooled 64 hp diesel engine that is the most powerful on the market.

The CR50 Palreach is ideal for loading and unloading on tight job sites.

The CR55 has all the features of the CR50 along with a 5,500lb capacity.

The CR65 provides the greatest lift capacity of all the Crayler forklifts.

Check out the details of the full product line at the Palfinger website!

Palfinger is a leading international manufacturer of hydraulic lifting, loading and handling systems. The Crayler product is Palfinger’s line of truck-mounted forklifts. The line was introduced in 1997; Crayler forklifts combine a unique design with cutting edge technical features and Palfinger quality assurance.

Palfinger’s North America headquarters is located in beautiful Niagara Falls, Ontario. Their complete product line may be viewed at http://www.palfinger-northamerica.com/.

BOOM TRUCK WINTER MAINTENANCE



THAT  HELPLESS  FEELING



CRANE TIPS:

#1 Frozen ground. This condition can give you a false sense of the true stability of the surface underneath. What seems solid may only be solid few inches deep. Always use the PROPER SIZE outrigger and stabilizer pads - which we conveniently have in stock.

#2 Operating in cold temperatures - over throttling cold machines can damage the telescope cylinder and also cause your return hoses to blow off. Remember that hydraulic oil thickens when cold, which increases back pressure on the return system. Make sure your return hose clamps are tight and properly warm up machines before use.

#3 Freeze/ thaw cycles. This condition can allow ice to build up on the top of the boom and ice can slide off at any time – aimed right at the operator station. Also, cable pulleys can freeze up and allow the cables to jump off the sheaves thereby damaging the cables - this is especially true for anti-two block cables. Be observant, check the sheaves for rotation and inspect booms for ice before you boom up, especially when machines are left out overnight.


#4 Lubrication. Throughout the cold months, make sure that you keep your control levers and rods lubricated as water can freeze your levers solid If not lubed properly. Before the cold weather hits, check that your swing gear box fluid is clean and free of water contamination. Every year, after the first significant cold snap, we have customers calling in complaining of a complete loss of swing operation. Ice in the fluid can and will freeze your gear box. Note -if your fluid is water contaminated, most likely, you will have a damaged pinion seal which will need to be replaced to keep the water out.

TRUCK TIPS:

#1 Air tanks.   Air contains moisture. Air tanks develop moisture inside and this water must be drained. This is usually overlooked in the warmer months but becomes an issue during the winter. Ice can and does freeze your brake valve - so that you cannot unlock your brakes - or freezes your PTO (air switch) so you cannot engage your PTO in order to run your crane.



#2 Tire pressure.  Cold temperatures lower tire pressure. When is the last time you checked and filled yours? Now is also a good time to check if you have enough tread left on your tires to carry you thru the winter snow.

#3 Lighting/ batteries. You will be working during more hours of darkness in the winter and all lighting needs to operate properly. In addition, your truck batteries should be tested for condition and terminals should be cleaned.

#4 Engine fluids. Coolant condition and freeze protection must be checked prior to the winter season. Don’t rely on last years test! TEST AGAIN! Diesel fuel will “gel” at colder temperatures and must be treated with anti-gel fluid to prevent this. It seams that every one knows this, but at seem to forget each winter as the first cold snap will cause a run on anti-gel at the auto and truck supply stores.

GET YOUR BOOM TRUCK READY FOR WINTER

BMW CHAMPIONSHIP - CRANES ON THE COURSE

How do you get a big, heavy, boom truck onto a golf course?  Not just any golf course - the world famous Cog Hill - Dubsdread #4 in Lemont. 

Very, very carefully!

(And with a load of heavy plywood!)

Dubsdread, site of the 2009 and 2010 BMW Championship, along with around 150,000 spectators and several well known golfers - hosted several Runnion Equipment boom trucks throughout the seven day event.

Our National Crane 9103A set up and took down the "Jumbotron" which gave spectators instant replay and a close look at the golfers.

.

Our National 890D off loaded and set up the leaderboard

Our Manitex 30102C hoisted a camera man for TV coverage -  158 feet up.

Serious guys - these camera men

A 33 ton National 14110A with a tip height of 120 feet and a 30 ton 1300H with a tip height of 174 feet (with jib), were used as mobile antennas to broadcast the trials and tribulations of the championship golfers around the world.

Remarkably, not a mark was left on the course. 

(Can't vouch for the condition of the plywood "tracks")

FINAL OSHA RULE - CRANES AND DERRICKS IN CONSTRUCTION

Consideration of the new rules began in 1998.  The Rulemaking Committee convened in July 2003.  Public hearings commenced in March 2009.  As of this writing, the new OSHA rule becomes effective November 9, 2010 - barring any delays which do not seem likely - which is 90 days after publication in its entirety within the Federal Register on August 9th

Go HERE to see the final language.


Bottom line requirements;

• Pre-erection inspection of components
• Use of synthetic slings per manufacturers instructions
• Pre-erection inspection of ground conditions
• Qualification or Certification of crane operators
• Qualified riggers and signalmen 
• Documented procedures for work around powerlines

Here is a link to a nice summary issued by the Chicagoland Construction Safety Council.




The Finance and Commerce site has a nice article here.

To Quote:

"On average, 100 people die every year in crane and derrick accidents, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

“We believe the new standard will prevent more than 20 worker fatalities every year and will prevent many injuries as well,” said David Michaels, assistant secretary of labor for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, during a telephone news conference Wednesday. “We estimate that implementation of this standard will save $55 million per year.”

   
EHS TODAY (The Magazine for Environment, Health and Safety Professionals) has an informative article as well at this link.    Their view - It's all about the training and certification.



All construction people should be aware of CPWR, The Center for Construction Research and Training.  There is a wealth of information on the issues related to cranes and derricks as well as construction safety in general.

From their site:  "CPWR is committed to preventing illness, injury, and death in the construction industry through its safety and health research. CPWR heads a nationwide consortium of researchers who identify, develop and test innovative approaches to solve problems related to high risk activities in the industry. Knowledge developed through the research is disseminated through publications, presentations, the web, and training programs."

Check out this link to their site.




As you review the information provided in this post, be aware that certain provisions of the new rules have delayed effective dates ranging from one to four years from the date of publication.  Rest assured, however that as a result of the new OSHA standard, the world will be changing for Boom Truck operators.


As a major supplier of telescoping and articulating cranes in the Midwest, Runnion Equipment Company will be taking a lead in providing guidance for our customers and we encourage you to watch this blog and our website for future information in regards to operator certification, training and inspection services.  As always, feel free to contact your Runnion representative with your questions. 

We are all in this together.