Nebraska Crane Takes Off with Grove GRT9165 Rough Terrain

As construction jobs require heavier picks within spaces that get more constrained every day, Nebraska Crane was on the lookout for a strong, high-capacity crane, but compact enough to easily maneuver in all kinds of job sites. A big fan of Grove cranes — 95 percent of its rough-terrain fleet is Grove — the Kearney, Neb.-based rental company decided to purchase Grove’s longest-reaching, highest-capacity rough-terrain crane: the GRT9165.

The crane has been working non-stop since its arrival at Nebraska Crane’s facility in December of last year, performing maintenance work on wind turbines in Iowa and, most recently, assisting with the construction of a large parking garage in Nebraska, where it is currently setting precast concrete panels.

“We are very pleased with the performance of our new GRT9165,” said Ty Noyes, operations manager, Nebraska Crane. “Being a Grove product, it’s exactly what we expected: it’s superior to competitor’s machines. We expect excellence and they deliver it every time. “Its strong charts and boom length provide fantastic capabilities in the field. This job at the parking garage, for example, would traditionally be done with a small crawler crane. But we were able to do it with the GRT9165 at a lower cost while adding more flexibility to the job site, as we can move this compact rough-terrain crane around where we need it.”

With a 165 US ton-capacity, the GRT9165 features class leading load charts and a 205 foot six-section, pinned boom. It has been designed for easy transport, with a compact overall height of 12.4 feet. It also has a hydraulically removable counterweight system and outrigger boxes, both of which are fully self-rigging, which eliminates the need for an assist crane during set-up. The new three-axle carrier with hydro-gas suspension on the rear axles provides the ability to adjust the height for transportation, in addition to providing a comfortable ride.

The GRT9165 also features Grove’s new, wider, full-vision cab with Crane Control System for maximum operator comfort and intuitive and efficient operation. 

“Operator comfort is an important factor for us. We really like the new cab design and how simple the crane is to run,” Noyes said.

Nebraska Crane’s rough-terrain rental fleet is deployed on job sites across the Midwest, and lately it has been largely used in the wind energy sector and commercial construction. As these cranes are often on the road, transportability and low cost of ownership — repair and parts availability — were crucial factors when purchasing the new machine.

“For the GRT9165, we looked at the strength of the charts and boom length, and we also had in mind that Grove’s network of dealers does a lot for us out in the field — we rely heavily on them,” Noyes said. “At the end of the day, customers want the most capability that they can get at the lowest cost.”

The Bloomington, Min., dealer Aspen Equipment helped its long-time customer Nebraska Crane purchase its newest Grove model.