OZ Lifting launches davit crane wheel base

Winona, Minnesota-based OZ Lifting Products LLC has launched a wheel base that can be used with its full range of davit cranes up to 1200lb capacity.

The USA-made wheel base is adjustable and has four different length positions: it measures from 56.57in to 77.57in long; 32.44in wide; and 36.87in high. It weighs 140lb when fully assembled, without a crane’s pedestal base, so total weight will depend on the davit being used. Wheel bases will be shipped on a pallet and require assembly at the point of use.

Offering durable steel constriction with powder-coat finish, oversized casters make rolling the base and moving the crane easy. The wheel base features a patented floor anchoring system, which allows the davit to rotate 360 degrees, even when under load. The manufacturer will part-number and sell the wheel bases with the pedestal base to match the davit crane the user wants. This will make the process straightforward for the customer.

Richard Miller, sales manager at OZ Lifting, says, “Demand for such a solution has steadily increased over the last few years. Our customers try to leverage the benefits of our lightweight davit cranes with the ability to use them in different ways and locations. The [wheel] base allows them to move the crane to various points within a facility; the applications are limitless. The main benefit is that users do not have to permanently mount a base at the pick location.”

The base will be compatible with the majority of the company’s cranes, including the 500lb and 1200lb capacity versions of the Tele-Pro, which allows users to leverage the benefits of other lifting technologies in its range, while telescoping the boom in and out under load. (This line also features a 2500lb model, not suitable for use with the wheel base.)

It will also be widely used with the Alumi-Lite series of ultra-portable davit cranes, an aluminium series targeted specifically at applications where portability is beneficial; the XR Series; and the steel davit crane. In each of these cases, 500lb and 1000lb models are available. The CompOZite and CompOZite Elite carbon fibre models, meanwhile, are both offered in 1200lb capacities.

OZ Lifting will ship the wheel base with a detailed operator’s manual, which highlights the ‘dos and don’ts’ when using it. For example, the user must have the legs adjusted to the appropriate length, depending on the crane, so that the end of the boom is in line with the front wheels. The davit crane must also be locked in place using a special locking collar, so the boom doesn’t go outside the width of the legs, causing it to tip over.

Miller says, “Only when the wheel base is anchored using our patented system, can they rotate the davit crane when under load.”

Having previewed the wheel base at the recent Water Environment Federation’s Technical Exhibition & Conference (WEFTEC) in Chicago, OZ Lifting will show it at the AHR Expo which takes place January 22-24, 2024, also at McCormick Place. The wheel base will be showcased alongside the full range of davits at an expo that attracts a delegation of heating, ventilation, air-conditioning, and refrigeration (HVACR) professionals.

OZ Lifting is preparing for a 1 January 2024 launch, with the product likely to be drop-shipped to the end customer.

“We are always looking at adding new and innovative products to market,” adds Miller. “You will see more in 2024 – stay tuned.”