
Manitowoc has introduced a new all-terrain taxi crane with a modern and compact design.
The Grove GMK4090 is the response to customer demand for a lightweight, flexible taxi crane in the 90 tonne capacity class. The crane represents a generational upgrade over the previous GMK4080-1/GMK4100B.
Manitowoc is also introducing the GMK4080-2, a similar taxi crane with an 80 tonne capacity. The GMK4090 will be released globally, whereas the GMK4080-2 won’t be available in North America.
Andreas Cremer, global product director of Grove all-terrain cranes, explained the GMK4090 and the GMK4080-2 models are essentially the same taxi crane. However, the GMK4080-2 carries less counterweight, to match the load chart of its predecessor.
“The GMK4090 has been designed with flexibility and maneuverability as main focuses,” Cremer said.
“With its best-in-class taxi load chart and compact footprints, this crane will be ideal for a variety of jobs, such as general construction and plant maintenance work. Various counterweight options also give it versatility in roading, which can increase efficiency and return on investment for many owners.”
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The GMK4090 offers a 51 metre, six-section Megaform boom that utilizes Grove’s Twin-Lock pinning system. Boosting its overall reach is a 15 metre bi-fold swing-away jib that may be extended with a 6 metre boom extension for a total jib length of 21 metres.
The GMK4090 is able to travel with a maximum 18.3 tonne counterweight. With a 12 tonne axle, it can transport up to 9.1 tonnes to the job site without the need for an additional transport truck.
The crane features compact dimensions, with a narrow 2.55 metre width, so it can easily move within tight job sites. It has a minimum tailswing of 3.53 metres, allowing it to stay within the maximum outrigger width.
The GMK4090 also offers the new MAXbase feature as an option. This variable outrigger setting gives the crane more setup flexibility on the job site, especially when erecting it on irregular grounds, and more capacity when compared with the 360-degree standard load chart.
The new crane also features Manitowoc’s Crane Control System (CCS), an operating interface that has now been standardized across the company’s crane offering and is featured on every new model.
“We spoke to many customers when designing this new crane to fully understand their needs and desires for cranes in this class,” Cremer explained. “When seeking to replace the very popular GMK4080-1/GMK4100B, we had to ensure that the GMK4090 would be extremely versatile in travel, set up and lifting options.”