Hiab sizes and lifting capacity explained

Lorry sizes

The crane itself is heavy, so a Hiab carries less than a flatbed lorry of the same weight class. Ask the operator for the vehicle’s actual payload.

• 7.5 tonne and smaller rigids: compact cranes for tight access, light loads and domestic deliveries
• 18 and 26 tonne rigids: the workhorses for building materials, cabins and machinery
• 32 tonne four-axle rigids: larger cranes and heavier payloads
• Articulated Hiabs (up to 44 tonnes gross on six axles): long loads such as 40ft containers, long steel and modular units

What tonne-metres mean

A crane’s tonne-metre (tm) rating is roughly the load multiplied by its distance from the crane. In simple terms, a 20 tm crane could lift about 10 tonnes at 2 metres but only about 2 tonnes at 10 metres. Real cranes are limited by their load chart, boom angle and stabiliser set-up, so treat the rating as a guide and let the operator confirm the actual figures.

Choosing the right size

Start with the load’s weight and the distance from where the lorry can stand to where the load must land. The operator then matches a crane that can lift that weight at that distance, and a lorry that can carry it and fit through the access.

Try the reach example

Small Hiabs for tight access

For narrow streets, gardens and city centres, small rigid Hiabs (including 3.5 and 7.5 tonne vehicles) can reach places larger lorries can’t, at the cost of much smaller lifting capacity.

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