A mobile crane is a versatile and flexible option when it comes to crane hire, often rivalling a fixed tower crane for lift weight and height. When it comes to choosing which type of crane is the right choice for your project, it is important to consider what your project will require both in terms of lift capacity as well as timelines, site location and other project management constraints. In this article we will take a look at the difference between a fixed crane and a mobile crane and the benefits along with the disadvantages of each.

What is a mobile crane?
A mobile crane is a crane that is part of a vehicle and is able to be driven to the worksites. Mobile cranes come in lift capacities from 2 tonnes through to 500 tonnes. A mobile crane can be driven on ordinary roads as well as on difficult terrain such as sand and gravel.

What is a fixed crane?
A fixed crane, as the name suggests, is a crane that is fixed to the ground in a particular location to enable greater stability and lift capacity than a mobile crane. Fixed cranes include Bridge/Overhead Cranes, Bulk-handling Cranes, Hammerhead Cranes, Stacker Cranes and Tower Cranes.
The tower crane is the most commonly used crane for construction and is the crane most often being compared to a mobile crane for weight lift and efficiency.

Pros and Cons of a Tower Crane

Benefits of a tower crane

•  Tower cranes can lift more than almost any other type of crane
•  They are constructed on-site so they are stable and can be built to the height that is required for the build. This means that they are perfect for large scale developments such as high rises.

Disadvantages of a tower crane

• Tower cranes are extremely expensive to install
• Click To Paste
• Tower crane installation is complex and takes a significant amount of time
• Tower cranes have high maintenance costs
• Tower cranes can take up significant space within the worksite

Pros and Cons of a Mobil e Crane

Benefits of a mobile crane

• Mobility. A mobile crane can be moved to the exact location it is required on the worksite and when the lift is complete, the mobile crane can be removed, leaving the worksite free for other aspects of the project.
• Versatility. Mobile cranes versatility is what makes them so popular. They can even be used internally to complete fit-outs or to complete upper floors of multi-storey buildings.
• Quick Setup. Mobile cranes are able to be driven to the location, setup and after a safety check, are ready to be used. Their setup is quick and simple.
• Cost-Effective. The increased convenience of a mobile crane makes them a very cost-effective alternative to a fixed crane. The savings are not just in the hiring fee, which is much less, but also in the fact that you only hire a mobile crane on the days you need it for your project, instead of for the whole project.

Disadvantages of a mobile crane

• Less lift capacity. Mobile cranes can lift much heavier weights than most people first think, in fact, at Lindores we have access to mobile cranes that can lift up to 500 tonnes.
• Less height capacity. A mobile crane will be able to lift to a maximum height of 100 metres.

Why choose Lindores Mobile Cranes?

Give the team at Lindores a call on 07 33760611 to talk cranes.