PSA: Check your outrigger pads at the Port of Savannah yard

I was picking up a load down at the Port of Savannah yesterday and noticed a couple guys running outriggers on those crushed asphalt lots without any cribbing underneath. Ground looked solid but I saw one pad sink a good 3 inches before they caught it. That's a tip-over waiting to happen on a hot afternoon. Has anyone else run into soft ground issues at that specific yard?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_rose1mo ago

Did you see any actual signs of soft ground before they set up? I've been through that yard a dozen times and the asphalt lots look fine until you put real weight on them. A few inches of settling might not tip the crane but it can sure mess with your leveling and throw off the whole lift. Those pads are supposed to spread the load but if the ground gives unevenly you are asking for trouble. I always carry extra cribbing in my truck just for yards like that.

victor_butler501mo ago

Pad sinking 3 inches isn't really a tip over risk by itself. Those outrigger pads are designed to spread weight and a little settling is normal, especially on crushed asphalt which is loose even when dry. The real danger is if it keeps sinking or if one side drops way more than the other over time. I've seen guys run outriggers straight on compacted gravel without pads and be fine, but the key is watching for uneven settling that tilts the whole crane. Sinking a few inches and stopping is usually just the ground packing down under the weight.