Truck Crane

Cranes were invented thousands of years ago. But the cranes back then couldn't travel very far. And many of the cranes today are so large they are stationary. But not all cranes stay in one place. The truck crane is part of a series of cranes that are mobile cranes - meaning that they are not permanent fixtures at any particular jobsite.

A truck crane is just what its name says - it's a crane structure that's built on top of a truck so that it can move and travel from destination to destination.

Truck cranes can lift very heavy weights that can go all the way up to 1,300 tons. But in order to lift this much weight the truck crane must be balanced so it does not tip over. One way that cranes accomplish this is by using outriggers. Outriggers are a beam with a foot that extends from the side of the crane to support it while lifting heavy loads. Another way that cranes keep from tipping over is by using what are called counterweights. These can be placed under the crane or behind it.

There are a number of truck crane accidents each year. These are typically caused by human error, such as the crane operator isn't trained well enough, the weight is too heavy for the crane to lift or the load is swung to heavily causing an accident. It's important for truck crane operators to be familiar with their machine to ensure that the truck crane is operated safely.

To make them more efficient, truck cranes are typically run on hydraulics. It's these hydraulics that help make cranes able to life such heavy weights. The hydraulic fluid is usually a dense fluid like oil. To illustrate a simple hydraulic system, there are two pistons filled with fluid - pressure is applied in one piston causing oil in the other piston to lift up. This creates the force needed to lift heavy objects. These hydraulics are also used to extend what is called a boom - or the "arm" of the crane. The boom is often made up of several telescoping sections that extend out to reach high places.

There are other types of mobile cranes that are built on trucks. One is the rough terrain crane. Similar to a normal truck crane, this crane is built to reach off-road projects with off-road tires to give it the ability to travel over rough terrain.

Sidelift cranes are another version of the truck crane that is built on the back of trucks or trailers. These are used to lift and transport containers such as those lifted from a rail car to another destination.

Truck cranes are useful construction tools that are able to travel over roads and highways in order to be used at various jobsites.