Manitowoc 2250 Crawler Crane Transport

The Challenge

A crane rental company needed their Manitowoc 2250 crawler crane repositioned from a completed bridge rehabilitation project in St. Louis, Missouri to a high-rise construction site in Tampa, Florida. The Manitowoc 2250 is a 275-ton-capacity lattice boom crawler crane — among the largest lift machines used in North American infrastructure and industrial construction. In transport configuration, the carbody with both crawler assemblies attached weighed 128,000 lbs, well into superload territory requiring individual approval from each state's DOT before the move could begin.

The crane owner needed the machine in Tampa within a tight window: the foundation and matting work at the Tampa job site would be complete in six days, and a delay would idle a full rigging crew. The pickup location in St. Louis required a precise window between active construction activities on an adjacent roadway, limiting the loading operation to a narrow morning timeframe.

Our Solution

Equipment Assessment and Transport Configuration

We worked directly with the crane owner's rigging supervisor to determine the optimal transport configuration for the 2250. Crawler crane carbodies can be transported with crawlers attached (wider, heavier) or with crawlers removed and loaded separately (narrower, but adds an additional load). In this case, leaving both crawler assemblies attached to the carbody produced a 128,000 lb, 22-foot-wide transport unit. The combined width required an oversize width permit in all four states — in addition to the overweight superload designation for the 128,000 lb gross weight on the transport trailer.

We specified a 20-axle hydraulic platform trailer for the job. The hydraulic suspension system allows precise weight distribution across the axle groups, keeping individual axle loads within state bridge formula limits even at 128,000 lbs total. Axle weight distribution was calculated before the move to ensure compliance with Missouri, Tennessee, Georgia, and Florida bridge formula requirements.

Superload Permit Coordination

Superload permits — issued for loads exceeding a state's special permit weight thresholds — require more lead time and scrutiny than standard oversize permits. Each state's DOT reviews the proposed route, trailer configuration, axle weights, and bridge clearances before issuing approval. We coordinated with four state DOT offices simultaneously:

• Missouri DOT: Superload approval for I-55 southbound from St. Louis through the Mississippi River crossing and I-57 through the bootheel region
• Tennessee DOT: Route through Memphis via I-55 to I-240, then I-22 east to Birmingham — TDOT required an axle weight certification and bridge analysis for the Nonconnah Creek structures
• Georgia DOT: I-20 eastbound through Birmingham to Atlanta, then I-75 south — GDOT specified a nighttime travel window through the Atlanta metro to minimize traffic impact
• Florida DOT: I-75 south to the Tampa Bay area — FDOT required certified escort vehicles from the state line to the delivery site

Total permit processing time was four business days. We submitted all applications simultaneously and maintained daily contact with each state's oversize permit office to expedite approval. Our experience with superload permitting across the Southeast allowed us to anticipate each state's specific documentation requirements upfront, avoiding the back-and-forth that can add days to the permit timeline.

Route Planning and Bridge Analysis

At 128,000 lbs on a 20-axle trailer, axle weights fell within acceptable limits for most interstate bridges, but several structures along the route required individual analysis. Our routing team identified five structures in Tennessee and Georgia that warranted closer review based on their posted ratings. We coordinated with the respective state DOTs, and all five structures were confirmed adequate for the planned axle distribution. The Atlanta metro segment was routed on I-285 northbound around the city rather than through the Connector to avoid the additional bridge structures and narrow lane widths of the downtown corridor.

Pilot Car Coordination and Travel Window

The move required two certified pilot cars — one front and one rear — throughout the entire route. The front pilot car carried high-pole equipment to verify overhead clearance at bridges and overpasses, and both escorts were in radio contact with the driver at all times. Florida DOT required state-certified escorts with specific vehicle markings from the Florida border through Hillsborough County.

Travel windows varied by state. Missouri and Tennessee permitted daytime travel. Georgia's superload permit restricted travel through the Atlanta metro area to the hours of 9:00 PM to 5:00 AM to minimize interference with peak traffic. The driver staged at a pre-arranged truck stop on I-285 southwest of Atlanta to rest during prohibited hours before completing the night window transit.

Loading Operation

Loading at the St. Louis job site required careful coordination with the site's crane disassembly crew. The 20-axle trailer was positioned the evening before to allow the rigging crew to prepare the carbody. At first light, the crane's boom was lowered and the boom sections were separated for transport on a companion flatbed. The carbody with crawlers was then picked by a mobile crane and lowered onto the prepared trailer deck. Blocking was positioned under the carbody frame — not the crawler frames — and the unit was secured with rated chain sets at all four corners plus additional cross-tie restraints per federal securement regulations. The entire loading operation took approximately four hours.

Results

• Delivery: On time — crane arrived at the Tampa site on Day 5, within the client's required window
• Compliance: All four states' superload and oversize permit conditions met without citation
• Safety: Zero incidents, no equipment damage, no permit violations
• Client outcome: Rigging crew was able to begin crane assembly immediately upon delivery, keeping the project schedule intact

Key Takeaways

This project illustrates several capabilities that separate experienced heavy haul operators from general freight carriers:

• Superload expertise: Knowing each state's superload threshold, documentation requirements, and processing timeline from the start eliminates delays that cost operators money
• Axle weight engineering: Specifying the right trailer and calculating axle distribution before permit submission — not after — keeps the move on schedule
• Night window navigation: Managing travel windows, mandatory rest stops, and handoff coordination between states is a logistical skill developed through experience, not theory
• Crane industry knowledge: Understanding how crawler crane transport configurations affect weight and width allows us to optimize the move before the first permit application is filed

R&RM LLC has been moving large, complex loads since 2011. If your crane or heavy lift equipment needs to move — whether across one state or across the country — our team coordinates every detail from loading to delivery.