Crane Transport Across All 48 States
Cranes are some of the most complex and high-value pieces of equipment transported on American highways. Every crane move — whether a single rough terrain unit on a lowboy or a large crawler crane broken into multiple loads — requires precise planning, proper permits, and the right trailer configuration. R&RM LLC has been handling oversize equipment transport since 2011, and our team understands the unique demands of crane hauling: disassembly requirements, counterweight separation, boom section management, and multi-state permit coordination.
We transport cranes for rental companies, crane dealers, industrial contractors, and construction firms across all 48 continental states. Call (404) 987-6225 or use our online quote form to tell us about your crane and route.
Types of Cranes We Transport
Crawler Cranes
Crawler cranes are the most complex machines in the crane family to transport. Because they travel on crawler tracks and carry enormous counterweight packages, transporting them intact is rarely possible. Most crawler crane moves involve significant disassembly into multiple loads:
- Main body (carbody): The heaviest single load, often requiring a multi-axle heavy haul trailer. The carbody alone can exceed 100,000–300,000+ lbs on larger machines.
- Crawler tracks and frames: The track assemblies are removed and transported on separate trailers. Each track can weigh 20,000–80,000 lbs depending on the machine size.
- Counterweight packages: Counterweights come off the machine before transport and ship as flat, heavy loads on lowboy or RGN trailers.
- Boom sections: The lattice boom disassembles into sections, typically 10–20 ft each, and loads onto flatbed trailers. Multiple truckloads are common on large machines.
- Attachments and auxiliary rigging: Headache balls, hook blocks, wire rope drums, and accessory equipment ship separately.
Major crawler crane manufacturers we haul include Manitowoc (Model 16000, 18000, 21000), Liebherr (LR series), Link-Belt (ATC series), Kobelco (CKE series), and Tadano. We coordinate the full move — from disassembly scheduling through multi-load transport and delivery sequencing — so equipment arrives ready to rig back up on site.
Rough Terrain Cranes
Rough terrain (RT) cranes are designed to move on unprepared ground on construction sites and are purpose-built for short-range repositioning. These single-engine, four-wheel-drive machines are significantly simpler to transport than crawler cranes because they are self-propelled and designed to drive onto a trailer.
Most RT cranes transport as a single unit on an RGN trailer, with the boom retracted and the load hook secured. Key dimensions to watch are overall height (including the cab and retracted boom tip), overall width (on machines with outrigger pad storage boxes), and gross vehicle weight. Common RT crane manufacturers we haul include Manitowoc (Grove RT series), Tadano (GR series), and Liebherr (LTC series). RT cranes in the 30–100 ton class are the most frequently transported, serving commercial construction, plant maintenance, and infrastructure projects.
All-Terrain Cranes
All-terrain (AT) cranes combine highway mobility with off-road capability. These multi-axle machines drive themselves to and from job sites at highway speeds, but they are still commonly transported on heavy haul trailers when moving long distances, repositioning across state lines, or being delivered from a dealer or rental depot.
An AT crane like a Liebherr LTM 1100 or Grove GMK5150L has multiple driven and steered axles and can be substantial in size — 60–100+ ft long and 85,000–150,000+ lbs gross in transport configuration. When the boom is too long to legally haul with the crane, the upper boom sections ship on a separate flatbed. We handle permit packages covering width, height, length, and weight on all AT crane moves, and we arrange pilot car escorts where required.
Boom Trucks and Hydraulic Truck Cranes
Boom trucks and hydraulic truck cranes are the workhorses of crane rental fleets and utility contractors. Mounted on a commercial truck chassis, these machines drive under their own power to most job sites. When a boom truck needs to move long-distance — for redeployment, repair, or auction — we can haul the entire unit as a single load on an appropriate trailer, or in many cases simply drive it to the destination if the gross vehicle weight and dimensions allow. We assess each unit individually and recommend the most cost-effective transport method.
Tower Crane Components
Tower cranes are not self-propelled machines and require complete disassembly before transport. Mast sections, jib sections, counter-jib, trolley, hook, and machinery house all ship as separate loads — typically on flatbed trailers. The mast sections are the most straightforward, loading cleanly as long structural steel members. The jib assembly can be lengthy and may require a dolly arrangement for oversized loads. We transport tower crane components for rental companies relocating equipment between major construction projects across the country.
Key Crane Transport Considerations
Disassembly Planning and Sequencing
For large crawler and lattice boom cranes, the disassembly and load sequencing plan is as important as the transport itself. We work with your crane operators and rigging crew to understand how the machine comes apart, which loads can travel together, and in what order loads must arrive at the destination for efficient reassembly. Getting the sequencing wrong can leave a reassembly crew waiting for a critical component — an expensive delay on a job site with an idle crew.
Weight Distribution and Axle Loading
Crane components — particularly counterweights and carbodies — are dense, compact loads that concentrate enormous weight in a small footprint. Distributing this weight correctly across trailer axles to comply with state bridge formula requirements requires experience. We calculate axle loads on every heavy crane transport and adjust trailer configurations as needed to keep each axle group within legal limits.
Height Clearance and Route Surveys
Many crane components, particularly carbody and upper revolving structures, transport at heights that require route surveys to identify low bridges, overhead utilities, and traffic signals. We use online routing tools and, for critical moves, commission in-person route surveys to identify any obstructions that would halt the convoy. On routes with utility line conflicts, we coordinate with the utility company in advance for wire lifts.
Oversize and Overweight Permits for Crane Moves
Virtually every crane transport — even a compact RT crane on a lowboy — requires at least an overweight permit. Our permit services team handles all state permit applications, secures pilot car requirements, identifies travel time restrictions (many states prohibit oversize loads on Sundays or holidays), and ensures the permit packet is complete before the truck rolls. For multi-state moves, we manage the full permit package for every state on the route — you receive one point of contact and one invoice.
Crane Manufacturers We Transport
We transport cranes from all major manufacturers, including:
- Manitowoc / Grove: RT530E, RT760E, GMK4100, GMK5130, Model 16000, Model 18000, Model 21000
- Liebherr: LTM series all-terrain, LR series crawler, LTC compact cranes
- Tadano: GR series rough terrain, ATF all-terrain, CC crawler cranes
- Link-Belt: ATC and HTC all-terrain, TCC crawler cranes
- Kobelco: CKE and BM-series crawler cranes
- Terex: AC all-terrain, RT rough terrain, and Comedil tower crane components
- Liebherr Tower Cranes: 1000 EC-H, 550 EC-H, and fast-erecting sections
Don't see your crane model listed? Call us — if it's a crane and it needs to move, we can haul it.
Common Crane Hauling Applications
- Crane rental company fleet repositioning between regional depots
- Dealer delivery of new crane purchases to buyer locations
- Auction purchases requiring transport from sale site to home base
- Industrial plant and refinery turnaround equipment mobilization
- Bridge and highway construction project equipment deployment
- Wind energy tower and turbine installation crane moves
- Port and shipyard crane component transport
- Equipment repair or recertification facility transport
Crane Hauling Costs
Crane transport pricing depends heavily on crane type, disassembly complexity, number of loads, route, and permit requirements. A single rough terrain crane on a one-state move typically runs $2,500–$6,000. A mid-size crawler crane broken into 4–6 loads on a multi-state move might cost $15,000–$40,000 or more depending on permits, pilot cars, and route complexity. All-terrain cranes as a single unit fall somewhere between these ranges. We provide detailed, itemized quotes covering all loads, permits, and escorts — no surprises at the end of the move. Contact us with your crane specs and route for an accurate estimate.
See our oversize load transport page for more information about how we manage high-dimension and high-weight moves across all 48 states.
Request a Crane Transport Quote
To quote a crane move accurately, we need: crane make, model, and configuration; current location (city, state, and site conditions); delivery location; any known disassembly plan or boom configuration; and your target transport window. The more detail you provide, the faster we can respond with a firm quote. Call (404) 987-6225 or fill out our online quote form — R&RM LLC has been handling project cargo and crane transport since 2011, and we're ready to help.