Can an 8-ton spider crane lift an 8-ton piece of equipment while also supporting the rigging weight?

An 8-ton spider crane cannot be assumed to lift 8 tons of equipment plus the rigging weight. The equipment, rigging, and other suspended lifting accessories must be weighed together. Their combined weight must remain below the rated capacity for the actual working radius and boom length.

Include the rigging in the total load

The equipment weight alone is not the total lifting load. When assessing whether the crane can perform the lift, include the weight of the rigging and other suspended lifting accessories.

Total suspended weight = equipment weight + rigging weight + other suspended lifting accessories.

Check the capacity for the actual lifting configuration

The “8-ton” nominal lifting capacity is not enough to determine whether a lift is permissible. Onchtech advises checking the applicable crane load chart before lifting:

• Identify the actual working radius and boom length.
• Find the corresponding rated capacity in the load chart.
• Confirm that the combined suspended weight remains below that rated capacity.

If the equipment itself weighs 8 tons, adding rigging generally exceeds an 8-ton rated capacity. Do not treat the rigging weight as an additional allowance beyond the crane’s rating; verify the complete load against the applicable load chart before proceeding.