Crawler cranes are mounted on crawler tracks, rather than wheels. The crawlers increase the crane's mobility, allowing it to be easily, if slowly, transported from one area to another. Since these crawlers are often bulky, wide and quite heavy, they also increase the stability of the crane. Crawler tracks allow crawler cranes to easily climb over slightly uneven or difficult terrain.
Crawler cranes can be manufactured with a variety of boom types. A crane's boom is the long metallic beam that extends outward to lift a workload. Many booms are manufactured to specific lengths. Adding an extension (jib) is the only way to lengthen these booms. Articulating booms feature a pivot point within the boom. Telescoping booms are another type of boom that are constructed out of tubes that can lengthen or retract within each other. Telescoping booms are often powered by hydraulics, unlike other booms, whose angles change by retracting and letting out steel cables.
Crawler cranes employ a number of safety components to lower the risk of accidents while they are in operation. Crawler cranes are some of the more stable cranes on the market. However, the addition of counterweights or other anti-tipping components to a crawler crane further decreases the likelihood of the crane being upset. Anti-current devices are safety components featured on many crawler cranes that reduce the likelihood of electrocution if the crane contacts a power source like power lines.
Most larger cranes feature a cab in which the crane operator sits while operating the crane. Many cabs are surrounded by steel cages, which shield the operator from getting crushed by a loose load. A winch will be located at the base of the boom around which the steel cables used to raise and lower loads are retracted. Some crawler cranes feature a rotating gear, which allows the cab to spin. Hooks are employed at the end of lifting cables to grab onto workloads.