Designed for Euro-style, high-roof cargo vans, the articulating van crane from Venco Venturo has a maximum capacity of about 1,000 pounds. The crane has a 5-foot-6-inch mast height, extended boom reach of 6 feet and retracted boom length of 4 feet 6 inches. Weighing about 220 pounds, the crane has a 10- by 10-inch base plate and 13- by 14.3-inch top bracket.
Prototyped for the Ford Transit 250 Mid-Roof, the crane features a horizontally articulated jib boom to reach deep inside the van for safe material handling without the need for a forklift or liftgate.
“Any time you want to load something up and move it off, the crane can be easily used,” says Ian Lahmer, marketing director for Venco Venturo Industries. “Generators, compressors — any equipment you need to transfer from site to site. Obviously, you’re not going to be loading up a lot of larger equipment in these vans, but anything you can load quickly and move quickly.”
Unveiled at the 2016 Work Truck Show in Indianapolis, standard crane features include a 12-volt DC planetary gear, 1.3 hp winch with 25 feet of 3/16-inch wire rope and 25.5 fpm load speed. Other features include a 12-foot corded controller and master disconnect switch kit. A manual crank-down jackleg installs into the vehicle’s Class 3 receiver hitch.
“It gives the individual operator the power and accessibility to move the load at their own speed,” Lahmer says. “You’re not at the mercy of needing other equipment that you don’t have access to.”
The crane has a dual floor- and ceiling-mounted mast that integrates with the van for maximum structural integrity.
“Instead of putting a smaller crane into a hitch and lifting about 400 pounds, now you’re using the entire van body to lift up to about 1,000 pounds,” Lahmer says. “The roller bearings used in the knuckle and the top and bottom mount allow very easy movement under the heaviest of loads. You’re not struggling to push the load in or out.”
Available for installation through Venturo’s network of distributors, the crane requires little maintenance.
The boom has a rotational lock that enables the operator to secure the crane in various positions and provides an additional safeguard as cargo is being loaded and unloaded.
“It acts as a handle to rotate the boom and also as a lever,” Lahmer says. “When you pull it down, it unlocks the pin at the base of the crane and allows you to rotate without having to switch hands.” 800/226-2238; www.venturo.com.
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