Supplied by dealer Norfolk Truck and Van, the Enfield-based operator’s new addition was designed with the help of engineers at Renault’s Warwick HQ. The crane truck had to be able to deliver 60ft long conductor rails weighing 1.4 tonnes, placing its load precisely in tight locations.
The result is a Range C520 8x2 heavy haulage truck with Fassi 820 82 tonne-metre crane at 25m. A suitable tractor didn’t exist, so engineers used a rigid 8x4 base vehicle, changing the rear overhang and adding a Jost fifth wheel as well as reconfiguring the tandem rear axle to a rear steer.
Two 9-tonne front axles were added to accommodate the Fassi crane and the engine was upgraded to a 13-litre, 513bhp model. The truck can operate at up to 65 tonnes under STGO conditions.
Rear support legs were positioned carefully to ensure no problem with shorter neck trailers. Evenheight also wanted a front-mounted support leg to give 360-degree lifting capability. “It took a while to get the correct mounting bracket,” says Jim Wellington of Evenheight, “but it’s perfect for the job and gives us 90% lift capacity over the front.”
Wellington says of Renault’s engineering team: “Every time we asked a question, they went off, did the groundwork and came back with the answer. We can’t fault them. They wanted it to succeed as much as we did.
“It’s a fantastic job and to say that we’re chuffed to bits is an understatement.”