Special problems in maintenance and operation are
caused by unusual conditions such as extremes in
heat, cold and humidity, high altitude, salt water, and
dusty or sandy work sites. When operating under such
conditions, special precautions must be taken to pre-
vent damage, minimize wear, and avoid component
deterioration.
EXTREME COLD In periods of extreme cold, the prob-
lems of freeze damage, adequate lubrication and bat-
tery failure may become particularly troublesome. With
the onset of very cold weather, it is advisable to “win-
terize” the crane by servicing the cooling system and
switching to the lubricants recommended for cold
weather usage. Follow the recommendations in this
manual when the crane must be operated in very cold
conditions.
1. To prevent freeze damage to the cooling system and
cracking of the engine block or head, drain and
flush the cooling system. Clean the radiator exteri-
or, making certain the air passages through the
core and the cooling fins are free of foreign matter.
Refill the cooling system, adding an anti-freeze solu-
tion recommended by the engine manufacturer in an
amount and strength appropriate to the anticipated
temperatures. A corrosion inhibitor is recommended.
Never use a chromate base corrosion inhibitor when
the coolant contains ethylene glycol. Use only non-
chromate base inhibitors. Chromate base inhibitors re-
acting with ethylene glycol can produce chromium hy-
droxide, commonly known as “green slime”. This
substance reduces the heat transfer rate and can
cause serious engine overheating.
Inspect the thermostat, clamps, radiator hoses and ra-
diator core for proper condition. Replace or
repair any cooling system component found to be de-
fective.
2. Condensation in the fuel tank contaminates the fuel
supply with water, which can freeze in the fuel lines
and block the fuel flow to the engine. To minimize
this possibility, keep the tank as full as is practical
during cold weather. This may entail refilling the
tank more frequently than usual, but the inconve-
nience is small compared to clearing a blocked fuel
line.
If water should be noticed in the fuel supply, drain the
tank and refill it with uncontaminated fuel.
3. Lubricate the crane with the lubricants recom-
mended for cold weather operation on the Lubrica-
tion Chart. If necessary, change the engine oil and
other lubricants in order to conform to the recom-
mendations.
4. The battery is more likely to sustain freeze damage
if not kept fully charged because its electrolyte will
freeze at a higher temperature than that in a fully
charged battery. Be certain the battery is charging
when the engine is running and use an external
charger to restore full charge when the crane is not
being operated.
The battery can discharge if snow or ice short circuits
the terminals. Keep the battery posts and cable con-
nectors clean and dry. Remove any corrosion with a
solution of soda and water.
During extremely cold weather, it is advisable to re-
move and store the battery in a heated area when the
crane is to remain idle overnight or for any extended
period.
AIR BRAKES At least once a day, drain the water
accumulation from the air tanks, and check the alcohol
evaporator fluid level. Fill with methyl alcohol only.
OPERATING PROCEDURES
UNUSUAL OPERATING CONDITIONS
Revised: October 20053 - 20RT700
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