When it’s time to put a crane body on your work truck, two names come up often in the Texas and Louisiana markets: STI (Service Trucks International) and Reading Truck. Both build rugged crane bodies used by contractors, oilfield operators, and utility companies — but they serve different buyers in different ways.

At Star Truck Equipment in Wharton, TX, we carry STI and can help you compare your options. Here’s an honest breakdown of how these two crane body brands stack up.

What Is a Crane Body?

A crane body is a specialized truck body that combines compartmentalized storage with a mounted hydraulic crane. These units are built for industries that need to lift heavy materials — pipe, equipment, generators, motors — while keeping tools and parts organized in integrated lockable compartments.

They’re common in oil and gas, electrical utility, construction, telecom, and heavy maintenance work. Choosing the right crane body matters because you’re investing $10,000–$30,000+ and pairing it with a crane that could be mounted for years.

STI Crane Bodies — Built for Serious Service Trucks

STI (Service Trucks International) is one of the most respected names in the service truck industry. Their crane bodies are engineered with heavy-duty work in mind — think oilfield, construction, and utility crews that put serious hours and loads on their equipment every week.

STI Crane Body Highlights:

• Heavy-gauge steel construction with reinforced crane mounting pads
• Multiple body lengths to fit most cab-to-axle configurations (60″ CA through 108″ CA)
• Welded compartment doors with weather-tight seals
• Integrated hydraulic system routing for crane lines
• Available with tiger-claw latches, piano-style hinges, and stainless hardware options
• Designed to pair with truck-mounted cranes from brands like Tiger, Autocrane, and Stellar
• Strong dealer network in Texas — support you can actually reach

STI is known for a higher build quality than many competitors at a comparable price point. Their bodies are made in the USA and have a loyal following among oilfield service companies and heavy construction crews across Texas and Louisiana.

Reading Truck Crane Bodies

Reading Truck is one of the largest truck body manufacturers in the United States, with over 25 locations nationwide. They build a wide range of service, utility, and crane bodies. Reading’s crane bodies are solid mid-tier products that appeal to fleet buyers, government agencies, and companies looking for consistent volume purchasing.

Reading Crane Body Highlights:

• Broad model lineup across service, utility, and crane configurations
• Standardized manufacturing — good for fleet uniformity
• Available through a national dealer network
• Multiple body lengths and configurations
• Steel construction with locking compartments
• Strong inventory availability due to nationwide production volume

Reading’s strength is consistency and availability. If you’re buying 20+ trucks for a fleet and need identical bodies delivered on a schedule, Reading’s nationwide network can support that. For individual buyers or small fleets, the value equation shifts.

STI vs Reading Crane Bodies: Head-to-Head

Here’s how these two brands compare across the factors that matter most to Texas and Louisiana work truck buyers:

Factor	STI	Reading Truck
Build Quality	Heavy-duty, USA-made	Solid mid-tier
Customization	High — many options	Moderate — standardized
Crane Integration	Designed for crane mounting	Crane-ready configurations
Texas/Louisiana Support	Strong regional presence	National network
Ideal Buyer	Oilfield, construction, utility	Fleet buyers, gov’t agencies
Price Point	Premium	Mid-range
Availability at STE	✅ In stock / orderable	❌ Not carried

Who Should Choose STI?

STI is the right call if you:

• Work in oilfield, construction, or heavy utility where durability is non-negotiable
• Want a body built to handle daily crane operation under real load cycles
• Need customization — specific CA lengths, compartment layouts, or mounting configurations
• Prefer buying from a Texas-based dealer who knows the product inside and out
• Want to pair your body with a Tiger Crane or other quality truck-mounted crane

Who Might Choose Reading?

Reading is a better fit if you:

• Are a large fleet buyer needing standardized units across many trucks
• Have a Reading dealer already in your procurement chain
• Are buying for municipal or government applications where an approved vendor list applies

For most individual buyers and small-to-mid-sized Texas and Louisiana businesses, STI delivers more value for the money — especially when you factor in crane body durability and the support of a dealer who specializes in work truck upfitting.

What Crane Should Go With a Crane Body?

The body is only half the equation. Your crane matters just as much. At Star Truck Equipment, we carry truck-mounted cranes from leading brands including Tiger Cranes — known for reliability, compact footprint, and strong performance in oilfield and utility work. We help you spec the right crane-to-body combination for your truck’s cab-to-axle measurement and weight ratings.

Why Buy from Star Truck Equipment?

We’re a family-owned truck upfitter based in Wharton, TX, serving customers across Texas and Louisiana. We don’t just sell truck bodies — we help you spec the right setup for your truck, your industry, and your budget.

• We carry STI crane bodies and can order to your specs
• We know cab-to-axle requirements for Ford, Ram, and Chevy trucks
• We help match crane body to truck-mounted crane for complete upfitting
• Local dealer support — not a national call center

📞 Call us at (979) 532-1486 to talk through your crane body needs or get a quote. You can also browse our crane body inventory online.

Whether you’re running one truck or a fleet of service vehicles, we’ll help you get the right setup the first time.