Rough Terrain Crane Transport

Rough Terrain Crane Hauling Services

Rough terrain (RT) cranes are purpose-built for off-road mobility and are among the most frequently moved pieces of lifting equipment in the construction, industrial, and energy sectors. A typical RT crane rides on four large pneumatic tires with four-wheel drive and four-wheel steering, allowing it to travel over unpaved surfaces that would stop a conventional highway crane cold. That same mobility makes them valuable on tight construction sites, industrial plant turnarounds, and rural infrastructure projects — and means they rotate frequently between job sites, generating consistent demand for highway transport.

R&RM LLC has been transporting cranes and oversize loads across all 48 continental states since 2011. This page covers rough terrain and pick-and-carry crane transport — the manufacturers, capacity classes, typical dimensions and weights, trailer configurations, and permit requirements you need to know before booking your move.

Rough Terrain Crane Manufacturers We Transport

Manitowoc / Grove RT Cranes

Grove — the crane brand under the Manitowoc umbrella — is one of the most widely deployed rough terrain crane lines in North America. Common models we transport include:

• Grove RT530E-2: 30-ton capacity, approximately 77,000 lb — fits a standard RGN trailer with overwidth permit if the outrigger pads are attached.
• Grove RT540E: 40-ton capacity, approximately 88,000 lb — a common rental fleet unit that moves frequently between job sites.
• Grove RT550E: 50-ton capacity, approximately 105,000 lb — often requires a multi-axle lowboy or a heavy-duty RGN to distribute load.
• Grove RT760E: 60-ton capacity, approximately 127,000 lb — transport weight with hook block and auxiliary ball but no fly section or outrigger pads.
• Grove RT9130E-2: 130-ton capacity — one of the larger RT cranes; transport in multiple loads (boom, counterweight, carbody) is typically required for long-distance moves.

Link-Belt RT Cranes

Link-Belt produces a comprehensive rough terrain lineup that is popular with crane rental companies and industrial contractors:

• Link-Belt RTC-8030: 30-ton rough terrain crane, approximately 72,000 lb transport weight.
• Link-Belt RTC-8040 Series II: 40-ton capacity, a highly portable crane used extensively in plant maintenance and wind turbine erection staging.
• Link-Belt RTC-8050 Series II: 50-ton capacity, approximately 108,000 lb.
• Link-Belt RTC-80100 Series II: 100-ton capacity — these larger units typically travel as partial disassembly loads with boom sections and counterweight transported separately.

Liebherr LRT and LTC Cranes

Liebherr's rough terrain and pick-and-carry lines are valued for their lift capacity relative to machine weight and their compact footprints:

• Liebherr LRT 1090-2.1: 90-ton rough terrain crane with a telescopic boom; transport weight approximately 116,000 lb.
• Liebherr LTC 1050-3.1: 50-ton compact pick-and-carry crane with a distinctive all-terrain-style chassis; widely used in tight industrial plant environments.
• Liebherr LTC 1055-3.1: 55-ton pick-and-carry; moves easily on a standard heavy-duty RGN.

Tadano RT Cranes

Tadano has grown its North American presence through its GR series rough terrain cranes:

• Tadano GR-750XL-3: 75-ton capacity, approximately 112,000 lb transport weight — requires a multi-axle lowboy or overweight permit on an RGN depending on state legal axle limits.
• Tadano GR-900XL-3: 90-ton capacity — a larger unit used on heavy industrial erection jobs; typically moves as two transport loads for long hauls.
• Tadano GR-1200XL-3: 120-ton RT crane — upper end of the single-load rough terrain segment; requires multi-axle lowboy and overweight permits for most states.

Manitowoc Grove GMK and All-Terrain Cranes (Crossover Range)

The larger end of the rough terrain market overlaps with the all-terrain crane segment. We also transport Grove GMK all-terrain cranes — see our cranes transport page for that equipment range.

Pick-and-Carry Cranes

Pick-and-carry cranes are a related crane type designed to travel with a suspended load — unlike standard RT cranes, which must set outriggers before lifting. Pick-and-carry cranes are common in industrial plant maintenance, rail yard operations, and offshore construction staging yards. Common manufacturers include:

• Manitowoc / Potain pick-and-carry units
• Liebherr LTC series (noted above)
• Shuttlelift industrial carry-deck cranes — smaller capacity units (15–40 tons) that are wide relative to their height and require overwidth permits despite being light enough to haul on a step deck trailer.
• Broderson carry-deck cranes — compact industrial units commonly used in petrochemical plant maintenance; transport weight typically 20,000–50,000 lb.
• Terex pick-and-carry cranes
• Franna pick-and-carry cranes — an Australian-origin design widely used in the US Gulf Coast petrochemical corridor.

Rough Terrain Crane Dimensions and Transport Weights

Rough terrain crane transport weights vary significantly with capacity class. Key dimension ranges for planning purposes:

• 30–50 ton class: Transport weight 70,000–110,000 lb; travel width 10–11 ft (boom retracted); travel height 11–12 ft 6 in.
• 60–80 ton class: Transport weight 120,000–145,000 lb; width 11–13 ft; height 12–13 ft. Overwidth and overweight permits required in most states.
• 90–130 ton class: Transport weight 150,000–200,000 lb or more depending on whether counterweight is attached; width 13–15 ft. Superload territory in some states; multi-axle trailer required.

Most RT cranes travel with the boom fully retracted and secured in the boom rest. The hook block and auxiliary ball are typically removed and shipped separately or loaded in the crane cab. Outrigger pads add width — confirm with your crane operator whether they should ride with the machine or on a separate flatbed.

Trailer Selection for Rough Terrain Crane Transport

RGN (Removable Gooseneck) Trailers

The standard choice for 30–50 ton class RT cranes. The crane can be driven onto the RGN's well under its own power in most cases, which saves rigging time at pickup. Smaller cranes in this class may require overwidth permits but typically do not require overweight permits at the federal limit. See our RGN hauling services for details.

Multi-Axle Lowboy Trailers

The preferred configuration for 60–130 ton class RT cranes, which typically exceed federal tandem axle weight limits on a standard two-axle booster RGN. Multi-axle lowboys with 3, 4, or 5 axle groups spread the load and reduce per-axle weight to within permit limits. Hydraulic steering on the rear axle group helps navigate the crane through tight delivery sites.

Partial Disassembly Loads

For very large RT cranes (90 tons and above) on long-distance hauls, partial disassembly may reduce permit requirements and transit cost. Boom sections, counterweight slabs, and outrigger beam extensions are removed and shipped on a separate flatbed or step deck. Our dispatch team helps shippers evaluate whether partial disassembly makes sense for their move distance and crane model.

Permit Requirements for Rough Terrain Cranes

Most RT cranes require at least an overwidth permit. Larger units also require overweight permits. Key thresholds:

• Overwidth: Any RT crane wider than 8 ft 6 in requires a state oversize permit. In practice, nearly all RT cranes exceed this limit.
• Overweight: RT cranes heavier than 80,000 lb combined (crane plus trailer plus tractor) require overweight permits. Most 40-ton and all larger RT cranes exceed this limit when trailer and tractor weight is added.
• Overheight: RT cranes taller than 13 ft 6 in require overheight permits. Some boom rest configurations push travel height above this threshold even with the boom fully retracted.
• Pilot car requirements: Most states require one pilot car when a load exceeds 12–14 ft in width (varies by state). Two pilot cars are typically required above 16 ft wide. Our permit services team confirms escort requirements for your specific crane and route.

Industries That Move Rough Terrain Cranes Frequently

• Construction: Bridge erection, structural steel placement, precast concrete installation, and tilt-up construction all use RT cranes that rotate between job sites.
• Industrial maintenance: Refinery turnarounds, chemical plant maintenance shutdowns, and power plant outages deploy RT cranes temporarily and then return them to the rental yard.
• Wind energy: RT cranes assist all-terrain and crawler cranes during nacelle and hub component ground assembly before the main crane makes the lift.
• Crane rental companies: Fleet repositioning between branches and regions is a constant source of RT crane transport demand. We handle single-unit and multi-unit fleet relocation moves.
• Precast and modular construction: Building panel erection and modular building set frequently relies on RT cranes in the 40–80 ton capacity range.
• Utilities: Electric utilities and telecom tower erectors use RT cranes for transmission line work and tower foundation pile driving.

Getting a Quote for Rough Terrain Crane Transport

To receive an accurate quote for your RT crane haul, have the following information ready:

• Crane manufacturer and model
• Rated lift capacity (tons)
• Transport weight (found in the crane's load chart documentation or owner's manual)
• Travel dimensions: width, height, and length with boom retracted
• Whether counterweight is attached or shipped separately
• Pickup and delivery addresses (including any access restrictions at either location)
• Requested pickup date

R&RM LLC handles all permit applications, trailer selection, and escort coordination as part of the move. Contact us at (404) 987-6225 or use the form below to start your quote.