 |
| Terex style
box. |
 |
| Brochure. |
 |
|
Travelling with outriggers fitted. |
 |
 |
| Some
transmission details underneath. |
 |
| Heavy
outriggers and spreader plates included. |
 |
| Good detail
behind the cab. |
 |
| Loading the
winch assembly onto the carrier deck. |
 |
| Detailed boom
with a small hook run from the auxiliary winch. |
 |
| Working on
dismantling a tower crane. |
 |
| Raising the
sideways superlift. |
 |
| Convincing
profile. |
 |
| Geometry of the
fully extended boom is excellent with the SSL in use. |
 |
| On the road in
the lightest configuration. |
|
 Comment on this model.
The Terex AC 1000 Mobile Crane
entered service in 2013 following its initial
announcement at BAUMA 2010.
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.
This
version of the model is in the colours of
Steil Kranarbeiten, the German crane hire and haulage
company.
Packaging
The model comes in a Terex-branded box sleeve
which encloses a deep expanded polystyrene tray and a
lid. It has additional strapping compared to the first
version of the model, presumably to provide more secure
shipping.
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 yellow of the
wheels has a slightly transparent look compared to the
metal parts.
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. This
version of the model has windscreen wipers as added
detailing, but surprisingly it does not have a number
plate.
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, and simple
but heavy spreader plates are also included with the
model.
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.
Some of the plastic parts needed tidying of the
mouldings for smooth operation.
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
This is 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
and the Steil livery is interesting so the crane looks
very smart. The graphics are sharp.
Price
It is a good value large heavy crane.
Overall
This version of the Terex AC 1000 looks all the
more impressive because it has an attractive colour
scheme. Conrad has made some minor improvements to
the packaging and detailing for this version and it
remains an outstanding model.
Footnotes
It first appeared at dealers in September 2012 in Terex livery.
This version in Steil livery appeared in September 2013. |
|
|
|
 |
| Packed full of
parts. |
 |
| On the road. |
 |
| Full boom
configuration. |
 |
| Impressive. |
 |
| Detailed wheels
and cab. There are different hubs for driven
axles. |
 |
| Heavy slewing
ring. |
 |
| Loading the
ballast. |
 |
| Lifting a load. |
 |
| Outriggers
easily hold the crane off its wheels. Tilting cab. |
 |
| Sideways
superlift in action. |
 |
| The boom is fully extended and the sideways superlift arrangement
tensioned up. It is over 2m tall. |
 |
|
Heavy hook can be mounted on the main boom lift head. |
|
