Liebherr Completes Overhaul of HS 8300.1 Duty Cycle Crane After 20,000 Hours

July 20, 2026 - Liebherr USA Co. has completed a full overhaul of an HS 8300.1 duty cycle crawler crane for Matthews Brothers Dredging LLC, returning the machine to service after more than 20,000 operating hours and incorporating several equipment upgrades.

The work was performed at Liebherr's Houston, Texas, facility through the company's Liebherr Transform program, which offers upgrades, retrofits and complete overhauls for duty cycle machines, deep foundation equipment and crawler cranes up to 400 tons.

Matthews Brothers Dredging has operated the HS 8300.1 for bucket dredging projects along the U.S. Gulf Coast for the past four years. The machine features a 500-kilonewton winch capacity and winch speeds of up to 125 meters per minute (410.11 feet per minute), allowing for fast working cycles in dredging applications.

After accumulating more than 20,000 operating hours, Liebherr conducted a detailed inspection of the crane in February 2025. Based on the machine's maintenance history and projected future use, the company developed an overhaul plan that included recommended upgrades and technical improvements.

“The recommendation for an overhaul is usually a combination of both the lifetime of the machine and the application, so a heavy application will require an earlier overhaul,” explains Bertrand Meiss, field engineering manager at Liebherr USA, Co in Houston.

According to Liebherr, the customized approach was intended to ensure only necessary work was completed while avoiding unnecessary costs.

The overhaul was completed at Liebherr's repair and maintenance workshop in Houston, eliminating the need to transport the machine over longer distances. During the project, technicians replaced all hydraulic components, hydraulic hoses and electrical systems. The crane also received upgrades that have been introduced on newer Liebherr machines during the past five years, including improved boom lighting, additional boom walkway safety features and enhancements to the central lubrication system designed to improve maintenance efficiency.

The project was completed in approximately 12 weeks, after which the HS 8300.1 was reassembled on its dredging barge and returned to service.

“We had to take it out of service for a little while, but we see the upside of getting it overhauled for the long run to better serve our clients with minimal downtime,” says Chad Epperson, vice-president of operations at Matthews Brothers Dredging, LLC.

According to Liebherr, the Transform program is designed to extend the service life of existing machines by combining overhauls with updated technologies. The company said the program is supported through its global network of sales and service locations and provides an alternative to purchasing new equipment while helping conserve resources.