What Is A Franna Crane And When Should You Use One?
A Franna crane is a “pick and carry” mobile crane. It drives on the road like a truck, then comes onto site, hooks onto the load, lifts it, and moves with the load still in the air. There is no need to set up outriggers or a large pad first. This keeps things moving when the program is tight. The name comes from the Australian manufacturer Terex Franna but many people now use “Franna” as a general word for this style of crane. A typical unit has the operator’s cab at the front, a telescopic boom in the middle, and a hook hanging on a winch rope from the end of the boom. Frannas rely on their own weight, the steering design, and the way the operator positions the load to stay stable. That design makes them handy on busy Sydney streets, tight industrial yards, and large construction sites where loads need to move from one area to another during the day.
How A Franna Crane Compares To Other Cranes
Franna Vs All Terrain Crane
A Franna crane is built to lift a load, travel with it, and set it down somewhere else. It suits work where the load needs to move around a site or between nearby locations on the same day. An all terrain crane works in a different way. It sets up on outriggers, stays in one position, and uses a longer boom to reach over buildings or deep into a site. All terrain cranes often handle heavier lifts and higher hook heights, which suits large commercial and infrastructure projects. On a typical Sydney job, the Franna acts like the workhorse that moves gear around once the heavy or long-reach lifts are done. The all terrain crane handles the bigger, more complex lifts that need reach, height, or precise placement from one spot.
Franna Vs City Crane
City cranes are compact slewing cranes that set up on outriggers and work in tight areas. They don’t travel with the load. The crane stays put and uses its boom to swing materials into position. This layout suits inner city sites with narrow lanes, tower crane work, or lifts that need good reach on a small footprint. A Franna, on the other hand, drives in, hooks on, lifts, then carries the load. It needs enough room to travel safely with the load and room to position the crane. Frannas fit well on wider suburban streets, industrial estates, and open commercial sites where there is space to move.
Key Pros And Limits Of A Franna Crane
Pros:
- Fast mobilisation and pack up
- Can move loads around a large site in one visit
- Road legal, so it can travel between nearby locations in a shift
- Ideal for plant moves, materials handling, and repeat lifts through the day
Limits:
- Shorter reach than many all terrain and city cranes
- Needs room to travel with the load
- Load charts change as the crane steers and moves, so it needs an experienced operator and proper planning
Knowing these differences makes it easier to pick the right crane for the lift instead of guessing from the crane size alone.
When A Franna Crane Is Appropriate
Short Jobs And Busy Schedules
A Franna crane suits work where you need plenty of lifts in a single day. It can arrive on site, hook onto a load, move it, then head to the next task with very little downtime between moves. This works well when the program is tight and different trades are lining up behind each other. The crane can shift steel from the street to the slab in the morning, move plant inside a warehouse after lunch, then help place materials on a different part of the site late in the day. One machine, one operator, several tasks ticked off.
Sites With Room To Move
A Franna needs firm ground and clear travel paths. It carries the load while it drives, so the operator needs enough space to steer, brake, and position the hook where the load will land. Think of wide suburban streets, industrial estates, open commercial developments, and infrastructure jobs with access tracks. On these sites a Franna can come in, take the weight of the load, travel at low speed, and place it exactly where the team needs it. If the site has a good laydown area, the crane can shuttle loads from the delivery point to that zone through the day.
Typical Loads For A 20 Tonne Franna
A 20 tonne Franna often handles:
- Structural steel for houses, small commercial builds, and refurb work
- Precast panels and lintels within the crane’s capacity and chart
- Air conditioning units and other rooftop services
- Machinery moves in factories and workshops
- Tanks, generators, and similar plant on infrastructure jobs
- Spas, small pools, and landscaping features on residential sites
These loads tend to be compact and heavy rather than long and awkward. The crane can lift them, travel carefully, then set them down so riggers and trades can finish the positioning work.
When A Franna Adds Real Value
A Franna adds value when the crane does more than a single static lift. If the day involves multiple pick points, a few different locations, or a mix of street and on-site lifting, a pick and carry setup keeps things moving. The crew spends more time installing and less time waiting for a crane to move, pack up, or reset. When you describe the job to AOR, mention how many lifts you expect, where the loads will start and finish, and how much room there is to travel. With that information, the team can confirm if a Franna crane is the right fit or suggest another option from the fleet.
Why Choose AOR Cranes
Proven Sydney Crane Specialists
AOR Cranes has spent more than three decades helping Sydney builders, trades and industrial sites get lifts done safely and on time. The business is local and family run, so you deal with people who know the suburbs, traffic conditions and access quirks around the city and across Greater Sydney.
Experienced Operators And Riggers
A Franna crane is only as good as the crew running it. AOR’s team includes trained operators, riggers and support staff who work with pick and carry cranes every day. They understand how load weight, steering angle and surface conditions affect a Franna, and they know how to keep the lift inside the chart while still getting the job done. On site this means clear communication, sensible lift plans and a focus on keeping trades, pedestrians and traffic safe around the crane.
Modern Fleet With The Right Options
AOR’s fleet covers far more than a single 20 tonne Franna. The team looks after mini crawler cranes, city cranes, pick and carry cranes up to 28 tonne, and Liebherr all terrain cranes from 40 to 100 tonne. Our extensive range of cranes for hire in Sydney gives you many options. If a Franna suits the lift, they can send the Terex Franna AT-20. If the load needs extra reach or capacity, they can move you into an all terrain or another crane from the fleet so the lift stays safe and efficient.
Safety Systems You Can Rely On
AOR runs CraneSafe-certified equipment and ISO-certified management systems. Every crane goes through regular inspections and maintenance so it turns up ready to work. For you this means fewer surprises on the day of the lift. The crew arrives with a crane that meets Australian standards, the right rigging, and a clear plan for how to set up and move the load.
Local Support And Straightforward Service
Because AOR is based in Sydney and services a wide list of suburbs across the metro area, response times stay tight and travel is predictable.
Book A Franna Crane
A Franna crane is a handy option when you need to lift, move and set down loads across a busy Sydney site. It works well for plant moves, materials handling and full days of short lifts where you want one crane to do a lot of work. If you think a pick and carry crane fits your next job, take a look at AOR’s 20 tonne Franna crane hire page for more detail. Ready to line up a lift or talk through the options? Request a quote and we’ll help you lock in the right crane for the job.
Franna Crane Hire FAQs
Is A Franna Crane Different To A Standard Mobile Crane?
Yes. A Franna is a pick and carry crane that travels with the load on site. Many other mobile cranes set up on outriggers and work from one fixed position.
Do AOR Franna Cranes Come With An Operator?
Yes. AOR supplies Franna cranes with experienced operators and riggers or dogmen.
What Information Do I Need To Book A Franna Crane?
Have the load weight, overall size, pick-up and set-down points, site access notes, and a few photos ready so the team can confirm if a 20 tonne Franna suits the lift and plan the work safely.
AOR Cranes is dedicated to delivering top-notch crane hire services with safety, reliability, and expertise at the core. With over 30 years of experience, we handle every project with care and expertise to meet your needs.
