When it comes to carrying and lifting heavy loads across construction sites a crane truck is an ideal piece of equipment. A crane truck is a standard truck vehicle that has a crane mounted on the back. These 2 parts are known as the carrier (truck) and boom (crane). The boom features a telescopic arm which allows the machine to reach great heights. Crane trucks are mainly used where regular cranes simply cannot fit.
With the mobility of the truck and the lifting capacity of the crane, this machine makes it easy to lift, lower and move materials like logs, concrete forms and beams both horizontally and vertically. Most crane trucks can reach up to 20m or more, and are capable of lifting freight weighing up to 8,500kg. Of course, this will depend on the make, model and size of the machine used.
To handle that much weight, crane trucks tend to have 4, 6 or 8 large truck tyres supporting and maintaining the balance of the machine. They're also designed to deal with all sorts of rough terrain like gravel, uneven and muddy conditions. Being on wheels also means this machine is highly maneuverable, and can access areas where space may be restricted and a tower crane cannot be constructed.
Traditional tower cranes are constructed in one spot and can't be moved without dismantling and reassembling the entire structure. This makes lifting heavy objects at different locations on site near impossible, without a secondary machine. As a crane truck can easily maneuver by driving around the site and isn't locked in one place, it can be the perfect solution for smaller sites that require lifting in more than one area.
Another benefit of crane trucks is that they tend to be less expensive than tower cranes. With a crane truck you don't require a large team to set it up and you don't lose time waiting on the crane to be constructed before you can start work. In saying that, these machines are still an investment and are priced anywhere from $11,000 up to $80,000. If this is out of reach however, crane truck hire is also an option.
Overall, crane trucks offer accessibility, manoeuvrability and are more cost-effective than traditional cranes. They can also be used by many industries including construction, agriculture and freight handling to assist with moving heavy loads. To find the right crane truck for your specific needs make sure you consider your project requirements and speak to local dealers.
