“I need a crane.”
It sounds like a simple request, but in the heavy lifting industry, there are two very different machines that answer that call: the Hiab (Crane Truck) and the Mobile Crane.
Choosing the wrong one can be an expensive mistake. If you hire a Hiab for a job that needs a Mobile Crane, it won’t have the reach. If you hire a large Mobile Crane when a Hiab would do, you might be paying for power you don’t need.
The Bottom Line Up Front (BLUF): The simplest way to decide is to ask yourself: “Do I need to transport the item on the road, or is it already on-site?”
- Choose a Hiab if you need to pick up an item (like timber or a spa pool), drive it to your site, and lift it off. It is a “Lift and Carry” solution.
- Choose a Mobile Crane if the item is already on-site (or arriving on a separate truck) and you need to lift it high, far, or over a large obstacle like a house.
Here is the detailed breakdown to help you choose the right machine for your Canterbury project.
1. The Hiab (Crane Truck): The “2-in-1” Solution
A Hiab is essentially a truck with a knuckle-boom crane mounted behind the cab. It has a cargo deck (tray) on the back.
The Superpower: Transport. Because a Hiab can load an item onto its own deck and drive it legally on the road, you are getting a truck and a crane for the price of one vehicle. You don’t need to pay for a separate delivery truck to meet the crane at the site.
Best Used For:
- Building Materials: Picking up timber frames, trusses, or pallets of bricks from the merchant and delivering them to the site.
- Landscaping: Moving bulk bags of soil, heavy rocks, or mature trees.
- Small Machinery: Relocating pumps, generators, or small excavators.
- Spa Pools: Collecting a new spa from the depot and lifting it into an easy-access backyard.
The Limit: Hiabs generally have less “reach” than mobile cranes. If you need to lift a spa pool over a two-storey house from the street, a standard Hiab might not reach.
2. The Mobile Crane: The Heavy Lifter
A Mobile Crane (or All-Terrain Crane) is a dedicated lifting machine. It does not carry goods on its back. It drives to the site, extends its stabiliser legs, and deploys a long telescopic boom.
The Superpower: Reach and Height. Mobile cranes can lift much heavier loads and reach much further than a Hiab. If you are building a commercial warehouse or placing trusses on a large home, the mobile crane sits in one spot and reaches every corner of the site.
Best Used For:
- Construction: Placing steel beams, pre-cast concrete panels, or roof trusses.
- Long Reach Lifts: Lifting a swim spa over a house into a back garden.
- Heavy Industrial: Moving heavy plant equipment that exceeds the capacity of a Hiab.
- Height Work: Lifting AC units onto the roof of a commercial building.
The Limit: A Mobile Crane cannot transport the load. If you are moving a container, you will need to hire a transport truck to carry the container and the mobile crane to lift it off at the other end.
3. The “Truck Mounted” Hybrid
At A&K Cranes, we also operate Truck Mounted Cranes (often called “Taxi Cranes”).
These look like a truck, but the crane is much larger and takes up the whole chassis. Like a mobile crane, they don’t carry a load, but they are much faster to set up and cheaper to run than the big All-Terrain mobile cranes. They are the perfect “middle ground” for residential lifts where you need mobile crane reach but want to keep costs down.
Summary: The Decision Checklist
Still unsure? Run through this quick checklist:
- Do you need to drive the item down the road?
- YES: Book a Hiab.
- NO: Book a Mobile Crane.
- Do you need to lift over a house or large obstacle?
- YES: You likely need a Mobile Crane (for the long boom).
- NO: A Hiab or Truck Mount might suffice.
- Is the ground muddy or rough?
- YES: You need an All-Terrain Mobile Crane (or Crawler).
- NO: A standard truck-based unit is fine.
Get the Right Advice First Time You don’t need to be a crane expert—that’s our job. When you call A&K Cranes, just tell us what you are lifting, where it is, and where it needs to go. Adam and the team will instantly know which machine is the most efficient (and cost-effective) for your job.
