 |
| 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. |
|
