An all terrain crane is the machine that drives to your site on the highway at road speed and then works on rough ground when it gets there, which is why it is the default hire for one day lifts that are too big for a boom truck. It comes operated, commonly $2,000 to $6,000 a day depending on capacity, and the mobilisation is quoted separately.
What makes it all terrain
A multi axle carrier with driven and steered axles, full suspension and a road legal configuration, carrying a telescopic boom. It travels between jobs under its own power at highway speed, then crawls onto fill and unmade ground that a truck mounted crane cannot reach. Capacities on hire fleets run from around fifty tons to several hundred.
Against a rough terrain and against a crawler
A rough terrain crane is cheaper and works the same ground, but it is not road legal and has to be trucked in and out, which adds two low loader moves. A crawler is the choice for weeks of work on one site or for the heaviest picks. For a lift lasting a day or two, the all terrain usually wins on total cost.
Mobilisation is where the money goes
The counterweight travels on separate trucks, and so does the jib on the bigger classes. Assembly and disassembly can absorb a large part of the first and last day. Add route permits, escorts where the axle loads need them, and travel time from the depot. Ask for the mobilisation figure at the same time as the day rate.
The ground under the outriggers
Everything the crane weighs, plus the load, arrives at four small pads. Outrigger mats spread it, and the ground bearing pressure has to be checked against what the surface can carry, especially near basements, drains and recent trenches. Expect the hire company to want a site plan, a lift plan and clear access before the crane leaves the depot.
Questions people ask about all terrain crane
Can I rent an all terrain crane without an operator?
In practice, no. Hire companies release cranes of this size operated, with a certified operator and often a rigger travelling too. The machine is a road vehicle and the lift is a planned operation, so bare rental is confined to specialist contractors with their own crews and insurance.
How is the capacity figure decided?
A crane described by a tonnage lifts that only at its shortest radius with the boom near vertical. Out at working radius with boom extended, the rated capacity is a fraction of it. Give the hire company the load weight, the radius and the height, and let them size the crane from the chart.
How much notice does one need?
For a straightforward one day lift, a week or two is usually comfortable. Permits, escorts or a road closure push it out to several weeks. Storm work and emergencies are quoted on whatever is free, at whatever it costs to get it there.
What do I need to have ready on the day?
A clear, level, compacted set up area with known ground conditions, the load weights confirmed, rigging gear agreed, and the airspace checked for overhead lines. Somebody on site with authority to stop the lift. Anything missing on the morning is billed as standing time while the crane waits.