How to Inspect a Used Tower Crane Before Buying: 12 Check Points
Buying a used tower crane remotely is normal practice now — most export deals are agreed on photos, videos and inspection reports. The risk is that a machine looks clean in photos while the parts that matter are worn. Below is the checklist we use in our own yards before a crane is offered for sale.
1. Steel structure and welds
Look at mast sections, jib chords, counter-jib and the slewing platform separately. Check for cracks at weld toes, bent chords, and rust that has thinned the section. Surface rust is cosmetic; pitting on load-bearing members is not. Ask for close-up photos of the same joint from two angles.
2. Mast sections and pin holes
Every standard section should be checked for oval pin holes, cracked end plates and distorted connection lugs. Pin holes that have opened up mean the crane has been erected and dismantled many times under load. Ask how many sections are included and whether they were matched to one machine.
3. Slewing ring and its bolts
The slewing bearing carries the whole upper works. Rotate the crane slowly and listen for irregular noise; look for grease leaking past seals, cracked raceway bolts and broken bolt heads. Replacing a slewing ring is possible, but it changes the total cost of the deal considerably.
4. Hoist winch and brake
Ask for a video of the winch running with the hook loaded. Watch for brake slip, uneven rope spooling and oil leaking from the gearbox. Check the brake disc thickness and whether the brake is the original type or a later replacement.
5. Trolley, jib and wire rope
Wire rope condition tells you how the crane was operated. Look for broken outer wires, kinks, and flattened strands. Rope is consumable and cheap to replace; a scored sheave or a worn trolley wheel is a different matter.
6. Electrical system
Open the control cabinet and look at the condition of contactors, terminals and cable insulation. Cranes that worked in coastal or humid sites often have corroded terminals. Ask whether the crane runs on the voltage and frequency used in your country, and whether a transformer or frequency converter is included.
7. Safety devices
Moment limit, weight limit, height limit, amplitude limit and the anemometer should all be present and functioning. Missing or bypassed safety devices are a red flag: it usually means the crane was run outside its design envelope.
8. Cabin and controls
Check the cabin for structural damage and the condition of the control desk. Spare parts for older control desks can be hard to find, so confirm that replacement parts are available before you commit.
9. Counterweight and wall ties
Confirm how many counterweight blocks are included and whether they match the jib length you plan to use. If the crane will be tied to a building, ask whether wall tie frames and rods are part of the package.
10. Documents
Ask for the original manual, the maintenance log and any load test certificate that still exists. A machine with documents is easier to register and easier to resell.
11. Dismantling and transport history
A crane that has been moved many times will show it in the pin holes and the paint. Ask where it was last used, how it was dismantled and whether the sections were numbered during dismantling — numbered sections make reassembly much faster on your site.
12. Run it before you pay
If you cannot visit, ask for an uncut video: crane erected, slewing, trolley travelling, hook raising and lowering, limiters tested. A short edited clip is not the same thing.
If you need help evaluating a specific unit, send us the model, photos and the inspection points you are unsure about. We keep used tower cranes from Potain, Comansa, XCMG, ZTM, Favco and Liebherr in our yards and can confirm what is available now.