Liebherr LR 1800-1.0 X3: crawler crane for 175 m hub heights

Contents

Wider lattice sections for greater lateral stiffness
First deployment at the Heiden wind farm
A larger share of the big-turbine market

Crane logistics company Gertzen Kranlogistik has retrofitted its Liebherr LR 1800-1.0 crawler crane with the X3 boom system. The upgrade allows the 800-tonne crane to erect wind turbines with hub heights of up to 175 metres. The retrofitted crane completed its first job installing ENERCON E-160 EP5 turbines at the Heiden wind farm.

According to Liebherr’s announcement of 13 October 2026, Gertzen Kranlogistik GmbH & Co. KG has equipped the LR 1800-1.0 crawler crane in its fleet with the X3 boom system, significantly broadening its service range in wind energy. By making it possible to install modern turbines at hub heights of up to 175 metres, the X3 system opens up new fields of application for the 800-tonne crane.

Wider lattice sections for greater lateral stiffness

The system is built around three lattice sections in the lower part of the main boom, each 12 metres long and 6 metres wide. The extra width markedly increases the lateral stiffness of the boom, which pays off above all with long boom configurations and high lifting heights.

Each wide section consists of two halves that are bolted together at the centre and can be separated again quickly. For transport, the halves are offset slightly along their length and nested into each other, giving a practical transport width of 3.5 metres.

Managing Director Wolfgang Gertzen explained that long-standing customer ENERCON has added several tower variants to its range and therefore needs more crawler cranes in the 1,000-tonne class. With the X3 boom, he said, the LR 1800-1.0 can now erect current and future turbine types that previously required an LR 11000.

Liebherr LR 1800-1.0 crawler crane with X3 boom system — Gertzen’s Liebherr LR 1800-1.0 crawler crane fitted with the X3 boom system. *Image: Liebherr*

First deployment at the Heiden wind farm

The upgraded crane’s maiden job was at the Heiden wind farm, where Gertzen installed ENERCON E-160 EP5 turbines with a tower height of 166 metres – a turbine type that had until then been erected with a Liebherr LR 11000.

For the generator lift, the LR 1800-1.0 was rigged with a 166-metre main boom and a 12-metre fixed jib F; for the rotor blades, the fixed jib was extended to 24 metres. The generator, at a net 131 tonnes, was the heaviest single component, while the nacelle weighed 82 tonnes.

The retrofit strengthens Gertzen’s position in the growing segment for large wind turbines: with X3, the LR 1800-1.0 can take on lifts that used to be reserved for bigger cranes. Wolfgang Gertzen said the company is very satisfied with the crane, describing the update as a substantial gain in capability that has greatly expanded its service portfolio and enables it to erect turbines that would not have been possible without the X3 kit.

For Liebherr, the X3 boom system extends the LR 1800-1.0’s application range to match the needs of modern wind projects, combining performance, an efficient transport concept and flexible configuration for operators erecting ever-taller turbines.

Sources

Liebherr press release: “Boosting performance for wind power expansion: Gertzen retrofits the LR 1800-1.0 with the X3 system”, 13.10.2026 – liebherr.com
Images: Liebherr

#crawler crane #enercon #Gertzen Kranlogistik #liebherr #LR 1800-1.0

Author

Mesut Kul

Mesut Kul, enerji ve B2B yayıncılık alanında çalışan bir yayıncı ve medya yöneticisidir. Rüzgar Enerjisi Dergisi’nde Publisher & General Manager olarak Türkiye ve dünyadaki rüzgâr enerjisi gelişmelerini; yenilenebilir enerji yatırımları, rüzgâr türbini teknolojileri, RES projeleri, denizüstü rüzgâr enerjisi ve sektör politikaları odağında takip etmektedir. Enerji fuarları, uluslararası medya iş birlikleri ve sektörel yayın projelerinde aktif olarak görev almaktadır.

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