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When Davis Erecting Inc. of Greenville, South Carolina, was contracted to place precast concrete panels as part of a $170 million, 650,000-square-foot mixed-use development build, the company knew exactly what it needed. On site at the University of South Carolina in Columbia, the company put two of its Link-Belt cranes 300-ton 348 Series 2 lattice crawlers to work.
On the jobsite, the 348 Series 2 crawler cranes with luffing attachments were used to piece together precast panels that cover all 11 floors of the new complex, which includes commercial development, student housing and three levels of parking.
During the construction of the precast building, Davis operator Scotty Adams said the 348 Series 2 was an ideal machine for the job. Adams lifted the panels nearly 150 feet in the air with the luffing attachment, finding the crane’s multifunction and fine metering features particularly useful.
“Adjusting the speed smoothly when you’re getting near the top is great,” said Adams, who has been operating cranes for over 28 years. “The whole setup is smooth. I barely move my hand and it goes right where I need it to be.”
Davis Erecting, which added the second 348 Series 2 to its fleet in 2023, used both lattice boom crawlers on the University of South Carolina project. Both cranes were fitted with 240 feet of luffing boom and 120 feet of luffing jib.
The Link-Belt 348 Series 2 cranes feature a self-assembling quick-draw cylinder and counterweight removal system to help install two lower counterweights and all 13 pieces of upper counterweight on the machine. The counterweight system is designed to be easy to handle and transport, including easy-to-access connection links and remote-control operation, which allows for counterweight install and removal to be done from the ground.
The cranes also have a new boom top section that allows for conventional and luffing boom configurations. Assembly is simplified with bar pendants that connect the main boom, luffing jib and luffer backstay. This design also provides storage for backstay bar pendants, allowing for quicker and more cost-effective switching to a luffing attachment, which includes a hook-and-pin luffing jib base.
According to Scott Davis, president of Davis Erecting, the Link-Belt lattice crawlers were chosen for their capacity to tandem pick the concrete panels, weighing up to 50,000 pounds. “They proved to be invaluable in efficiently completing the project thanks to their capabilities,” he said. “The success of this project can be attributed to the performance of the machines.
“Link-Belt has been our preferred crane supplier,” Davis added. “We’ve had a long relationship with the manufacturer and Atlantic & Southern Equipment, our distributor. Their personnel always have our back.”
Express Lane Extension
For Shirley Contracting Company of Lorton, Virginia, versatility was the key when the company was called on as a subcontractor for the construction of an express lane extension in Tysons Corner, Virginia. The nearly two-mile long project, which extends northbound Interstate 495 express lanes to the Maryland state border, required picking sound wall panels and posts and driving abutment pile to create a Mechanically Stabilized Earth wall.
To meet those needs, Shirley Contracting called on its Link-Belt Cranes 140-ton TCC-1400 telescopic crawler. The TCC-1400 is one of seven Link-Belt machines owned by the company.
“On the jobsite, the TCC-1400 is doing the work of three rough terrain cranes,” said Shirley Contracting Equipment Manager Patrick Crocker. “Aside from picking and placing the 8-by-20-foot sound wall panels, weighing 19,000 pounds each, and driving pile for the project, the TCC-1400 helped with box culvert replacements as well.
“At the end of the day, we needed versatility and the TCC-1400 delivered,” Crocker continued. “On this type of job, it’s a lot more productive. Its long reach and impressive transportability also distinguish it from other cranes.”
The Link-Belt TCC-1400 features a six-section main boom with a length from 42.3 to 195.3 feet and a maximum tip height of 257.6 feet. Attachment options include a 10-31-55-foot bi-fold lattice fly, and its maximum line pull is 22,380 pounds. Its main unit transports at 93,600 pounds with side frames removed.
According to Crocker, Shirley Contracting has a long history with Link-Belt products. In fact, the very first crane the company purchased was a Link-Belt LS-108 lattice crane, which it still owns.
“The TCC-1400 telescopic crawler has proven itself time and time again to be indispensable,” Crocker said. “Given our track record with this crane, I wouldn’t be surprised if we purchased more.”
