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Liebherr releases largest fast-erecting crane on market at CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2020

The crane features a radius of 180 ft and a maximum hook height of 215 ft

The Liebherr 125 K
The Liebherr 125 K

Liebherr presented its newest fast-erecting crane at CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2020: the 125 K. With a radius of 180 ft (55 m) and a maximum hook height of 215 ft (65.6 m), it is currently the largest fast-erecting crane on the market.

The new 125 K has been specially developed for civil engineering requirements such as road and highway bridges and commercial as well as industrial building construction.

The 125 K has an initial hook height of 97 ft (29.5 m) as standard. Five tower sections can be additionally inserted to reach a total hook height of 136 ft (41.5 m). This gives the crane the capability to handle major construction projects. If the hook height still isn't sufficient, the 30° luffed jib position enables a 215 ft (65.6) hook height. The crane has a 17,600 lbs (8,000 kg) maximum load capacity and with a 180 ft (55 m) radius at the jib head, it is able to lift 2,800 lbs (1,300 kg) due to its Load-Plus function. With five radius options, ranging from 114 ft to 180 ft (35 to 55 m), the 125 K has immense flexibility.

Flexible deployment even in tight spaces

Construction site conditions are becoming increasingly tight. Construction cranes need to have compact dimensions to match this challenge. With its 10 ft (3.2 m) slewing radius, the Liebherr 125 K fast-erecting crane is consequently able to fit into very small spaces. Thanks to its variable slewing radius, which can be extended to 13 ft (4 m), the amount of transportable ballast can be reduced - which in turn reduces costs.

Everything always in view

In addition to familiar features such as the Micro-move fine positioning mode and Liebherr's two-line operation Speed2Lift, further improvements have also been thought out in detail: For example, LED floodlight site lighting is now available to ensure even better work site illumination.

The external K-crane cabin is also available for the 125 K - this is an advantage for larger sites where 125 Ks are typically in action. This way, the crane operator always has the entire construction site in view.

Simplified transport and electronic stability control

Until now, large fast-erecting cranes could only be transported via semi-trailer. But not every customer has access to a suitable tractor vehicle, so Liebherr has expanded the transport options: The 125 K can also be towed as a trailer by a conventional truck. For this, Liebherr Tower Cranes now offers a new solution: the axle system LiTRAX.

Liebherr has developed a new 50 mph (km/h) high-speed axle that is suitable for the current fast-erecting crane range. It can be used in a modular manner and consists of three units: a front axle as well as one rigid and one steerable rear axle. As a result, a 53 K or a 65 K.1 can be transported using the front axle and only part of the rear axle. For an 81 K.1, a tandem axle can be assembled using two individual rear axle modules. Therefore, with these three units, it is possible to select the best combination for all Liebherr fast-erecting cranes, enabling them to be compact and flexible on site.

The axle system is equipped with operation safety technology such as an electronic braking system that ensures responsive braking action. Sensors measure the lateral acceleration and detect tilting tendencies early on. Braking intervention is specifically applied to individual tires and the axle is stabilized. This prevents loss of control, especially in case of unexpected braking maneuvers or difficult weather conditions. This significantly increases crane transport safety.

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