Products & Equipment Cranes
Liebherr’s new mobile crane sets a world record

The new 300-tonne 1300-6.3 mobile crane from Liebherr can travel with its complete 90-metre telescopic boom on public roads. This capability sets a new world record for Liebherr, as it’s the first mobile crane to be able to carry a 90-metre telescopic boom with an axle load of just 12 tonnes.

The six-axle LTM 1300-6.3 is designed to be used as a fast-erecting crane with a high capacity at great hoist heights with a raised boom. This makes it ideal for erecting tower cranes or for wind turbine maintenance work.

As well, Liebherr made it possible to drive the LTM 1300-6.3 with different axle loads and gross weights, to ensure that it can be driven worldwide. Components — including the telescopic boom and outriggers — can be installed or removed to achieve axle loads of less than 12 tonnes.

The tele-separation feature enables individual telescopic sections to be removed quickly. This makes it straightforward to set up the crane for the road with a gross weight of less than 60 tonnes and axle loads of under 10 tonnes. Liebherr can also deliver a self-assembly solution that enables the telescopic sections to be removed without the need for an auxiliary crane.

Record-breaking boom

The 90-metre length is achieved by using an eight-section telescopic boom, including the pivot section plus seven telescopic sections. To ensure the complete boom, as well as all outriggers and hook block, can be carried on public roads with an axle load of 12 tonnes, Liebherr optimized the entire steel construction of the crane for lightweight construction.

Although the LTM 1300-6.3 is not designed for use as a luffing jib, it has a wide range of lattice jibs available, including a 11.5 to 20 metre double folding jib, two 7 metre lattice sections to extend the telescopic boom, a 39-metre fixed jib and a 43 metre hydraulically adjustable fixed jib. The options enable the new 300 tonne crane to reach hoist heights of up to 120 metres.

Wind speed load charts

Load charts for various wind speeds are available for the LTM 1300-6.3. They deliver enhanced safety and longer operating times for crane work in windy conditions. To ensure that work can continue safely in even higher wind speeds, Liebherr has calculated the load charts for additional maximum wind speeds and programmed them in the crane control system.

For the LTM 1300-6.3, for example, it is 11.2 m/s, or even 13.4 m/s when using lattice equipment. In pure telescope mode, the tables even allow for a speed of 15.6 m/s. If the wind speed measured on the crane’s boom during a job exceeds the set chart wind speed, the crane operator can simply switch to a load chart with a higher maximum wind speed, which will often allow the job to be continued.

An eight-cylinder Liebherr diesel engine delivers 619 bhp and 2,263 foot-pounds of torque. The power is transferred to the crane axles by the 12-speed ZF TraXon torque gearbox, and a torque converter ensures ideal manoeuvring. The additional ECOdrive mode delivers enhanced drive properties which both save fuel and reduce noise.

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Liebherr has continued its single-engine strategy on the new LTM 1300-6.3 with a mechanical power unit for the superstructure. The weight reduction created by removing the superstructure engine has been used to deliver a longer boom and more ballast with an axle load of 12 tonnes.

ECOmode in crane operation helps to reduce fuel consumption and noise emissions. The complete pump drive is disconnected automatically when the engine is idling and then reconnected by the intelligent controller in a matter of seconds when required.

The LTM 1300-6.3 can be operated with two different ballast radii: 4.94 metres or 5.94 metres. The ballast radius can be reduced quickly by one metre using standard mechanically adjusted ballasting cylinders. This solution is one of the main benefits of the new 300-tonne model when used in constricted conditions.

With its VarioBallast feature, the new mobile crane can be operated with 8 tonnes less ballast compared to the LTM 1300-6.2 without any significant reduction of its lifting capacity. That reduces both transport logistics and carbon dioxide emissions.

Auto-Ballast

A single touch of a button secures the ballast to the turntable. This feature takes the strain off the crane operator as the automatic ballasting process is simple, fast and convenient. In addition, safety is also enhanced, particularly for routine procedures.

The maximum ballast on the LTM 1300-6.3 is 88 tonnes. The 10 tonne suspended ballast blocks on the right and left are compatible with the LTM 1230-5.1 and LTM 1250-5.1 crane models. As well, Liebherr modified individual ballast slabs to reduce weight and dimensions to make them suitable for economical transport and fast set up on site.

All the ballast can be placed on the mobile crane with five hoists. The basic 42-tonne ballast has a width of 3 metres, which means it fits within the overall width of the vehicle. This makes it significantly easier to move the fully set-up crane on constricted sites.