Buy Cranes Online in Australia
Workshop & Ute Crane Selection — Quick Reference
Compact cranes for workshop + vehicle-mounted lifting where fixed overhead crane infrastructure isn't available. Selection turns on capacity, mounting (workshop floor vs ute tray), power (manual vs 12V vs hydraulic), and reach.
| Crane Type | Capacity | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Portable Mini Crane (Workshop Floor) | 400 kg WLL × 2m lift | Maintenance workshops, small fab bays, on-site service — Austlift Aussie Fetch |
| 12V Electric Swivel Ute Crane | 200-500 kg typ | Vehicle-mounted lifting — Garrick Herbert ute crane |
| Engine Crane (Workshop Foldable) | 500 kg – 2,000 kg | Engine + heavy assembly lifting in mechanics workshops |
| Hydraulic Trolley Crane | 500 kg – 1,000 kg | Wheeled hydraulic-jack lift — workshop assembly work |
| Mini Gantry (A-Frame) | 500 kg – 2,000 kg | Temporary lifting points, drum + machinery work |
| Workshop Jib Crane (Wall-Mount) | 500 kg – 5,000 kg | Permanent workshop lifting — single-point coverage |
Critical: All workshop cranes must comply with AS 1418.1 (cranes/hoists/winches general) + lift gear (hooks/chains/slings) per AS 3775 + AS 1353. Inspect + tag annually per AS 2550. Capacity ratings = nominal — apply 1.5× safety margin for shock-load applications. Brands: Austlift, Garrick Herbert. Companion: hoists, lifting equipment, jib crane guide.
Workshop & Ute Cranes
AIMS stocks compact cranes for workshop and vehicle-mounted lifting applications. The current range covers a portable mini crane from Austlift and a 12-volt ute-mounted swivel crane from Garrick Herbert — both suited to moving and positioning loads where fixed overhead lifting infrastructure is not available.
Austlift Aussie Fetch Mini Crane
The Austlift Aussie Fetch is a portable mini crane with a 400 kg lifting capacity and 2 m lift height. It is designed for workshop and site use where loads need to be lifted, positioned, or moved without permanent crane infrastructure. Compact and manoeuvrable, it suits maintenance workshops, small fabrication bays, and on-site service operations where a full-size crane is not practical.
Garrick Herbert Swivel Ute Crane
The Garrick Herbert Swivel Ute Crane is a 12-volt electrically-operated crane designed for ute tray mounting, available in 500 kg and 800 kg capacities. Its swivel design allows flexible load placement without repositioning the vehicle. It is suited to field service, plumbing, electrical, and civil maintenance operations where tools, materials, or equipment need to be loaded and unloaded from a work vehicle efficiently.
For help with crane selection, accessories, or mounting information, contact our team.
People Also Ask — Cranes and Lifting Systems
Q: What types of cranes does AIMS supply?
Workshop cranes (folding shop cranes, engine cranes) for vehicle service. Jib cranes (wall-mounted and free-standing) for repeated overhead lifting. Gantry cranes (mobile A-frame or fixed) for material handling. Hoists and chain blocks for use with crane structures. AIMS doesn't supply large industrial overhead bridge cranes — those are specialty engineered systems through dedicated crane suppliers. For workshop and trade lifting equipment, AIMS covers the full range with brands like Pacific Hoists, Austlift, and Tiger.
Q: Workshop crane (engine crane) capacity?
Folding shop cranes (engine cranes): typically 1-tonne or 2-tonne capacity. Capacity drops as the boom extends — a '2-tonne' crane may only lift 500kg at full extension. Always check the rated capacity at the working position. For automotive engine removal (typical engine weight 200-400kg), 2-tonne crane with extending boom is workshop standard. For heavier work, dedicated lifting equipment with higher rated capacity required.
Q: Jib crane vs gantry crane?
Jib crane: rotates around a vertical pillar, sweeps a sector — good for fixed-location repeated lifting (machine loading, workstation lifting). Wall-mounted (cantilever) or free-standing. Gantry crane: portal frame with hoist running along beam — covers a rectangular area, can be mobile (A-frame on castors) or fixed. For workstation lifting: jib crane. For movement across an area: gantry. Match to workflow.
Q: AS 1418 certification — does my workshop crane need it?
AS 1418 series sets requirements for cranes and lifting equipment in Australia. Workshop engine cranes (under 1 tonne) used for occasional lifting may not be subject to formal certification but should still be inspected annually. Jib cranes and gantry cranes in commercial use require AS 1418 compliance + annual third-party inspection per AS 2550 (Cranes — Safe Use). For mobile crane operators, additional licensing requirements apply (CN or CV class licence depending on capacity).
Q: How often do cranes need maintenance?
Workshop engine cranes: pre-use visual check, annual full inspection including hydraulic ram seal check, chain inspection, structural welds. Jib and gantry cranes: monthly visual inspection by operator, quarterly inspection by competent person, annual full inspection. Replace lifting hooks at signs of wear or distortion. Replace chains and slings on schedule per AS 4991. Damaged cranes must be tagged out of service until repaired or replaced — using damaged equipment is a WHS breach.
Q: What is the Austlift Aussie Fetch mini crane rated for?
The Austlift Aussie Fetch is a portable mini crane rated to 400 kg lifting capacity with a 2 m lift height, designed for workshop and site use where loads need lifting, positioning or moving without permanent crane infrastructure — suited to maintenance workshops, small fabrication bays and on-site service.
Q: What capacity does the Garrick Herbert Swivel Ute Crane offer?
The Garrick Herbert Swivel Ute Crane is a 12-volt electrically-operated crane for ute tray mounting, available in 500 kg and 800 kg capacities. Its swivel design allows flexible load placement without repositioning the vehicle, suiting field service, plumbing, electrical and civil maintenance work.
Q: What's a hydraulic trolley crane used for?
A hydraulic trolley crane is a wheeled, hydraulic-jack-operated crane rated 500 kg to 1,000 kg, used for workshop assembly work where a load needs to be lifted and moved across the floor rather than swung from a fixed pivot point.
Q: What standard covers lifting gear like hooks, chains and slings used with a workshop crane?
Lifting gear — hooks, chains and slings — used with workshop cranes must comply with AS 3775 and AS 1353, in addition to the AS 1418.1 requirements covering the crane, hoist or winch itself.
Q: Why should I apply a safety margin above a crane's rated capacity for shock-load applications?
Capacity ratings on workshop cranes are nominal figures for steady, controlled lifting. For shock-load applications — where a load might jerk or drop suddenly during the lift — apply a 1.5× safety margin above the rated capacity to keep the crane within safe working limits.
Q: What's a mini gantry (A-frame) crane suited for?
A mini gantry (A-frame) crane, rated 500 kg to 2,000 kg, provides a temporary lifting point for drum handling and machinery work where a fixed jib or overhead crane isn't installed — it can be moved to where the lift is needed rather than being a permanent fixture.