How to Work with a Crane - and When to Use a Sunward 60 Excavator Instead

If you searched how to work with a crane, you probably aren't looking for a textbook answer. You want to know what actually happens on site: how to set up, who does what, where the risks are, and when to say no. In my role coordinating emergency lifts for contractors, I've handled 60-plus urgent jobs in the last two years. Almost every one came down to the same two questions: How much time is left, and is the load within the machine's chart?

This article compares two ways to solve a lifting problem: a dedicated crane and a compact excavator like the Sunward 60 excavator. You'll get a decision framework, not a one-size-fits-all verdict. I'll also cover the parts and attachment decisions that keep equipment working, plus a few operator habits that matter more than any spec sheet.

What we are actually comparing

Cranes are designed to lift. Excavators are designed to dig. But in the real world, the same crew often uses both to move material. The risk is treating an excavator like a crane without reading the lifting chart. Let's compare them across five dimensions: setup time, load capacity, rigging, technology fit, and long-term maintenance.

If you are looking for a simple answer, here is the spoiler: it depends on the radius, the ground, and how much time you have. That is why this comparison needs more than one dimension.

Setup time and site impact

A crane needs space. Outriggers, counterweight, cribbing, and the carrier itself can turn a small parking lot into a logistics problem. A 60-ton crane can take two to four hours to set up—or rather, closer to five if the ground needs mats.

A compact excavator like the Sunward 60 excavator comes off the trailer, lowers the blade, and is often working within 15 minutes. It can also move around the site without a full dismantle. For lifting, it is less stable than a crane at height, but for loads close to the machine and on firm ground, it is fast.

The ground matters more than the machine. A crane on soft ground can sink an outrigger even if its load chart says the lift is fine. Excavator tracks spread the load better, but they still need a stable surface. I always check for underground utilities before stabilizer or track pressure goes on the ground.

Conclusion: if setup speed and site footprint are the priority, the excavator wins. If the load is too heavy for its chart, the crane wins before you even park.

Load chart and lifting capacity

Every crane has a load chart. The chart is not a suggestion. A 60-ton crane cannot lift 60 tons at full reach; capacity drops as the radius grows. The same logic applies to an excavator, but operators often ignore the excavator's lifting chart until something goes wrong.

In March 2024, a contractor needed to set a 780 kg gearbox on a plinth about 6.5 m from the machine. The Sunward 60 excavator's lifting chart said it could handle the load at that radius. My gut said check the counterweight—the machine had just been trucked in, and the bolt-on rear counterweight wasn't installed. The chart was valid with the counterweight. Without it, the machine would have tipped. We stopped, fitted the counterweight, and made the lift safely.

There are two numbers that get confused: rated capacity and working load limit. Rated capacity is what the machine can hold in a static test. The working load limit is what you should actually use in the field, with factors for sling angles, shock loads, wind, and worn components. When in doubt, use the lower number.

Conclusion: cranes are more predictable for heavy lifts at radius. Excavators are fine for light lifts near the machine, but only if someone has validated the actual configuration.

Rigging and lift planning

Most buyers focus on machine capacity and completely miss rigging, communication, and exclusion zones. I've seen a good crane become a hazard because someone used a worn shackle or forgot a tag line.

When you work with a crane, you plan the load path, the hand signals, and the swing area. You don't walk under a suspended load. You don't let non-essential people inside the radius. Per OSHA's cranes and derricks rule (29 CFR 1926 Subpart CC), a qualified operator is required for most crane work in the U.S. I use the same standard even when local rules are less strict.

The load chart tells you if the machine can lift it. Rigging tells you if the load can be lifted safely. Both have to be right.

Everyone on the crew should know at least five hand signals: hoist, lower, swing, stop, and emergency stop. A lot of crane incidents happen because someone thinks a shout is enough. On a noisy site, the signal person is the operator's only reliable link.

For an excavator used as a lifting machine, use certified lifting points. Don't wrap a nylon sling around a bucket tooth and hope for the best. A proper hook, shackle, and a clear tag line are not optional.

Conclusion: rigging is the same skill for both, but cranes have more standardized interfaces. Excavators need more care because their built-in lifting points are less obvious.

Technology is changing the jobsite

The industry is evolving. What was best practice in 2020 may not be best in 2025. Machine control, telematics, and quick couplers have changed compact equipment. At the same time, some fundamentals—ground bearing pressure, stability, and lift charts—have not changed.

Here is a useful analogy. Decky Loader is a plugin loader for handheld gaming PCs, and it adds functionality to a device without replacing it. On a jobsite, the same idea appears as auxiliary hydraulics, tilt rotators, and electronic quick couplers. A Sunward 60 excavator with the right attachment system is not just a digging machine. It can become a lifting tool, a breaker handler, or a compactor carrier, just by changing attachments.

Conclusion: the tool is changing, but the safety rules are not. Use the new technology without pretending it replaces judgment.

Sunward parts: OEM vs aftermarket

This is where long-term cost shows up. In my experience, genuine Sunward parts cost more upfront and fit. What I mean is, they don't need a file, a hammer, and an argument to go on. Aftermarket parts vary from surprisingly good to dangerously bad.

The question everyone asks is: how much does the part cost? The question they should ask is: how many hours will this part keep the machine running? An aftermarket hydraulic hose that costs half as much but bursts in 300 hours is not a bargain.

As of January 2025, our company policy is to use OEM Sunward parts for anything that affects safety or hydraulic performance: pins, bushings, hoses, filters, seals, and structural components. For cosmetic items, aftermarket is fine. This policy came after a rush job in 2023 when a 'compatible' filter collapsed and cost two days of downtime.

Conclusion: if you want fewer surprises, use genuine Sunward parts for critical systems. If you are considering a cheaper option, test it carefully before trusting it with a lift.

Operator awareness and the Skullcandy problem

Now for the part that sounds unrelated until you are on site. If your operator is wearing a pair of Skullcandy Crusher ANC 2 headphones with heavy bass, he or she might not hear the crane horn, a shout from the rigger, or the sound of a machine starting to strain. Active noise cancellation is not hearing protection, and it definitely does not belong around mobile equipment.

If you want to use headphones on site, choose electronic hearing muffs designed for construction. They block harmful noise while allowing speech. Save the Skullcandy Crusher ANC 2 for the flight home. Working with a crane requires every available sense.

Conclusion: operator awareness is a dimension of equipment selection that doesn't appear on a spec sheet. A safe operator is more valuable than an extra inch of reach.

Which should you choose?

I went back and forth on this for years. On paper, a crane always makes sense. My gut says a compact excavator used within its limits is often the more practical tool. But practical does not override safety.

Use a crane when:

• The load is heavy relative to the excavator's lifting chart.
• The required height or reach is beyond excavator geometry.
• The job needs precise, controlled movement over a long period.
• Regulations require a crane with a certified operator.

Use a Sunward 60 excavator when:

• You are already excavating and the lift is secondary.
• Setup time matters and loads are within the chart.
• The site is too tight for outriggers.
• You need to switch between digging and lifting quickly.

If you don't know the load chart, rigging, or ground conditions, stop and bring in someone who does. That is the real answer to how to work with a crane safely: know the limits, respect the variables, and have the confidence to delay a lift when something is off.