5 Different Types of Cranes You May Need For Your Project

Little Jimmy falls asleep reading his favorite construction vehicle book about bulldozers, cranes, trucks, and more.

Construction vehicles are his favorite subject. He loves looking at them out the window as they drive by construction sites.

But wouldn’t it blow Little Jimmy’s mind if he realized just how many different types of construction vehicles there are.

Like, what about all the types of cranes? Maybe it’s time for Little Jimmy (and you) to explore the five most important ones around.

1. Telescopic Cranes

A telescopic construction crane is probably what a lot of people picture when they think of cranes in the first place.

The reality is that most different types of cranes are some form of a telescopic crane as they usually have a telescopic boom.

The telescopic boom is a series of tubes that fit into one another (think Russian Nesting Doll). Hydraulic mechanisms extend the tubes outward from each other or retract them inward.

When people begin shopping around for a crane hire, they usually have this crane in mind whether it’s really what they need or not!

2. All Terrain Cranes

These types of construction cranes are always a diesel-driven mobile crane. Meaning, the crane, which usually consists of a steel truss for a worker or a telescopic boom, is mounted on a mobile platform.

This mobile undercarriage allows for more mobility and also a smaller footprint. This small footprint makes carrying and placing loads to precise locations much easier.

These vehicles are also pretty good for both pavement and rough terrain, making them fairly versatile.

3. Tower Cranes

Of all the building crane types in the world, the tower crane is arguably the tallest and steadiest.

Unlike most other cranes on this list, the tower crane is usually fixed to the ground or the building that’s being constructed. They can be up to 100 meters tall in some cases and are almost exclusively used for constructing tall buildings, such as skyscrapers.

These cranes may not have mobility, but they have the greatest balance of height and lift capacity.

4. Rough Terrain Crane

These are vehicle-mounted cranes with four large rubber tires designed for off-road construction.

Using outriggers–just like a boat–these cranes can maintain plenty of stability, making them ideal for the uneven and rocky terrain. When your project involves treacherous terrain, all-terrain cranes may prove successful, but rough terrain cranes would be perfect.

5. Crawler Cranes

When talking about crawler cranes, just think of a tank.

These are also mobile cranes that run on tracks (or crawlers). This allows them to move on many various types of surfaces, especially soft, unprepared soil.

On the other hand, crawlers are heavy and bulky. They may not be as mobile or as versatile as other options.

Making Sense of the Different Types of Cranes

Just as with many other subjects, there is usually more to it than meets the eye.

If you’ve been wondering about the various types of cranes, what they do, and what differentiates, them, hopefully, you’ve gained some insight.

If you’re looking for more business-related resources for a future project, explore our business blog!