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Nov. 13, 2023 – Guy M. Turner Inc., of Greensboro, North Carolina, has nearly 100 years of heavy and specialized transportation experience.
The company recently bought a new 65-USt capacity Link-Belt 65|HT hydraulic truck crane to do taxi-crane and general lift work.
Turner said that the 65|HT’s ability to travel on public roads without a special permit – day or night – was a key factor in the decision to purchase the Link-Belt.
“The improvements to the new 65|HT are pretty clear,” said Bo Loy, vice president of Turner’s crane division.
Loy said Turner noticed immediately how the 65|HT stood out from previous hydraulic truck cranes.
One way was its 115’ telescopic boom, which provides an extra five feet of length.
“That boom length equates to time, and time is money,” said Loy.
He noted that finishing jobs more quickly is good both for Turner and its customer. “That can equate to a half hour or more, so the additional boom length is a pretty major factor for us,” said Loy.
In one example, crane operator Steve Bennett found the extra boom length helpful when he offloaded 6,500- to 8,000-lb. steel tanks in Graham, North Carolina.
“Between the extra five feet of boom and the extra counterweight, the 65|HT is more stable when reaching out 100’,” said Bennett, who has been operating Guy M. Turner’s Link-Belt 60-USt capacity HTC-8660 for years. “From front to back, the 65|HT is hands down a better machine.”
The easy roadability of the four-axle, 65|HT is also a factor for Turner.
It can travel on public roads with its maximum optional counterweight of 18,700 lbs. at a total weight of less than 84,000 lbs.
For Turner, that means the crane is ready to go immediately when it’s needed, day or night.
“Many times, we get a phone call at six o’clock in the evening to go to an emergency job,” said Loy. “We don’t have to worry about getting the 65|HT permitted. We just turn it on and go.”
The crane’s nylon head sheaves help reduce boom weight and increase capacity, and the quick-reeve head allows fast, easy line changes.
And when night jobs come, the lighting and camera setup deliver superior visibility.
“It’s got great LED lighting on the cab, and I like all the LED lighting on the side for the rigging equipment,” said Bennett. “The outrigger control box, when you operate your outriggers on the side of the crane, also has lights, which is useful. It helps a lot in the early morning and at night.”
