Large Crane Hire.

Large-band crane hire is the work that needs more than a fast quote and a yard despatch. A 220-ton substation transformer placement starts with a route survey, requires a calibrated lift plan, often runs as a tandem lift with a second mobile crane on standby, and lands a piece of infrastructure that has six-figure-an-hour downtime implications if anything goes wrong. After 16 years of doing this work, that discipline is non-negotiable.

What "large" actually covers

The large band runs from 160-ton through 300-ton machines. Above 120 ton, crane mobilisation changes character — counterweight transports on separate lowbeds, outrigger mat extensions for ground bearing, longer pre-planning windows for road permits. These are not show-up-and-figure-it-out jobs.

160 to 220 ton mobile cranes

The substation workhorse band. 160-ton machines handle the bulk of distribution-class transformer placements (load weights in the 30–80 ton range at extended radii). 200 and 220 ton machines step in for transmission-class transformers, pressure vessels and the harder reaches. Most Eskom and IPP work lands here.

250 and 300 ton mobile cranes

Top-end mobile capacity. Transmission transformers in the 90–150 ton class, heat exchangers, vertical column placements, refinery shutdown work. These mobilise as multi-piece transports — main crane on one low-bed, boom extensions on another, counterweight on a third. Setup runs into a full day before the lift itself starts. Worth planning around.

What goes into a large lift

Large lifts get planned, not improvised. The standard process for a 200t-plus job:

• Route survey. Before mobilisation, our field rep walks the route from depot to site — overhead obstructions, road width, weight restrictions, bridge ratings, turning circles at site entry. The mobilisation plan reflects what's actually possible.
• Lift plan & method statement. Load weight + lift radius + lift height + ground bearing pressure → load chart cross-reference → counterweight selection + outrigger pad design. Signed off before the first crane leaves.
• Ground bearing analysis. Outrigger mats sized to keep contact pressure within safe limits for the site's bearing capacity. For substation yards on uncompacted fill, this matters.
• Tandem coordination if needed. Many 200t-plus lifts go more efficiently as tandem lifts using two cranes — same total cost as a single bigger crane in many cases, with better load control.
• Rigging crew. Red-ticket rigger-in-charge, banksman, lift supervisor. Calibrated slings, beams, spreader bars rated for the load.

Where large cranes shine

• Substation transformer placements. Eskom and IPP distribution and transmission work. 90% of large-band jobs.
• Pressure vessels & heat exchangers. Refineries, mining processing, gas terminals, chemical plants.
• Heavy industrial equipment. Mill bodies, kiln components, conveyor structures.
• Wind turbine components. Tower sections, nacelles, blade assembly.
• Vertical column work. Distillation columns, reactor vessels — tail-rigged and walked into position.
• Multi-day choreographed lifts. Refinery shutdowns, plant relocations, substation upgrades.