Davis Motor Crane Service Upgrades Fleet With Big Terex Truck Purchase

Thu July 24, 2014
Aggregate Equipment Guide

Raymond and Robert Davis started Davis Motor Crane Service in Irving, Texas, more than 50 years ago with only two cranes and a passion to provide exceptional value and service to their customers. At the Terex outdoor gold lot booth during ConExpo-Con/Agg 2014 in Las Vegas, Raymond Davis placed an order for two-and-a-half times the company’s original fleet size, purchasing five new Terex T 340-1 hydraulic truck cranes.

“We are upgrading our fleet of 35-ton truck cranes,” said Keith McKee, general manager of Davis Crane. “Terex is the only manufacturer that still offers a truck crane in the 40-ton class at a price that is competitive.”

Beyond giving Davis Crane the opportunity to offer its customers a truck crane at an affordable hourly rental rate, the versatile Terex T 340-1 crane offers a combination of compact size and high lift capacities. With its short 35.5 ft. (10.8 m) length and boasting a narrow 8 ft. (2.4 m) driving width, the T 340-1 truck crane nimbly navigates the congested Dallas-Fort Worth market streets and northern Texas region, and it is capable of reaching up to 60 mph (96 kmh) highway speeds. The crane’s tight 34 ft. (10.4 m) turning radius allows the operator to efficiently maneuver into tight spaces at confined job sites.

This Terex truck crane also features up to a 94-ft. (28.7-m) telescopic boom length and maximum tip height of 147 ft. (44.8 m), allowing Davis Crane to use the T 340-1 on multistory building projects in downtown markets.

“It’s small enough to get into close quarters, yet the T 340-1 truck crane still gives us the capacity not offered by all terrain model cranes of the same class,” added McKee. “We can provide a 40-ton class truck crane without going to a boom truck. The construction industry still looks at a truck crane as superior to a boom truck, even if they are both rated at the same capacity.”

The five T 340-1 truck crane deal inked at ConExpo-Con/AGG represents the largest single Terex crane order of one model throughout the 40-year relationship between Terex, Davis Crane and Scott-Macon Equipment, an authorized Terex Crane distributor.

“Davis Crane has been a very loyal Terex customer over the years,” said Jim Strobush, regional business manager of Terex Cranes. “We recently delivered the first crane for this order, and we are on schedule to deliver the rest per the customer’s schedule.”

From its small beginning with two cranes and one location more than 50 years ago, Davis Crane has grown into one of the largest lifting companies operating in northern Texas. Today, the family-owned company has grown into five different crane service companies — Davis Motor Crane Service and Crocker Crane Service (Based in Irving, Texas), McIntire Equipment Company and Metroplex Rig Movers (Based in Fort Worth, Texas), and Scharff Crane Service (Based in Sherman, Texas) — with a fleet size of 140 cranes and 161 trucks.

“Terex and Scott-Macon Equipment have been a big part of the expansion of our crane fleet,” said McKee. “We have been really pleased with our relationship with Jim Strobush at Terex and Alan and Anita Woodruff, Robert Woodruff, and Mike Pentry of Scott-Macon Equipment. This successful relationship was forged by our longtime relationship with Danny Eastep [with Scott-Macon Equipment], who has been calling on us for over 40 years and offers a wealth of expertise in crane rental and sales.”

About the Terex

T 340-1 Hydraulic Truck Crane

Capable of reaching highway speeds of up to 60 mph (97 kmh), the Terex T 340-1 truck crane is designed for quick mobilization and precise handling, so the job is completed efficiently the first time. An air-ride suspension delivers a smooth ride over rough surfaces to increase operator comfort. Once at the job site, positioning and rigging is fast, and the engine and hydraulic systems deliver the power to efficiently get the job done, according to the manufacturer.

The truck crane’s design enhances efficiency and productivity at the job site. Its compact chassis configuration improves crane positioning in tight spaces, and it carries its full 11,000 lb. (4,990-kg) counterweight and jib without the need for a second truck or operator. Electro proportional joysticks require less effort to operate regardless of load weight, while two-speed winches shift on the fly, allowing operators to match hook speed with the needs of the job. Intuitive controls and computer arrangement allow new operators to quickly learn crane operation.

Delivering a maximum 40 ton (36.3 t) capacity when configured with an 11,000 lb. (4,990 kg) counterweight, the T 340-1 truck crane can be used for a wide range of lifting applications. The crane features a 94 ft. (28.7 m) main boom length and 147 ft. (44.8 m) maximum tip height when equipped with its extended jib. Counterweights of 2,000 and 7200 lb. (907 and 3,266 kg) also are available to meet job site specifications.

This story also appears on Crane Equipment Guide.