Oilfield and pipeline work in the Eagle Ford, Permian Basin, and along the Gulf Coast puts more stress on a truck than almost any other job. If you’re speccing a crane truck for lease operators, workover crews, or pipeline contractors, chassis choice and body/crane matching matter as much as horsepower. Here’s how Star Truck Equipment specs crane trucks for Texas oilfield customers.
Chassis Options for Oilfield Crane Trucks
| Chassis | GVWR | Best Crane Capacity | Typical CA |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ford F-550 DRW | 19,500–22,000 lbs | Up to 12,000 ft-lbs | 84″–108″ |
| Ram 5500 | 19,500 lbs | Up to 14,000 ft-lbs | 84″–120″ |
| Ford F-600 | 22,000 lbs | Up to 20,000 ft-lbs | 84″–120″ |
| Medium-duty (F-750, International, Freightliner) | 25,999–33,000 lbs | 20,000+ ft-lbs | 120″–169″ |
For most single-operator oilfield trucks running a service body plus a smaller knuckle-boom crane, an F-550 or Ram 5500 DRW cab and chassis is the sweet spot — enough GVWR headroom to carry a body, crane, and tools without overloading the rear axle, while still being narrow enough to run lease roads and tight well sites. When crews need bigger lift capacity for pulling wellheads, tanks, or heavy pipe, we move customers up to F-600 or a Class 6/7 medium-duty chassis.
Crane Body Pairings We Recommend
- STI crane bodies — factory crane-ready with reinforced subframes designed specifically to pair with Tiger cranes; the go-to combo for Eagle Ford and Permian pipeline crews
- RKI service/crane bodies — Houston-built (not San Antonio), strong compartment layouts for tools alongside crane mounting
- Tiger cranes — knuckle-boom and telescoping options sized to match your chassis GVWR and typical lift weight
SRW vs. DRW for Crane Work
Nearly every serious oilfield crane truck we spec is dual rear wheel (DRW). Crane work concentrates load off-center when the boom is extended and loaded, and DRW chassis provide the stability and rear axle capacity to handle that safely. SRW chassis simply don’t have the GVWR or stability margin for crane-rated bodies once you add outriggers, boom weight, and a loaded work platform.
CA Measurements and Body Fitment
Crane body length is dictated by cab-to-axle (CA) measurement, not just wheelbase. A 60″ CA works for a compact crane body on a regular cab F-550, while crew cab configurations typically need 84″ CA or longer to leave room for a full-length crane body plus tool compartments. Always confirm CA before ordering — we cross-reference chassis specs against STI and Tiger’s crane body length charts before every quote.
Why Texas Oilfield Crews Choose Star Truck Equipment
We’re based in Wharton, TX and build crane trucks for operators across the Eagle Ford, Permian Basin, and Gulf Coast corridor. We spec the chassis, body, and crane together as one system — not separate purchases — so your truck is legal, balanced, and ready for the field on day one. See our full crane body lineup and service bodies for related configurations.
📞 Call us at (979) 532-1486 to talk through your crane truck build — chassis, crane sizing, and body layout, all in one conversation.