 |
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| The box.
A photo of the model is on the other side. |
 |
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| Manual. |
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| Fitted with
the 84m boom and Y-Guy. Not all wheels were
grounded on the review model. |
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| Excellent
chassis detail. |
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| Branded
tyres.
|
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| Fully
loaded on the road. |
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| Access
ladder is removable. |
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| Excellent
detailing. |
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| Pad down on
the spreader plate. |
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| Detail
behind the cab. |
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| Landing the
counterweight frame. |
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| A metal
load is included. The 92% and 100% boom locking
positions can be seen. |
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| Lifting a
tower crane section. |
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| Very
realistic profile. |
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| Overall
profile of the boom is very straight. |
|
 Comment on this model.
The Liebherr 1500-8.1 mobile crane has a maximum
capacity of 500 tonnes at 3m radius. It was launched at
the BAUMA Exhibition in 1998 and by 2013 over 400 had been sold
making it a very popular heavy mobile crane.
The crane can be configured with a 50m or 84m main boom
and a Y-Guy boom support arrangement.
Packaging
The model comes in a Liebherr-branded box design with
the model held within two expanded polystyrene trays.
There were
no defects or missing parts on the review model.
The model has a very good instruction manual.
It includes a parts list and clear photos showing the
assembly of the various configurations. The only
thing missing are reeving diagrams for the various hooks
supplied.
There is no information about the real crane and the
addition of a reprint of a brochure or technical
specifications would have been fitting.
Detail
The chassis is very highly detailed and it has fully
replicated transmission and suspension systems. Other
detailing is high quality such as small hoses and tanks.
The tyres are very good with a fine tread pattern, and
Michelin branding moulded
in the sidewalls. The wheels have different hubs for driven and non-driven axles.
The engineering of the axles and suspension is not
perfect however and the model was unable to ground all
wheels simultaneously although for most poses this is
not an issue.
The driving cab has a tiny loop for hitching a
hook line whilst travelling, the door steps are textured
and the door handles are highlighted. Door mirrors, windscreen wipers
and beacon lights complete the external detail with a
generic number plate also added. Interior detailing is
high quality with Liebherr printed
on the
seat backs and instrument stalks are tipped with colour.
Behind the driving cab the engine area is well detailed
in metal and plastic, and there is a fine mesh grille.
The chrome exhaust has realistic holes in the
pipes and black replica rubber skirts sit above each
group of wheels, with rubber mud flaps adjacent to the
outrigger boxes.
The outrigger pads have a working pinning
mechanism which allows the pads to be fixed in an offset
way so they are within the footprint of the crane when the
outrigger beams are retracted, and there are locking bars which keep the pads under the crane
neatly.
The pistons are smooth with the screw mechanism being
internal so they look realistic and tiny graphics add to
the authentic look. Large metal spreader plates with
useable lifting points are also included with the model.
At the rear of the carrier there is a textured tool box and the lights
and wheel chocks are finely detailed.
The crane cab has metal grab rails with window wipers,
and there are very finely detailed lights. Cables
run to the crane body and small graphics add detail to
the cab exterior. The interior detail is also to a
very high standard.
Underneath the crane body
the slewing ring and slewing motors are realistically
modelled. The crane body also
benefits from the high level of detailing with small
graphics and paint to add highlighting. The chrome exhaust
is also fine and there are many small casting details
which add to the authentic look.
The counterweight consists of a number of separate
elements and each one is capable of being displayed
being lifted as they have well-formed lifting points.
The Liebherr name is embossed within the casting on many
of the ballast plates.
The second and third winch assembly can be optionally
fitted and the luffing assembly is already reeved in the
factory. It is a detailed part including many
hydraulic hoses and a metal walkway.
The main boom rams
are very nice metal parts. Boom sections are
supplied to enable the model to be displayed in either a 50m or 84m
configuration. The boom is the best yet seen on a
mobile crane model. The sections appear to be aluminium as they are light and strong, and have thin
wall thicknesses and hence the boom profile is
excellent. Detailing on the lowest boom section
includes a rotating spooling drum and useable lifting
eyes, and the overall impression is very convincing
although collectors may prefer to add some thread to the
spooling drum.
The boom head is also very good with fine detailing and
silver metal pulleys which probably would have looked
better painted yellow. There are 12 pulleys at the
front of the boom head rather than the 13 seen in
Liebherr documentation.
The Y-Guy system for the telescopic boom is a
separate part. It is metal except for the
plastic hydraulic cylinder jackets and it is only here
that the slight imperfect colour match is a negative
point.
The guy rods are metal with the body and boom head connection pieces
being plastic.
Three metal hooks are supplied and they are excellent
quality with metal pulleys.
Features
Axles 1 to 4 and 7 and 8 can steer as per the
real crane. The range of movement is limited, and
the mechanisms are a little too loose meaning that some
axles cannot hold an angle if the model is pushed,
although this is not an issue posing the model in a
static display.
There is sprung
suspension on each axle which is stiff and not every
wheel grounds properly.
The outriggers can be extended and lowered, and feature
an excellent pad pinning
feature with fine wire clips. The range of travel
on the pistons is adequate if the spreader plates are
used, and the model can be supported wheels-free.
The operator's cab rotates from the transport position
can be tilted to a good angle. A tiny light assembly
can be rotated and a plastic ladder can be fitted when the crane is in transport mode.
The crane rotates smoothly without rocking.
The counterweight system can be fitted in various
configurations, including being mounted on the carrier
deck during self-assembly.
Raising the boom is easy with the locking
mechanism on the main boom rams using an allen key to
tighten grub screws on the jacket tops.
Either the 50m or 84m boom can be fitted to the model.
Telescoping the boom is smooth and easy with a spring
lock to clip each boom section. It is possible to
lock each section at either 46%, 92% or 100% extension
like the real crane which is an excellent feature.
The Y-Guy system can be displayed as a transport load.
When in place the system performs well with each side
tensioned by using the key in the slightly rough winches. A
high tension can be maintained and the boom tensions up
well.
The key is also used to operate the main winch.
It is a clunky mechanism though and a smooth
spring-activated lock would have been much nicer and
more appropriate. However it will hold a
reasonable load.
Different hook
blocks can be reeved. and they each have rotating hooks
and working safety latches.
Quality
This
is a very detailed model with a high metal content and
the overall quality of the model is very good with no
shipping defects on the review model.
The paintwork and graphics are very good.
Price
As with all large crane models it is not cheap, but it
is well worth the price.
Overall
The model of the LTM 1500-8.1 has been long-awaited
considering the real crane was launched in 1998.
However the good news is that it has been worth the wait
with WSI producing a very detailed model. The
engineering of the wheels and winch would benefit from a
little improvement, but on display this is certainly an
outstanding mobile crane model.
Footnotes
The model first appeared at the BAUMA Exhibition in
April 2013 and was generally available later. A
version in Mammoet colours was also produced at launch.
This model was awarded Model of the Year for 2013 in
the
Cranes Etc Review of the Year.
|
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|
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| The tray. |
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| Running light - configured with a 50m boom. |
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| Steering
angles are limited. |
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| Very good
boom details. |
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| Slewing
ring and motors are modelled. |
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| Outrigger
pads fully tucked in. |
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| Detailed
cab with rotating light assembly at the front. |
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| Three hook
blocks are supplied. |
|
|
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| Nice
transport loads are possible. |
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| Adding the
winch assembly. |
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| Ready to
lift. |
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| Massive
counterweight. |
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| Silver
metal pulleys. |
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|
Y-Guy opened up. |
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| Y-Guy
tensions up very well. Some boom sections locked
at 46% extension. |
 |
|
Additional winch assembly is very detailed. |
|
