crane operator
Senior Member
They were looking for a 150 ton I think?
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Just some work pics
- Thread starter crane operator
- Start date
Looks like a pretty clean 40ton. What year? I ended up buying a tms540. I haven't had a chance to use it much yet but I can see the electronic over hydraulic will take some getting used to. The cable hoist seems real sensitive on a single line. When I test drove it they had the block with 4 parts so it wasn't as noticeable. Do the 500e have electronic over hydraulic controls?
crane operator
Senior Member
If you bought one of the late 90's early 2000's grove tms 540's, the joysticks are not electric. They will be pilot hydraulics. I've found the grove pilot hydraulics to be pretty smooth, but the winches tend to be not as smooth starting and stopping. Getting the hydraulic relief settings correct can make a difference.
See if yours has a switch on the arm rest labeled "boom boost". If it does, turn it off. That will sometimes help smooth out the winch.
My new to me tms500e was sold as a 2004, but I suspect its actually a 2003. Most of the 2004's were cummins and eaton automated manuals, mine is still a cat with the allison. Grove switched the engine and transmission combo right in that time frame.
See if yours has a switch on the arm rest labeled "boom boost". If it does, turn it off. That will sometimes help smooth out the winch.
My new to me tms500e was sold as a 2004, but I suspect its actually a 2003. Most of the 2004's were cummins and eaton automated manuals, mine is still a cat with the allison. Grove switched the engine and transmission combo right in that time frame.
crane operator
Senior Member
The big plus of pilot hydraulics- they give a resistance to the function of the lever. You can "feel" the valve opening and closing. The newest design is "electric" over hydraulic. In those, the lever activates a hall effect or similar controller, sending a signal to a ecm that will send another signal to a electric actuated hydraulic valve.
Pilot hydraulics give much more feel, but today, its cheaper for the manufacturers to run wires than run pilot hydraulic controls.
So now everyone has gone to electric controls. I don't think they are better. Except- liebherr electric controls and valves are top notch. But they don't use cheapy hydraulic valves like the current boom truck series. My liebherr is smooth and precise. But the newer boom trucks were built to a different price point.
Pilot hydraulics give much more feel, but today, its cheaper for the manufacturers to run wires than run pilot hydraulic controls.
So now everyone has gone to electric controls. I don't think they are better. Except- liebherr electric controls and valves are top notch. But they don't use cheapy hydraulic valves like the current boom truck series. My liebherr is smooth and precise. But the newer boom trucks were built to a different price point.
skyking1
Senior Member
If you can get a revolution indicator in front of you that helps tremendously with lack of feedback. That is another gaping hole in conventional boom trucks.
crane operator
Senior Member
New greer rotation indicator are $2,300 last I priced one. They are still the best solution.
All my pilot hydraulic rigs use a small "thumper" in the joystick, that pips up and down when the winch is turning. They tend to be not very durable.
All my pilot hydraulic rigs use a small "thumper" in the joystick, that pips up and down when the winch is turning. They tend to be not very durable.
skyking1
Senior Member
If it were my National 1100 series I would put a rubber contact wheel against the drum edge, and a drive band off that to a shaft under the boom where I could see it from both stations. KISS.
Hmm, I had another guy with a tms540 I was talking to before I bought mine and he mentioned that they were electronic over hydraulic. Now I'm curious ill have to do some reading in the service manual to see what they are. Mine was sold as a 99 but had a lower serial number than one i saw posted as a 98. It has thumpers in the joystick, it just seems pretty sensitive. Like I said I haven't really even run it yet, I ran it a little before i bought it and I've set it up on a jobsite but it's been too rainy or windy and I just haven't got to use it yet. I didn't notice any speed toggles, I know on the left joysticks it has the swing lock and a toggle to disable the aux. winch, but I don't recall anything on the righthand side.
crane operator
Senior Member
I thought all the groves of that era were pilot hydraulics. Look in the armrests and winding around the seat, and see if there's a whole nest of hydraulic hoses running through there.
My old P and H has a mechanical drive set up also, but its a little different.
I've run a crane that had a drive wheel on the drum running a cable, like a old mechanical tach cable drive, to a wheel in the cab. I can't remember what it was on.
My old P and H has a mechanical drive set up also, but its a little different.
crane operator
Senior Member
Sorry, I don't think I was clear- both my 500e's are pilot hydraulics. The only thing I have that is electric over hydraulic is our liebherr.
Well I finally got a chance to play with my new crane a little bit. Took a look under the arm rest and found nothing but wires. It can be pretty sensitive but after running it a bit you get used to it. I wonder though if enough people didn't like them that they went back to pilot hydraulics in the tms500e.