Wisconsin’s Manitowoc company, a maker of cranes and other equipment, last summer made a test lift with their new 3100 model crane. Long story short, it lifted 5.5-freaking-million pounds. You don’t have to give a flying flip about cranes to be impressed with that. This is kind of like asking the old, “Do you really NEED a big block,” question, but what in the hell weights 5.5-million pounds out there and needs lifting?
Power is provided by twin 600hp Cummins engines, the crane sits on four tracks (yes, it is a mobile crane), and it uses a neat variable counterweight system that uses a huge counterweight that adjusts itself in relation to the load on the crane. Hell, it lifted 5.5- MILLION pounds. That should be the only sales pitch. Just a photo of the crane, and the words, in bold print at the bottom. “This Crane Can Lift 5.5-Million Pounds“. It’ll sell itself!
We have no idea about the MSRP on this baby, but expect it to be slightly outside the budget of some small countries. She’s no compact unit, either. The boom height ranges from 180ft all the way up to an amazing 344ft!
Manitowoc is based in Wisconsin and started building cranes in 1927. They have more than 100 manufacturing and administrative operations in 27 countries, but this monster was constructed right here at home. Next time someone tells you we don’t make anything here in the USA, tell them about this crane. It was born and bred here in the land of the cheeseheads!
