A mobile A-frame gantry crane is a free-standing lifting structure built from two angled leg assemblies (forming the 'A') supporting a horizontal I-beam, mounted on casters so the entire unit can be rolled to the point of use without a fixed overhead structure or building attachment. A trolley and hoist ride along the I-beam to lift and position loads anywhere along its span.
Maintenance teams, machine shops, and fabrication facilities rely on A-frame gantries wherever a fixed overhead crane isn't available or cost-justified — engine and transmission removal, machine tool servicing, mold changes, and general workshop lifting. Their true A-frame geometry (no separate brace legs) gives greater stability and a wider clear span than four-leg designs, while remaining light enough to disassemble and relocate between job sites. The assemblies it lifts are usually bolted together with double end threaded stud bolts and land on fixtures built from aluminium T-slot extrusion, so span and height have to clear the fixture, not just the load.
Common capacities: 1/2, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, and 10 ton (up to 20 ton for custom heavy-duty units). Height adjustment typically in 6-inch increments via push/pull pins or a hand winch; span adjustable or fixed depending on model.
Quick-Reference Spec Glossary
- Rated capacity
- Maximum safe working load (tons/lbs)
- Span
- Clear horizontal distance between legs (ft)
- Under-beam height
- Usable lift height range beneath the I-beam (ft)
- Height adjustment method
- Push/pull pin, screw jack, or winch-and-cable
- Frame material
- Steel (higher capacity/duty cycle) or aluminum (lighter, easier to move)
- Caster type
- Swivel with position lock, rigid, or rail-guided
- Trolley type
- Push, geared, or motorized trolley along the I-beam
- Load-under-motion rating
- Whether the crane may be moved while loaded (model-specific)