Truck Cranes
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Truck cranes typically have two cabs. One is for driving the truck when the unit is in transport mode, and the other is for controlling the crane. These cranes are very useful for building sites where a crane is required in several different locations throughout the build, because the crane can be easily driven over to a new location. The cranes can also be driven to multiple construction sites on the road without the need for additional transport vehicles. However, a truck crane isn't stable enough sitting on tires alone to lift the massive loads required of a hydraulic crane. So, outriggers are extended from the deck and use hydraulic pressure to lift the truck slightly off the ground to make it stable and balanced.
Crawler-Mounted Cranes
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Crawler cranes have large tracks on the bottom of the crane, similar to those seen on other construction equipment such as bulldozers and backhoes. These tracks allow the crane to move around a construction site; however, they don't allow for independent movement down a road or highway the way a truck crane does. The crane portion of the vehicle is on a rotating platform mounted on top of the tracks so that the boom can be oriented in any direction.
Cargo Cranes
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Many different types of cranes exist that utilize hydraulics while mounted in a fixed position. These are often used for moving cargo instead of for construction projects. One example of this is seen in the cargo cranes mounted on the decks of transport ships. Others are seen in factories, such as track-mounted cranes that operate on a permanent mounted track to move cargo in a repetitive fashion along a fixed path.
Tower Cranes
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Tower cranes are used in large construction projects. These types of cranes have to be erected on location and broken down and transported by truck when moved. These cranes can be extremely tall and allow construction crews to move heavy concrete or steel building components to the tops of tall buildings. Tower cranes are self-erecting and utilize a hydraulic system to push each new section of crane up into place.
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