How Do Crane Trucks and Crane Truck Semis Work?

A crane truck puts the crane and the transport in one vehicle, so a load can be delivered and placed in a single movement. Here’s how the lift actually works, what outriggers have to do with capacity, and when a crane truck semi is the better call.

What Size Mobile Slew Crane Do I Need?

Crane Hire Melbourne - Mobile crane lift

Crane size isn’t decided by the weight of the load. It’s weight plus radius plus height plus boom set-up plus ground conditions. Here’s the method crane crews actually use to size a mobile slew crane, and the five numbers to have ready.

What Is a Franna Crane and What Is It Used For?

Franna crane on a lift - scaled

A Franna crane — more formally known as a pick and carry crane — is a mobile, single-engine crane designed to lift a load and drive it to where it’s needed, without outriggers or set-up time. It’s one of the most common cranes on Australian construction sites, in mining, factories and workshops, and for heavy equipment installations.

“Franna” is actually a brand name. The Australian manufacturer Franna (now a Terex brand) made this class of crane so popular that the name is used generically for almost any articulated pick and carry crane — much like “Esky” or “Ute”.

Do You Need a Council Permit to Set Up a Crane on the Road in Melbourne?

Mobile crane set up on a closed suburban Melbourne street with traffic cones and signage

Plenty of Melbourne lifts can’t be done from the property itself. Tight blocks, rear-access units, and inner-suburban streets often mean the crane has to set up on the road, footpath, or nature strip — and the moment it does, council permits come into play. Here’s what you need to know, and the short answer to the most common question we get: yes, your crane company can organise all of it for you.

What Is a Lift Plan and When Do You Need One?

Crane crew reviewing a lift plan on site with a mobile crane in the background

If you’re booking a crane for the first time, you’ll probably hear the term “lift plan” before the crane arrives. It’s not red tape — it’s the document that turns a risky lift into a routine one. Here’s what a lift plan actually is, what goes into it, and when your job needs one.