Always thought bigger outrigger pads were a waste of money until Tuesday

I was setting up on that soft ground near the river in Chattanooga and the 24x24 pads I've always used started sinking. Swapped to some 4x4 footers a buddy lent me and the crane felt rock solid the whole lift. Anyone else had a setup turn sketchy and fixed it with bigger gear?

2 comments

2 Comments

hugo_coleman281mo ago

My buddy runs a 30 ton all the time on 18x18 pads and he's never had an issue even in that same Chattanooga river bottom. I mean maybe it was the specific spot you were on or how you had them cribbed up. I set up on soft ground pretty regular and I just backfill under the pads with some broken up deck boards or plywood if I feel it starting to give. Bigger pads are nice but idk it seems like a lot of extra weight to haul around when you can usually fix it with a little prep work.

elizabeththomas1mo agoMost Upvoted

I've been on that Chattanooga river bottom myself more times than I care to count, and I've seen too many close calls with 18x18 pads under a 30 ton to feel comfortable with it. One job back in 2019, a buddy of mine tried the same trick with broken up deck boards under his pads and the whole thing shifted about 4 inches when he lifted a load. He had to bring in a second crane to fix it. Bigger pads are heavier to haul, sure, but I'd rather spend the extra time loading and unloading than explain to a homeowner why their porch collapsed.