MACHINE FIELD GUIDE / LOAD · RADIUS · SETUP
Mobile crane hire
All-terrain, city and truck-mounted slewing cranes lift loads into place across construction, industrial and maintenance work. Capacity at the required radius—not the headline tonnage—decides the crane.
FIELD PLATE / 17 PUBLISHED SUPPLIER RECORDSMatch the size class to the task, then confirm the exact unit.
Mobile crane size classes.
| Class | Typical work |
|---|---|
| City and compact cranes (up to ~25 t) | Tight urban sites and light structural lifts. |
| Mid all-terrain (40–100 t) | Steel erection, precast panels and plant installs. |
| Large all-terrain (130–250 t) | Heavy structural lifts and long radius. |
| Heavy lift (300 t +) | Wind, bridge beams and major industrial lifts. |
COMMON USE / 01Structural steel and precast erection
COMMON USE / 02Plant and equipment installation
COMMON USE / 03Air-conditioning and roof-top units
COMMON USE / 04Shutdown and maintenance lifts
QUOTE CHECK
What to specify.
- Verified load weights and dimensions
- Pick and set-down radius and height
- Crane setup area, ground conditions and underground services
- Permits, road closures and traffic management
- Whether a lift plan and dogman/rigger are required
Watch points.
Capacity reduces sharply with radius and boom length.
Outrigger loads need a suitable surface and may need mats or engineering.
Larger cranes need counterweight trucks and assist-crane time.
Rates for mobile crane hire vary with size, location, duration, operator arrangement and transport. Read the plant hire cost guide and the wet vs dry hire comparison before comparing quotes, and use the supplier checklist to confirm the details.
FIELD FAQ
Mobile crane hire questions
- What size crane do I need?
- Give the supplier the heaviest load, the furthest radius and the height. They will check the load chart for the crane configuration and recommend a machine with an appropriate margin.
- What is included in crane hire?
- Usually the crane and a licensed operator for a minimum period. Dogman or rigger, travel time, counterweight transport, permits and lift planning may be extra.
- What licence does a crane operator need?
- Slewing mobile crane operators need a high-risk work licence class matched to crane capacity (such as C2, C6, C1 or C0). Crane hire in Australia is almost always supplied wet with the operator.