Manitowoc debuts the Grove TMS500-2 truck crane at Crane Days 2018

• The new 36 t (40 USt) TMS500-2 was designed specifically for Grove customers who wanted a lightweight versatile truck crane with taxi capabilities.

Manitowoc has just unveiled the Grove TMS500-2 truck crane at its Crane Days 2018 event. Visitors to Manitowoc’s facility in Shady Grove Pennsylvania are the first in the world to see the crane.

The new 36 t (40 USt) capacity TMS500-2 features the quick set up and versatile taxi capabilities expected from a truck crane in this class. Manitowoc’s Voice of Customer (VOC) research showed strong demand for such a model. The TMS500-2 gives these customers a lightweight truck crane that can quickly travel among job sites without additional loads making it perfect for housing jobs steel erection and HVAC work for example.

“We saw a strong demand from our dealers (and the market in general) for a lightweight versatile truck crane with excellent taxi capabilities ” said J.J. Grace product manager for truck-mounted cranes at Manitowoc. “We took that sentiment into account and the TMS500-2 is the result.”

The TMS500-2 will have two boom options. The first ranges from 8.8 to 29.0 m (29 to 95 ft) with three quick-reeve Nylatron sheaves in its main boom nose. The second option ranges from 9.8 to 31.0 m (32 to 102 ft) and has four quick-reeve Nylatron sheaves. Both four-section booms are synchronized and full-power making this crane easy to set up and quick on the job. The crane can also be equipped with an optional 7.9 to 13.7 m (26 to 45 ft) telescoping swingaway jib for additional reach.

The TMS500-2 shares a common carrier cab with the higher-capacity TMS9000-2 which debuted at CONEXPO in 2017. This modern single-person cab comes with an upgraded console with an automotive-style gauge display and multi-function steering which grants fingertip access to cruise control and driving lights. The superstructure cab features full-vision design for maximum visibility an improved climate control system and Manitowoc’s Crane Control System (CCS) which includes a working range limiter operator-programmable function speeds and a selectable ECO mode that reduces fuel consumption.

The crane also features a high-performance 350 hp Cummins ISL engine with an Ultrashift transmission that provides highway travel speeds of up to 113 kph (70 mph). The TMS500-2 can be configured with either a heavy or lightweight counterweight package for added versatility when meeting local roading requirements. Whichever package customers choose the TMS500-2’s load charts provide best-in-class performance.

“The Grove TMS500-2 represents a significant addition to our line of next-generation truck cranes. Our customers asked for a smaller truck crane to maximize maneuverability and efficiency and we delivered ” Grace said. “Putting our customers at the center of our business is The Manitowoc Way in action. They have helped design a crane that will have a real impact on their profitability.”

Along with the TMS500-2 Grove is also featuring the TMS9000-2 at Crane Days the first of Grove’s next-generation truck cranes. That model quickly became a hit when it was unveiled at CONEXPO creating demand for similar models in different capacity classes.