Liebherr MK 88 - Manual (Page 2)

With the MK 80 a hydraulic cylinder plays a key role in the erection process.
Result: The procedure takes longer, the undercarriage engine has to run during
setup. 
In Aktion
Kranmagazin KM Nr. 83 | 2012
MK 80 vs. MK 88:
Manual versus Automatic
Intermat 2000: With the MK 80, Liebherr presented the first MK product developed on an AT chassis. Nine years
later, also at the Paris trade fair, the company presented a completely newly developed successor – the MK 88. The
KM editorial team wanted to know what distinguishes the two 4-axle cranes.
 TextandPhotos:ManuelaBuschmeyer
“MK 80 vs. MK 88” – this
was the mission that brought
KRANMAGAZIN to Kappel-
Grafenhausen in the state of
Baden-Württemberg in Ger-
many, where MSG Krandienst
GmbH has a branch office.
“We obtained our first MK
about four years ago” explains
Björn Jatz from MSG. “We
started out with an MK 63,
which we were able to hire
out very well right from the
outset. But we soon discov-
ered that this crane was too
small for our requirements.”
Therefore, in May 2010
the company put its first
MK 88 into service, followed
by a second one in Novem-
ber 2011. In October 2010,
MSG Krandienst GmbH also
invested in a second-hand
MK 80. The crane, which was
manufactured in 2002, was
only intended to remain in
the MSG fleet temporarily
but, like the two new MK 88s,
it was extremely popular with
MSG’s customers, and so, the
company still hires it
out.
This gave KM
the opportunity to
see the two mobile
construction cranes in opera-
tion and make a direct com-
parison. Support came from
MSG’s crane drivers Felix
Bildstein and Martin Hart-
mann. The latter has worked
as a crane driver with MSG
since January 2010 and is an
experienced MK 88 user. In
October 2011, Felix Bildstein
moved from the heavy trans-
port section to mobile tower
cranes and initially began
operating the MK 80 before
changing over to the MK 88.
The MK 80 only has a 30° jib
luffed jib position angle.
Two convinced MK drivers:
Martin Hartmann (left) and
Felix Bildstein.