20 Tonne Franna Crane Hire Sydney

Our 20 tonne Franna crane hire in Sydney provides the lifting capacity, mobility and flexibility needed for demanding construction and industrial projects.

This articulated pick-and-carry crane can lift a suitable load and move it around a site without requiring the repeated setup associated with a conventional mobile crane. It is particularly useful for machinery relocation, structural steel installation, loading and unloading heavy equipment, and moving materials across large worksites.

The 20 tonne Franna offers greater lifting capacity than our 15 tonne model while remaining compact and manoeuvrable. Its articulated steering helps it move through industrial yards, building sites and restricted work areas where space may be limited.

Contact St George Cranes with the weight of your load, the required lifting radius and details of the site. We can assess the job and determine whether the 20 tonne Franna is the right crane for your lift.

20 Tonne Franna Crane Specifications

Our 20 tonne Franna is an articulated pick-and-carry crane designed for lifting and transporting loads around a worksite.

The 20-tonne rating is the crane’s maximum lifting capacity under specified conditions. It does not mean the crane can lift 20 tonnes at every boom length, radius or articulation angle.

The crane’s available capacity decreases as the load moves farther away from the crane. Capacity can also be affected by the boom configuration, chassis articulation, ground conditions, slope and the weight of the hook, slings and lifting equipment.

Key dimensions currently listed for our 20 tonne Franna include:

SpecificationApproximate figure
Maximum rated capacity20 tonnes under specified conditions
Overall width2.5 metres
Overall height3.1 metres
Overall length10 metres
Radius with a 1-tonne loadApproximately 12 metres
Radius with a 2-tonne loadApproximately 11 metres
Crane typeArticulated pick-and-carry crane
OutriggersNot normally required

These figures provide a general guide only. Every lift must be assessed using the load chart and operating information for the specific crane supplied.

The weight of the hook block, slings, spreader bars and other lifting equipment forms part of the total suspended load and must be considered when assessing crane capacity.

What Is a 20 Tonne Franna Crane Used For?

The 20t Franna is suited to projects that require greater capacity than a smaller pick-and-carry crane can provide but do not necessarily require a large all-terrain crane.

It can perform both conventional lifting work and controlled pick-and-carry operations. This makes it a practical option when loads must be collected from one area and moved to another part of the same site.

Common applications include:

  • Moving industrial machinery
  • Relocating factory equipment
  • Lifting structural steel
  • Positioning concrete panels and beams
  • Installing roof trusses
  • Moving generators and compressors
  • Lifting tanks, pumps and mechanical equipment
  • Loading and unloading trucks
  • Handling large building materials
  • Assisting with warehouse renovations
  • Moving equipment around construction sites
  • Positioning air-conditioning units
  • Supporting infrastructure and civil works
  • Lifting prefabricated building sections

For example, the crane may unload a piece of machinery from a truck, lift it clear of the transport vehicle and carry it to an installation area within a warehouse or industrial yard.

This can reduce the need for separate unloading and transport equipment, subject to the weight of the load, ground conditions and available travel route.

Greater Capacity for Heavy Lifting Work

The 20 tonne Franna provides additional lifting capacity compared with our 15 tonne crane.

That extra capacity may be important where:

  • The load is heavier
  • A longer lifting radius is required
  • Heavy rigging equipment must be used
  • The crane needs to operate with some articulation
  • A greater capacity margin is desirable
  • Several different loads must be handled during the same booking

Crane selection should never be based solely on the stated maximum tonnage. A load that weighs substantially less than 20 tonnes may still require the larger crane because it must be lifted at a longer radius.

The weight and location of the load should therefore be assessed together. A heavy load positioned close to the crane may fall within its capacity, while a much lighter item at a longer radius may require a larger machine.

Our team can review your lifting requirements and recommend the most suitable crane from our fleet.

A Pick-and-Carry Crane for Sydney Worksites

A major advantage of a Franna crane is its ability to travel with a suitable suspended load.

Many conventional mobile cranes operate from one fixed position after being established on outriggers. A Franna normally operates on its tyres and can carry a load along an assessed travel path.

This can be useful on:

  • Construction sites with several work zones
  • Industrial complexes
  • Warehouses and factories
  • Storage yards
  • Civil construction sites
  • Infrastructure projects
  • Commercial developments
  • Large residential projects

The crane may be able to collect materials from a delivery area and move them closer to the point of installation. This reduces the need to dismantle and reset the crane each time the lifting location changes.

All pick-and-carry movements must be properly planned. The operator must consider the suspended load, crane configuration, ground surface, slope, travel speed, visibility and changes in chassis articulation.

Manoeuvrability in Restricted Areas

The 20 tonne Franna uses an articulated chassis. Rather than steering in the same way as a conventional truck, the machine bends through its central articulation point.

This design gives the crane strong manoeuvrability for its size and helps it negotiate industrial yards, access roads and confined work areas.

Its approximate dimensions are:

  • 2.5 metres wide
  • 3.1 metres high
  • 10 metres long

These measurements must still be considered carefully when assessing site access.

Before booking the crane, check:

  • Gate and driveway width
  • Overhead clearance
  • Turning room
  • Road width
  • Parked vehicles
  • Building projections
  • Scaffolding
  • Trees and vegetation
  • Overhead powerlines
  • Ground stability
  • Underground services
  • Space around the lifting area

The crane also requires enough room to move safely if the job involves carrying a suspended load.

Send us photographs, site plans and measurements so we can assess whether the crane can enter, turn and operate within the available area.

Why Hire a 20 Tonne Franna Crane?

Strong pick-and-carry capacity

The crane can lift and transport suitable loads around a site. This makes it well suited to machinery movement, materials handling and projects involving several lifting locations.

Faster site setup

A Franna does not normally require outriggers. It can often begin operating shortly after arriving at the worksite, once the required safety checks and lifting arrangements have been completed.

Articulated steering

The central articulation point allows the crane to turn through confined areas and approach loads from different positions.

Greater capacity than a 15 tonne crane

The 20 tonne Franna may provide the additional capacity required for heavier loads, longer radiuses or projects requiring a larger operating margin.

Efficient for multiple lifts

The crane can move between work areas without being fully packed up and re-established for each lift.

Suitable for industrial projects

Its combination of lifting strength and mobility makes it particularly useful in factories, warehouses, construction yards and commercial developments.

Road-going mobility

A Franna is a mobile crane that can travel between appropriate worksites without requiring a separate transport vehicle in many circumstances.

Machinery Relocation with a 20 Tonne Franna

Machinery relocation is one of the most common uses for a larger pick-and-carry crane.

The 20 tonne Franna may be used to move:

  • Manufacturing equipment
  • Lathes and milling machines
  • Printing equipment
  • Commercial generators
  • Compressors
  • Pumps
  • Electrical equipment
  • Mechanical plant
  • Workshop machinery
  • Packaged air-conditioning systems

Machinery lifts require careful preparation. The equipment’s verified weight, centre of gravity and approved lifting points must be identified before the lift begins.

The travel path should also be checked for:

  • Floor capacity
  • Surface damage
  • Slopes
  • Drainage pits
  • Underground services
  • Narrow doorways
  • Low roofs
  • Pedestrian traffic
  • Other operating machinery

Additional rigging, skates, spreader bars or transport equipment may be required depending on the load and its final position.

Structural Steel and Construction Materials

The 20 tonne Franna can assist with structural steel and general building work across Sydney.

Typical lifts may include:

  • Steel beams
  • Columns
  • Roof trusses
  • Frames
  • Precast components
  • Reinforcement cages
  • Packaged building materials
  • Timber beams
  • Formwork
  • Site sheds and containers

The crane’s pick-and-carry ability can be particularly useful when steel arrives at a site in a delivery zone that is separate from the installation area.

The crane may unload the steel, move it through the site and place it where the installation team requires it.

The suitability of the crane will depend on the weight and length of the steel, the lifting radius, the available headroom and the required placement height.

How Much Can a 20 Tonne Franna Lift?

A 20 tonne Franna can only lift its maximum rated capacity under the conditions shown in its approved load chart.

As the lifting radius increases, the crane’s available capacity decreases. Capacity may also reduce as the crane articulates or operates on sloping ground.

For this reason, knowing that an item weighs five tonnes is not enough to select the crane. We must also know how far the load will be positioned from the crane during the lift.

Provide the following information when requesting a quote:

  • Confirmed load weight
  • Load length, width and height
  • Approved lifting points
  • Collection location
  • Final placement location
  • Estimated lifting radius
  • Required lifting height
  • Available site access
  • Ground conditions
  • Photographs or plans
  • Preferred lifting date

Where possible, use an equipment plate, engineering drawing, manufacturer’s manual or supplier document to confirm the load weight.

Do not rely on a rough estimate for heavy equipment or machinery. An incorrect weight can result in the wrong crane being selected.

Site Access and Ground Conditions

A Franna operates on its tyres and depends on suitable ground support.

The crane may not be suitable where the ground is soft, unstable, severely sloping or unable to support the machine and its load.

Potential ground hazards include:

  • Uncompacted fill
  • Wet soil
  • Damaged pavement
  • Trenches
  • Basements
  • Stormwater pits
  • Septic tanks
  • Underground services
  • Suspended slabs
  • Recently excavated areas
  • Unprotected edges

The travel path must be assessed as well as the final lifting location. This is particularly important when the crane will carry a load across the site.

Steel plates, engineered ground support or another crane type may be required where ground conditions are unsuitable.

Crane Hire with Experienced Personnel

Safe crane hire involves much more than delivering a machine to the worksite.

Depending on the project, our service may include:

  • An experienced crane operator
  • A qualified dogman
  • Additional rigging personnel
  • Site access assessment
  • Lift planning
  • Selection of lifting equipment
  • Coordination with builders and site managers
  • Traffic-control planning
  • Assistance identifying permit requirements
  • A free site inspection

The personnel and planning required will depend on the complexity of the lift, the load, the work environment and applicable site requirements.

We can also recommend another crane where the 20 tonne Franna is not the most suitable option.

15 Tonne or 20 Tonne Franna?

Both cranes provide manoeuvrability and pick-and-carry capability, but they suit different lifting requirements.

The 15 tonne Franna may be appropriate where:

  • Loads are lighter
  • Access is particularly restricted
  • The required lifting radius is short
  • The site has less room for manoeuvring
  • The job involves routine construction materials

The 20 tonne Franna may be preferable where:

  • Loads are heavier
  • More lifting capacity is needed
  • The load must be handled at a longer radius
  • Heavy lifting equipment is required
  • The job involves machinery or structural components
  • A greater operating margin is needed

A smaller crane is not automatically the most economical choice. Where its capacity is marginal, work may take longer or the lift may not be possible.

Choosing a crane with appropriate capacity can make the work safer and more efficient.

When a Larger Crane May Be Required

The 20 tonne Franna is versatile, but it is not suitable for every project.

A larger city crane or all-terrain crane may be required where:

  • The lifting radius is too long
  • The load must pass over a building
  • Greater hook height is required
  • The crane must remain in one position
  • The load exceeds the Franna’s chart capacity
  • There is no safe travel path
  • The ground is unsuitable for pick-and-carry work
  • The project requires extensive boom reach

St George Cranes has access to different crane sizes and configurations. We can assess the job and recommend a crane based on the actual lift rather than relying only on the load’s weight.

Sydney Areas We Service

We provide 20 tonne Franna crane hire throughout metropolitan Sydney, including:

  • St George
  • Sutherland Shire
  • Inner West
  • Sydney CBD
  • Eastern Suburbs
  • North Shore
  • Northern Beaches
  • Western Sydney
  • South Western Sydney
  • Hills District

We can also discuss projects in surrounding areas depending on crane availability, travel requirements and the nature of the job.

Book a 20 Tonne Franna Crane

Contact St George Cranes before selecting a crane based solely on its maximum tonnage.

Tell us what must be lifted, how much it weighs, where it is located and where it needs to be placed. Photographs and measurements can help us assess the required crane, personnel and lifting equipment.

For complex work, we can arrange a free site inspection to review access, ground conditions and the proposed lifting radius.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Does a 20 tonne Franna need outriggers?

A Franna is an articulated pick-and-carry crane and does not normally use outriggers. It operates on its tyres in accordance with the applicable load chart and rated-capacity system.

Can a 20 tonne Franna carry a load?

Yes. A defining feature of a Franna crane is its ability to pick up and carry suitable loads around a site. The crane configuration, load radius, ground conditions and travel path must be assessed first.

Can it lift 20 tonnes at full reach?

No. The maximum rating only applies under specified short-radius conditions. The available lifting capacity decreases as the radius increases.

What is the difference between a Franna and a mobile crane?

A Franna is a type of mobile pick-and-carry crane. It can travel with a suitable suspended load. Many conventional mobile cranes establish on outriggers and perform static lifts from one position.

Is the 20 tonne Franna suitable for machinery relocation?

Yes, it is commonly suited to machinery and industrial equipment relocation. The confirmed equipment weight, lifting points, centre of gravity, access and final position must be assessed.

How wide is the 20 tonne Franna?

Our website lists the crane as approximately 2.5 metres wide. Additional clearance is required for safe access and operation.

How high is the crane?

The listed overall travel height is approximately 3.1 metres. Overhead clearance should be checked carefully before the crane enters a building, yard or covered area.

How long is the crane?

The listed overall length is approximately 10 metres. The site must provide sufficient room for the crane to enter, turn and position safely.

Can the crane work inside a warehouse?

It may be suitable for some warehouse projects where there is sufficient access, ventilation, overhead clearance, floor capacity and operating space. Each indoor job must be assessed individually.

Do I need a dogman with the crane?

The personnel required will depend on the lifting work and applicable safety requirements. Crane bookings commonly include or require a qualified dogman to direct the lift and manage the load.

How much does 20 tonne Franna hire cost?

The price depends on the site location, travel time, hire duration, required personnel, lifting equipment, job complexity and booking time. Providing accurate information and photographs will help us prepare a suitable quote.

How do I know whether this crane is large enough?

Provide the confirmed load weight, dimensions, lifting radius, placement height and site photographs. Our team can check the requirements against the crane’s load chart and recommend the appropriate machine.