 | | Terex style box. |  | | Brochure and bags of parts. |  | | No outriggers fitted. |  |  | | Some transmission details underneath. |  | | The parts can make a transport convoy. A Terex AC 100/4L crane is ready to help out. |  | | Loading the winch assembly onto the carrier deck. |  | | Tilting cab has excellent range of movement. |  | | Many metal handrails. |  | | Metal pulleys throughout. |  | | Good detail behind the cab. |  | | A Terex AC 1004/L lifts in the SSL. |  | | Impressive. |  | | SSL in operation. |  | | Geometry of the fully extended boom is excellent with the SSL in use. |  | | Heavy transport configuration with outriggers and SSL fitted. |
|  Comment on this model.
The Terex AC 1000 Mobile Crane appeared at the BAUMA exhibition in 2010, and then went through an extended period of development and testing which continued through to the end of 2012.
The crane has a maximum capacity of 1200 tonnes. It has a 50m main boom and can reach 100m on the optional boom. The overall system length with fly jib is 163m.
The model of the AC 1000 appeared at the Nuremberg Toy Fair in 2011 but was not released for sale by Terex until the real crane had reached a satisfactory stage of testing.
Packaging
The model comes in a Terex branded box sleeve which encloses a deep expanded polystyrene tray and a lid. The review model had no defects or missing parts.
No information is provided about the real crane but a comprehensive brochure for the model is included. It is entirely pictorial and has an annotated list of parts so it is clear and helpful but does not include reeving diagrams for the hooks. Assembly of the crane in its various configurations is straightforward.
Detail
This is a very heavy and solid model.
Underneath there is some detailing of the carrier chassis with the driven axles being distinguishable. The tyres are good and the wheels are plastic but with differing hub designs on the driven axles.
The driving cab has detail internally although the steering wheel appears to sit high. It has door mirrors and the beacon and main driving lights are good. The cab tilts forward very slightly compared to the engine compartment behind and this is probably due to the moulding of some of the parts. Some finer detailing such as windscreen wipers and coloured door handles would have added more realism.
Behind the driving cab the carrier looks good with many textured surfaces and various equipment parts, and there is an interesting ladder up to the engine cover. There are supports over axles 3 to 6 for a metal wheel cover if the outriggers are not fitted. A similar arrangement exists over axles 8 and 9. A large toothed slewing ring sits under the crane and there is a ladder leading to it. At the rear there is a light bar with painted lights. A set of metal steps can be fitted at the rear.
The outriggers are metal and heavy. They have detail within the casting to reflect the fabrications in the real outriggers. Sharp chevron graphics are applied at the ends and the outrigger pistons are smooth when extended. The outrigger pads are plastic.
Two metal beams can be fitted to the carrier deck to hold the winch assembly during erection.
The crane cab has metal handrails and mini ladders, and there is a windscreen wiper. Inside the detail is reasonable with a large control console. The crane body is a simple but heavy casting and it includes a small auxiliary winch and a pair of plastic slewing motors.
The winch assembly is a large separate part with three large winch drums, two of which are pre-wound with thread by Conrad. It attaches securely to the crane with a couple of plastic pins and a number of metal handrail and platform parts can be fitted.
Two counterweight trays hook on to the winch assembly. The ballast plates are well finished with graphics and have usable lifting lugs.
The boom is designed in two separate parts - a heavy five stage lower section and a lighter four stage upper section. The lowest boom section has some fairly simple detailing in terms of plastic cable drums, but the casting of the main hydraulic ram thrust blocks is impressive. The main rams are huge with smooth pistons and just the ram locking mechanisms depart from the look of the real machine. Although the cylinder jackets appear to be plastic they seem to be painted for a perfect colour match. A blanking plate and guide pulley fits over the open end of the main boom. An impressive bank of metal pulleys provides a heavy lift head.
The optional upper boom also has some cable drum details and there is a plastic hoist line guide. There are more metal pulleys in the boom head.
The sideways superlift (SSL) is mainly metal with some plastic elements. The pulleys are metal.
Three hook blocks are supplied which gives welcome flexibility and they have 1, 5 and 9 pulleys respectively. They are metal blocks with good graphics and metal pulleys, although surprisingly they have plastic hooks.
Features
All nine axles steer independently so all of the steering modes of the real crane can be simulated. There is working spring-loaded suspension on most axles.
The outriggers can be detached from the crane and transported separately, and separate wheel arches can be clipped on. The outriggers are fully functional with extending beams and pistons that screw down without any visible screw threads. Plastic pads clip on securely. The outriggers are strong enough to support the entire crane off its wheels.
The crane cab is fixed onto a mechanism which allows both tilt, and the raising and rotation from the transport to the operational position. Tiny access ladders can be folded down from the access platform.
The ladder attached to the counterweight tray at the rear is extendible.
The boom is raised using two very large cylinders which have a locking mechanism which is tightened using a supplied spanner. It works really well and gives confidence that when fully tightened they will hold the boom as desired.
The telescopic sections extend smoothly and lock into place when full extension is reached. The optional upper boom can be removed and posed as a separate transport load.
The Sideways Superlift is also a separate part so does not have to be fitted. It attaches fairly easily and the tensioning drums have a defined lock which is disengaged by pressing the button on the side, and this works well.
The auxiliary winch drum can only be turned by finger on the drum, but the main winch drums can be driven by inserting a key into the winch drum axle.
A main feature of the model is the flexibility of display. A variety of transport configurations of the carrier is possible and many of the parts make very good transport loads. The crane can be configured in many combinations of boom, SSL and hooks.
At maximum boom extension the model is over 2m tall.
Quality
Conrad has produced a well made model which is both heavy and robust, and it is very well engineered having regard for the heavy loads that it will sustain.
The paint is generally good although the decoration in Terex corporate livery is fairly plain. There are very few graphics and some small warning signs would have added to the realism.
Price
It is relatively pricey but it is a big and heavy model so is good value.
Overall
This is an impressive and flexible model, and the very good model engineering gives confidence about its stability when the model is erected. A little more detailing would have been nice, but it is an outstanding model nonetheless.
Footnotes
It was first seen at the Nuremberg Toy Fair in 2011, and appeared at dealers in September 2012. |
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|  | | Many parts in the tray. |  | | On the road in the lightest configuration. |  | | Blanking plate fitted over the main boom. |  | | With no outriggers fitted, wheel covers and chevron plates can be fitted. |  | | Rear end. There is independent steering on all axles. |  | | Loading the ballast. |  | | Outriggers easily hold the crane off its wheels. |  | | Spreader plate and outrigger beam means business. |  | | Heavy hook on the main boom. |  | | Access stairs at the rear fitted. |  | | Configured with the main boom and no SSL. |  | | Raising the SSL. |  | | The boom is fully extended and the sideways superlift arrangement tensioned up. It is over 2m tall. |  | | Big iron. |
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