What is a Crane?

Cranes are invaluable in many large construction and earthmoving projects, designed to lift and move heavy items with impressive manoeuvrability and strength. Although there is a massive amount of diversity in the form of these machines, the extensive rental database at iSeekplant is organised into three main types of cranes: - Crawler Cranes, Mobile Cranes and Tower Cranes – which are commonly used for construction work and other large-scale projects. Just as there are many different types of cranes, there are also many crane hire suppliers throughout the country. At iSeekplant, we’ve divided these cranes into a few different categories below.

The different types of cranes

What is a Crawler Crane?

The crawler crane is one of the larger machines available through iSeekplant's crawler crane hire suppliers, and can lift anywhere from 40 - 3,500 tonnes. The set of tracks underneath the machine allows this type of crane to move, and it has superior stability compared to other cranes without the need for outriggers. The lattice structure on the crawler crane’s boom is much lighter when compared to hydraulic cranes, meaning it has a better load to radius ratio and heavier weight can be lifted. They are used to lift very large objects on construction sites including bridge beams, conveyors and more. Crawler cranes are generally hired on sites where crane requirements are regular and long term. These machines have a high set up cost but lower running cost than hydraulic mobile cranes. For this reason, they are the preferred crane to hire on projects which require a crane over long durations.

What is a Non Slewing Mobile Crane?

Often referred to as a "franna crane" or a "pick and carry crane", a non-slewing crane is perfect for jobs where the load only needs to be lifted and moved backwards or forward. The non-slewing mobile crane is essentially a mobile hydraulic crane - meaning they can be driven on road. They carry smaller loads but have the added advantage of being able to pick up and carry an object while driving. Franna cranes are the most popular type of crane hired on iSeekplant for construction projects due to their versatility. The iSeekplant platform has a large range of franna crane hire suppliers all over Australia ranging from less than 10 tonnes to larger 11 - 20 tonne and 21 - 50 tonne models.

Image Credit: Maclift Crane Services

What is a Mobile Slewing Crane?

The iSeekplant database has a number of crane hire suppliers offering slewing mobile cranes, often called "all terrain cranes". Slewing cranes can rotate 360 degrees on their bases, meaning this crane can lift its load, move the boom, and therefore move the load to the right or left. Mobile cranes can also be driven on the road. These machines are used for many different applications. Smaller all terrain crane models iSeekplant today on 1300 691 912 or check out the many mobile slewing crane hire suppliers on our website.

Image Source: LCR Group Pty Ltd

What is a Tower Crane?

Many crane hire suppliers will also offer tower cranes, which are attached to a concrete slab and fixed to the ground. This means that the tower crane will often have the best combination of lifting capacity and height. Like the crawler crane, they can be difficult to transport but are often necessary for projects with a large scale. You can browse many different tower crane hire suppliers on iSeekplant and find the best-value cranes available for rent.

What is a Mini Crawler Crane?

Mini crawler cranes are highly adept at working in confined spaces where there is limited head height or a lightweight crane is necessary. These compact heavy lifters can be used in tight access areas when regular cranes cannot gain access. This makes hiring a mini crawler crane the perfect crane solution for both commercial and residential construction jobs where building products and construction materials need to be lifted. Throughout Australia, our mini crawler crane hire suppliers can meet the needs of domestic and construction project specifications. To find out some of our mini crawler crane hire suppliers competitive rates - run a search from the iSeekplant homepage or call our projects team directly on 1300 691 912.

Image Source: Equipment Lifting and Solutions

What are Common Crane Hire Rates?

Whichever type of crane suits you, iSeekplant provides the most reliable and best value options on the rental market, all available at the click of a mouse. Call today on 1300 691 912 or get in touch with our projects team to find out some our crane hire suppliers competitive rates!