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The Most Common Types of Construction Cranes, Explained

Did you know that the first cranes were invented by the Ancient Greeks and were powered by donkeys? Cranes have become an integral part of our construction world because there are cranes for almost every type of task. If you are looking at the different types of construction cranes and are feeling overwhelmed by your choices, we are here to help.

Keep reading to learn more about the different types of cranes.

1. Overhead Crane

With this type of crane, you have a horizontal beam that is called a bridge, travel up and down a runway on either a rail or a track. Then you have a hoist and a trolley move side to side along the bridge. This lifts and lowers loads via a rectangular bay.

You can buy an overhead crane based on the load limits that you need. They can range anywhere from .25 to 400 tons. Typically, overhead cranes are permanent structures in construction sites because they are installed for repetitive workflow use.

2. Luffing Tower Cranes

This type of crane is also known as a luffing-jib crane. The jib on this crane is latticed and is lowered or raised with a motion called bluffing. These cranes have the ability to lift heavier capacities than hammerhead cranes but keep in mind they are more expensive.

They are best for construction work in congested areas.

3. Hammerhead Tower Cranes

These cranes are some of the most common cranes used in construction projects. In this type of crane, the jib rotates 360 degrees horizontally around the mast.

The structure resembles an upside-down L. Something unique about hammerhead tower cranes is that when the trolley moves the load horizontally along the jib it does not change its level.

4. Carry Deck Crane

This crane evolved from the older pick and carry model. It is small and four-wheeled and it has the ability to rotate a full 360 degrees. A major pro is that its size makes it a lot more portable than other types of cranes.

Carry deck cranes are easy to set up and you can easily take them into small confined spaces without a problem.

5. Truck Mounted Cranes

A truck-mounted crane has the ability to travel on the highway because they do not require transportation equipment or a unique setup. This crane is made up of the boom and the carrier (the truck).

A common use of these cranes is to load and move equipment on the job site. While you are on the search for cranes you can look at where to find crane parts as well because you never know when you will need to fix something last minute.

Feeling Like a Construction Cranes Pro?

We hope that now that you know more about different construction cranes you can make an informed decision before making your purchase.

Did our article help you out today? Please keep browsing the rest of this section for more construction tidbits.