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| Liebherr-branded box
with the transport mode shown. |
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| Mercedes-Benz
Actros cab is good.
|
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| Metal chassis. |
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| Hiab at work.
|
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| Rear dolly.
|
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| On the road. |
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| Inspecting the
parts. |
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| Capacity board. |
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| There are four
more counterweight slabs compared to the real crane to
give the model stability. |
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| Distinctive
cab. |
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 Comment on this model.
The Liebherr 81K has a maximum lifting capacity of 6
tonnes and a maximum radius of 45m. It can lift
1.4 tonnes at maximum radius. It can operate at
various tower heights and can also climb using
additional tower sections.
This model also includes two dollies and a Mercedes-Benz
truck so the model can be fully configured in a
transport mode. The 81K was available on its own
as model #870.
Packaging
This version of the model surprisingly comes in a
different and smaller sized box
with the 81K folded for transport. The packaging is a good quality
outer sleeve with a photo and inside there is a two piece polystyrene tray containing
the parts, some of which are carefully wrapped.
There were no defects or missing parts on the review
model.
A good quality instruction sheet is provided for the
crane which is in
English and German but there is nothing about the
transport set. There is no information about
the real crane which is a disappointment.
Detail
The base of the 81K has metal outriggers with simple screw thread
pads. On top of the base is a toothed slewing
ring.
The cabinets are metal and nicely decorated, and the two
winch drives are good too. A couple of small
graphics add detail.
The counterweight slabs are metal and the casting is
good with the Liebherr name embossed, lifting points are
modelled in the top and step irons are included.
Not all the pieces are separate however and an extra
block of four is supplied which is more than the real
crane has. It is a modelling compromise
brought about by the need to counteract the heavy jib
and give the model some stability.
The mast sections are a good metal casting
although there are no ladders, and the rope-operated
mast raising system is modelled with small pulleys.
There is a capacity board at the bottom which has very
sharp graphics. At the top is the distinctive cab.
The sides are plastic and there is a seat inside.
The complex jib consists of three separate sections
which are metal and are fabricated as a two castings -
the top sides and the bottom. The geometry and
profile of the erected jib is very good. The
trolley and erection motors are modelled and plastic Liebherr sign
boards clip on, although care is needed not to obstruct
the trolley movement.
The suspension cables and
rods are high quality and a
very good job has been done to match lengths to obtain equalised tension. Both the trolley and hook are
metal and they are nice items. A small piece of
chain is included which adds detail and weight. It
is needed as the thread used for the hoist rope is not
the right flexibility to be free-flowing unless there is
some decent tension.
The Mercedes-Benz Actros is an 8x4 chassis which is
modelled in metal, and the wheel hubs are metal too.
The cab is detailed with aerials, beacon lights and air
horns on the roof and textured two-tone mirrors on the
doors. There is a dummy generic number plate, the
lights have lenses and there is a protection plate under the
engine.
The body is metal with simple graphics. The drop
sides are detailed but non-functional. At the rear
the loader crane is marked as a Hiab XS and it is
modelled in metal with the exception of a couple of
sections of boom which are plastic. The hook is
metal.
The rear lights have nice lenses.
The two transport dollies are made to NZG's usual
standards. The wheels are metal with nice tyres
and are mounted on non-functioning suspension. A
fine detail are the lights on thin stalks. The
rear dolly has a number plate.
Features
The outriggers fold out but cannot be locked in
position so they move easily and have to be watched as
the crane overbalances if they are not set right. The
pads screw down.
The crane rotates but it is stiff.
Increasing the height of the mast using the winch is
implemented and it works well enough although the
rigging of the jib means only one height can be set so
it is not as flexible as the real crane.
The trolley can be positioned anywhere along the jib by
hand although it was 'sticky' on the review model at the
first articulation point.
The hook can be raised and lowered and works
reasonably well as long as there is some load on.
The crane can be erected and it is a large size -
60 cm
high overall and nearly 100 cm end-to-end. It can be
folded up with care although it is not stable on the
base fully folded and needs a support at the end to keep
it level. A supplied tie needs to be used to keep
the folded arts in position and this is not a
realistic-looking solution.
The two transport dollies can be attached to the crane.
The rear one screws on and the front is a hook-over
attachment. The front dolly steers to a good angle
and the tow bar raises and lowers , and extends.
The Actros truck rolls well and has linked steering on
the front two axles which turns to a shallow but
worthwhile angle.
The outrigger beams on the Hiab extend a little and are
too loose rather than rigid in their holders. The
simple pads can screw down revealing a screw thread.
The Hiab unfolds and rotates, with the four-stage
telescopic boom opening smoothly and able to hold most
poses. The metal hook is nice as it rotates and
has movement in two dimensions.
Quality
The 81K is largely a metal model with some nicely
engineered parts, and it stands straight and true.
The metal content on the transport elements is also
high.
The paint and graphics are very good.
Price
It is good value.
Overall
The 81K is an interesting and complex crane and this is a
reasonable effort by NZG to model it. Compromises
have had to be made to model it in this scale and so
some of the functionality and flexibility of the real
crane is missing, and the model is close to the limit of
stability when standing. It certainly looks good and is
impressive. The additional transport elements are
good and enhance the overall model providing additional
posing flexibility. The set is highly recommended.
Footnotes
The model first appeared at the Nuremberg Toy Fair in 2013
as model 870.
This version first appeared at the BAUMA Show in
2013. In NZG's 2014 catalogue the dollies were
available separately as model 8702. The Actros
truck was available as model 920/02.
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|
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| The 81K with
the transport elements. |
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| The truck. |
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| Decent steering
angle.
|
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| Hiab folded up. |
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| Front dolly. |
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| Impressive
combination. |
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| Underneath the
dollies. |
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| Attaches well
to the dollies. |
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| Nice modelling
of the mast. |
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| Geometry is
good although the thread could be better. |
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