When you need a truck-mounted crane for your service fleet, two names come up constantly: Tiger Cranes and Stellar Industries. Both build capable machines with loyal followings. But they’re built for different buyers — and choosing the wrong one can cost you time, money, and headaches in the field.
At Star Truck Equipment in Wharton, TX, we’re an authorized Tiger Cranes dealer serving contractors across Texas and Louisiana. Here’s our honest breakdown of how these two crane brands compare — so you can make the right call for your operation.
Tiger Cranes: Built for Texas Work Trucks
Tiger Cranes are engineered in Australia and distributed across North America. They’ve built a strong reputation in Texas and Louisiana oilfield, utility, and construction markets for their rugged construction, high capacities, and straightforward installation profiles.
Tiger Crane highlights:
- Capacities ranging from 2-ton to 10-ton depending on configuration
- Knuckle-boom design for tight job sites and precise load placement
- Designed to mount on 3/4-ton through medium-duty chassis (Ford F-350 through F-600, Ram 3500–5500)
- Available with manual or hydraulic extensions
- Radio remote control option standard on most models
- Clean, low-profile boom stow that doesn’t add excessive height
- Proven in oilfield, telecom, pipeline, and utility truck applications
Tiger’s lineup is well-supported at the dealer level — parts and service are available through our location in Wharton, TX, giving Texas and Louisiana buyers peace of mind on service intervals and repairs.
Stellar Industries Cranes
Stellar Industries, based in Iowa, is a well-established American manufacturer that produces service bodies, mechanics trucks, lube trucks, and truck-mounted cranes. Their crane lineup is part of a broader truck equipment portfolio, and they’re distributed through a wide dealer network across the US.
Stellar crane highlights:
- Crane capacities ranging from 3,000 lb to 14,000 lb (SAE rated)
- Models designed for heavy service body integration — often spec’d alongside Stellar service bodies
- Boom designs built for municipal, utility, and heavy-duty fleet applications
- HIAB-integrated technology in newer models
- Higher price point on upper-capacity models
- Strong dealer network, though regional service availability varies
Tiger vs Stellar: Head-to-Head Comparison
| Feature | Tiger Cranes | Stellar Cranes |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity Range | 2-ton to 10-ton | 1.5-ton to 7-ton |
| Boom Design | Knuckle-boom, low profile | Straight / knuckle-boom options |
| Chassis Compatibility | 1-ton through medium duty | Primarily service-body chassis |
| Remote Control | Standard radio remote most models | Pendant + radio remote options |
| Texas Dealer | ✅ Star Truck Equipment, Wharton TX | Limited regional coverage |
| Best For | Oilfield, telecom, pipeline, utility | Municipal, heavy utility fleet |
| Price | Competitive, strong value | Mid-to-high range |
Which Crane Is Right for Your Work Truck?
If you’re spec’ing a crane for oilfield service, telecom, pipeline, or general construction work in Texas or Louisiana, Tiger Cranes deliver the best combination of capacity, reliability, and value — backed by a local dealer who stocks parts and handles installation.
Stellar makes solid equipment, but their crane lineup is built more around bundled service body packages. If you’re already committed to a full Stellar service body setup, their integrated cranes make sense. But for buyers comparing cranes as a standalone spec decision, Tiger consistently comes out ahead on value per ton-foot of capacity.
Common Applications Where Tiger Wins
- Oilfield truck cranes — High-cycle, rugged field use across West Texas and the Permian Basin
- Telecom tower work — Precise placement, radio remote, low-profile stow on bucket trucks and aerial units
- Pipeline contractors — High-capacity models for pipe handling and spool lifting
- Utility and electrical crews — Compact boom designs for residential and commercial utility work
- Louisiana oilfield and petrochemical — Corrosion-resistant options for coastal and refinery environments
See Tiger Cranes at Star Truck Equipment
We’re one of the few authorized Tiger Crane dealers in Texas, and we handle everything in-house: sales, installation, and ongoing support. Whether you’re buying a single crane for a service truck or spec’ing an entire fleet, we can help you match the right Tiger model to your chassis and workload.
Browse our Tiger Crane lineup or visit our facility at 2507 County Rd 231, Wharton, TX. Call us at (979) 532-1486 to talk through your crane spec — we’ll make sure you get the right machine for the job.
Also see our related guides: Tiger Crane vs Stellar deep dive, Tiger vs Autocrane comparison, and Best truck-mounted cranes for Texas oilfield.
