Link-Belt 85|RT proves a big crane in a little package for Kelly Group

Decades with Link-Belt

The Kelly Group, based in Decatur, Illinois, supplies cranes to several major manufacturing plants clustered around the city’s industrial hub, handling steel loading and offloading alongside general lift work. Crane superintendent Ron McCoy has spent 41 years with the company and says Link-Belt machines have been part of the fleet for as long as he can remember.

“I love Link-Belt cranes. Link-Belt machines have always treated us good.”

— Ron McCoy, crane superintendent, Kelly Group

One of the newer arrivals is an 85|RT, Link-Belt’s 85-ton rough terrain crane, on rent with Kelly since 2023. Operator Samuel McCoy has personally logged more than 1,500 hours on the machine in that time and calls it his favourite hydraulic crane in the fleet.

Heavy loads, one truckload

The 85|RT earns its keep by combining high capacity with easy transport. Kelly regularly uses it to lift heavy-duty truck components weighing up to 80,000 lb (some 36 tonnes), yet the crane itself moves between sites in a single load.

“The 85|RT can pick a lot of weight, and we can haul it in one load. We can take it anywhere we want without tearing it apart. For this reason, we use the 85|RT to complete single-day jobs, saving time and money.”

— Ron McCoy, crane superintendent, Kelly Group

Confined job sites dominate the Decatur area, and the crane’s compact footprint and pick-and-carry ability keep it busy moving beams and loading trucks day in, day out. The standard camera package gives the operator clear views when reversing and travelling across site.

Up-and-over work at grain facilities

Reach generates repeat business too. Kelly is regularly called in to replace chain-drive motors and gearbox components at local grain facilities, jobs Ron McCoy says suit the 85|RT perfectly thanks to its SmartFly attachment, which installs easily and delivers strong capacities for up-and-over picks.

His verdict on the American-designed and built machine is simple: “I like to tell everyone, ‘The 85|RT is a big crane in a little package.'” He adds that parts and service back-up seals the deal: “Whenever we need anything, it gets dealt with fast. Every time.”