Kato NK550VR
Series: Kato Hydraulic Truck Crane
Not the right version? The data comes from vehicle registers holding many near-identical versions side by side. Photograph the data plate — we read make and type from it. Open the scanner e-mail address required
Kato truck cranes NK and CR – Japan's truck-mounted cranes from Tokyo: NK-160 to NK-1600 with capacity in tenths of a tonne, CR as city cranes, E-III and E-V as generations, 118 to 228 kW
Kato Works of Tokyo is, alongside Tadano, Japan's big crane maker and since the 1960s the specialist in the truck crane: a telescopic crane on a truck chassis from Mitsubishi Fuso, Isuzu or Nissan Diesel that drives on the road like a truck and forms the standard class of site cranes in Japan, Southeast Asia and the Middle East. The type logic: NK stands for the truck-crane range, and the number gives the capacity in tenths of a tonne – NK-160 lifts 16 t, NK-300 30 t, NK-450 45 t, NK-800 80 t, NK-1200 120 t, NK-1600 160 t; E-III and E-V mark generations with improved control, VR a version with full-boom computer. CR stands for City Crane, the compact all-wheel-drive crane for tight sites – CR-100 lifts 10 t, CR-250 25 t – with one cab for driving and crane operation.
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The register lists 14 versions with 118 to 228 kW from engines of 3,840 to 16,032 cm³, torque from 471 to 1,100 Nm at 2,100 to 2,800 rpm and service weights from 12,900 to 84,000 kg.
The truck crane is the Japanese answer to the axle-load question: on roads with 10 t axle loads a truck chassis carries the crane faster and more cheaply than an all-terrain carrier; Kato's cranes are therefore ubiquitous in Asia and rare in Europe.
On used cranes, operating hours for travel and crane duty, the condition of telescopic boom, slew ring, outriggers and ropes, the truck chassis with brakes and suspension and the inspection history and parts supply through Kato importers are what count.
Sources: SpecCodex register, model data: Kato Autokrane, Kato Works (manufacturer)
Technical data
Engine
| Power | 310 hp (228 kW)correct |
|---|---|
| Torque | 1,100.1 Nmcorrect |
| Displacement | 7,700.3 cm³correct |
Dimensions and weights
| Ground clearance | 384 mmcorrect |
|---|---|
| Unladen weight | 41,600 kgcorrect |
Drivetrain and chassis
| Gearbox type | manual gearbox transmission typecorrect |
|---|---|
| Forward gears | 9correct |
| Reverse gears | 1correct |
| Tyre size | 12.00R20-18PRcorrect |
Where this model stands
Power-to-weight ratio: 5.5 kW/t (228 kW / 41.6 t)
Stronger than 51% of the mobile & rough terrain cranes in the register — out of 723 models with a stated power figure.
Calculated from the documented figures above — not a rating.
Frequently asked questions
How much power does the Kato NK550VR have?
The Kato NK550VR delivers 310 hp.
How much does the Kato NK550VR weigh?
The unladen weight is 41,600 kg.
What engine does the Kato NK550VR have?
7,700 cm³ displacement.
What to check before buying
- Check the hour meter against the service records — a replaced instrument is the most common gap.
- Compare the data plate and chassis number with the papers.
- Check the weights in the papers against the figures here — attachments change them.
- Ask about parts availability for this build year — the running costs hang on it.
A general list for this type of machine — no substitute for an inspection or an appraiser.
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This page carries 10 individual figures for this model. They come from 1 recorded source; every figure can be traced there. What we cannot document is not here — we leave gaps open rather than estimate them.
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Other models in this series
Sources: RitchieSpecs equipment specifications (retrieved August 2026) · How we check the data
Mobile crane in 3D section
Turn the model, look inside and click an assembly — each one is explained.
