Truck crane or loader crane: how to book or buy one at a good price
Truck crane or loader crane: what you need
These machines look alike, but their jobs differ. A truck crane lifts heavy loads to a height and reach: floor slabs, steel structures, equipment onto a roof. A loader crane is a truck with a flatbed and a small crane that both carries and unloads: bricks, concrete rings, pallets, fence sections.
If you only need to bring and set down 1.5-tonne rings, a loader crane is cheaper. If you must lift to a height of 20 m or more, look for a truck crane.
How to choose the capacity and the boom
A rated capacity of 25 tonnes applies at the minimum reach. The farther the load is from the crane's axis, the less it can lift. So for your request it is not only the weight of the load that matters but also the distance from where the crane stands to where the load goes, and the lifting height.
- Yard work or a small volume — usually 3–7 tonnes is enough.
- Slabs, steel columns, portable cabins — then 16–25 tonnes and more.
- A tight yard: ask about the dimensions of the machine and the outriggers it needs.
What to put in your request
- Type of machine — truck crane or loader crane, length of the flatbed.
- What to lift — weight and size of the load, for example concrete rings of 1.5 tonnes each.
- Capacity and boom — the height and reach you need.
- Location — city, address, whether access is possible and the width of the approach.
- Period — an hour, a shift or a few days.
- Buy or hire, condition and year if buying.
- Budget — a rate per hour.
Example: “I need a loader crane with a 6 m flatbed in Gqeberha: bring and unload 6 concrete rings of 1.5 tonnes each from the depot to my plot. Hire with an operator for one shift. Budget up to R 230 per hour.”
How it works through BlaBlaPrice
You write a request in your own words, and owners of truck cranes and loader cranes reply in the chat with a price, the make of the machine and dates. Each of them sees where their offer ranks, so rates are often lowered. The best offer, judged on what is offered, is shown first, with reviews next to it. Contacts open only to the provider you choose. Read more about the principle on the “How it works” page.
What to look at in the answers
Compare on the same terms: whether bringing the machine and returning it are included, the minimum booking, the operator and the slings for the load. For work on the ground, ask about the outriggers and the firm area they need. Near power lines a separate permission is needed, and it is better to discuss this before the visit.
When buying a used truck crane, check the inspection of the boom, the hydraulics, the ropes and the winch, and the papers to operate it. The difference between the stated and the real lifting capacity is often decisive.
Look at other machines for a building site in the “Heavy equipment” section, for example aerial work platforms or tipper trucks.
Safety and papers
For lifting over people and roads you need a qualified crane operator, and the load is slung according to a plan. Ask whether the provider has a valid inspection for the crane and a licence for the operator. Before the visit, assess the site: standing on weak ground or a slope needs pads under the outriggers, and wires above the site limit the reach. If something is unclear, send a photo of the plot: it helps providers calculate the machine and the working time correctly.
