A lattice boom crane carries its capacity in a bolted or pinned steel lattice rather than a hydraulic telescopic section, which makes it lighter for its reach and far stronger at long radius. The trade is time: the boom travels in sections and is built on the ground, so plan one to three days of assembly before the first lift.
Lattice against telescopic
A telescopic boom drives in, sets outriggers and works the same morning, and it is the right answer for most single lifts. A lattice boom is lighter for its length, so it holds far more at long radius and at height, and it can carry a jib that a telescopic cannot. Duty charts, not opinion, decide which one covers your heaviest pick.
Crawler or truck mounted
A lattice boom on crawler tracks stays put for months and travels the site under load within its chart. The truck-mounted version drives between sites on its own carrier and still needs its boom trucked separately. Which you take follows the programme: months of repetitive lifting favours the crawler, a fixed campaign at one point favours the truck.
Where the money goes
The rental itself is usually monthly and often the smaller half of the cost. Transport is several truckloads with permits, and the boom sections, counterweights and crawler tracks may each ride separately. An assist crane and a crew build it, and take it apart again at the end. Both ends are priced, and both take site room.
When you should not take one
For a day of steelwork, a plant swap or a roof unit, the assembly alone outweighs any advantage, and a 60 to 90 ton all terrain telescopic will do it before lunch. Lattice makes sense when the picks are heavy, long-radius or repeated over weeks, so the setup is spread across enough lifts to earn back.
Questions people ask about lattice boom crane
How long does it take to erect a lattice boom crane?
One to three days for a mid-size machine, longer for a large crawler with a luffing jib. That covers unloading, tracking or carrier assembly, counterweight, and building and raising the boom. Add the assist crane's time and the ground preparation, and the mobilisation week is realistic planning.
Why does a lattice boom carry more than a telescopic?
Because it is far lighter for its length. A telescopic boom carries the weight of its nested sections and cylinder out at radius, which eats capacity as it extends. A lattice structure puts steel only where load needs it, so more of the chart is left for the payload at long reach.
Can the boom length be changed on site?
Yes, by adding or removing sections, but it is a rigging operation with the boom lowered and the crew back on site, not a lever in the cab. Decide the configuration from the heaviest and furthest lift on the programme, because reconfiguring mid-job costs a day.