Adelaide-based Craneworx has taken delivery of a new Isuzu FYJ 300-350 eight-wheel rigid fitted with a custom-built tilt tray and truck-mounted crane.
The crane hire and rigging business operates seven mobile cranes – from a seven-tonne Kobelco City Crane through to a MAC 25-4 Superlift Franna.
“Anything that needs lifting or shifting, we’re there,” said company owner, Joe Lockwood.
“We work across various industries, with a lot of infrastructure work, but we can lift and transport just about anything from ATCO huts to heavy machinery or house frames.”
Lockwood worked in the transport and crane industry for over 16 years before he started Craneworx in 2003 with a 12-tonne Franna crane and single truck.
Since then, Lockwood and his son Daniel, who joined the team in 2008, have hit on the right mix of customer-focused service and fit-for-purpose equipment.
This is typified by the latest acquisition: an Isuzu FYJ 300-350 8×4 rigid, featuring Meritor twin steer axles and a tilt tray.
“The FYJ has an eight-metre tray which is just right for carrying our two-and-a-half tonne Hyva loader crane,” explained Lockwood.
“Before purchasing this truck, we were sending out much larger trucks in conjunction with a mobile crane for simple jobs, which wasn’t the most efficient solution.”
Lockwood said that compared to other brands, Isuzu’s service and warranty offering is a lot more compelling.
“North East Isuzu has also been very good to deal with – they designed the tray and the layout, got the crane fitted and got it all certified, their service is excellent.
“They made it so easy, I just went there and picked it up.”
Lockwood’s favourite convenience and safety feature of his new truck is the remote-control for the crane.
“The remote control allows the crane to be operated from a distance which saves us time and is a lot safer as we don’t have to go near the truck while unloading.”
The FYJ is rated with a 30,000kg Gross Vehicle Mass and 45,000kg Gross Combination Mass. It comes with Isuzu load-sharing front suspension, a system that allows customers an additional one tonne on the front axle group because the weight is distributed evenly across both steer axles.
This combined with the low tare mass of the Isuzu chassis endows the truck with a premium payload capacity for heavier transport and crane operations.
“Even with the crane onboard, we can still carry 11.5 tonnes, which is great for the type of jobs we do,” said Lockwood.
Equipped with Isuzu’s 6UZ1-TCN engine, the FYJ has enough heft to back up capacity with a power rating of 345hp achieved at 2,000rpm and generous torque of 1,422Nm available at 1,400rpm.