HIAB Crane Specialist Recovery — Precision Lifting Across Bolton & the North West
Some vehicles can’t be winched, loaded, or moved the normal way — overturned, off the road, too damaged to attach to, or blocked somewhere a standard flatbed simply can’t reach. That’s what our HIAB crane is for: a hydraulic knuckle-boom crane mounted on the truck itself, built for controlled, precise lifting rather than dragging or pulling.
For standard breakdown recovery, see Breakdown Recovery. For accident scene recovery, see Accident Recovery.
What HIAB Recovery Is
HIAB is a brand name — Hydraliska Industri AB, a Swedish manufacturer of hydraulic load-handling equipment. In the UK the same equipment is also called a lorry loader, truck-mounted crane or crane recovery truck. Whether you call it a HIAB, lorry loader or truck-mounted crane, it’s a hydraulic lifting system designed for controlled vehicle recovery rather than dragging or winching.
Because most recovery companies don’t operate their own HIAB crane, these recoveries usually need specialist equipment rather than a standard recovery truck.
Whatever the Situation
Lifting & Extraction
Access & Placement
Why Lifting Is Different from Winching
A winch is a cable under tension — it pulls the vehicle along the ground toward the truck. That works for most recoveries, but when the vehicle is badly damaged, overturned, or stuck in soft ground, pulling can make things worse: dragging a car through mud, over kerbs, or across damaged bodywork compounds the problem.
A crane lifts the vehicle clear of whatever it’s in — straight up, under full control, and placed precisely where it needs to go. It’s not a fallback for a tricky job; it’s the right tool when lifting is genuinely what the situation calls for.
How It Works
Stabilisers deployed
The truck is anchored and levelled before any weight comes off the ground.
Site assessed
Overhead power lines, ground conditions, access clearance and any other factors that affect how the crane needs to be positioned.
Boom extended & secured
Chains, slings or the appropriate lifting attachment are secured to proper structural points on the vehicle — never the bodywork or panels alone.
Lifted & placed
The vehicle is lifted and placed precisely, under full control throughout — no swinging, no rushing.
Where Your Vehicle Goes
You’re welcome to ride along with us to wherever your vehicle’s headed — your home, a local garage, or our storage. If you need a ride from there instead, our drivers will help you sort one out.
While You’re Waiting
If your vehicle is overturned or off the road, stay well clear of it rather than trying to move or right it yourself — that’s exactly what the crane is built to do safely. Once we arrive, keep well back while we set up: we need clear space to deploy the stabiliser legs and position the boom properly.
If there are overhead power lines nearby, let us know when you call — it affects how we approach the site before we arrive.
Areas We Cover
We’re based in Bolton, with recovery vehicles stationed across Greater Manchester and Lancashire for faster response times.
Postcode areas
Motorways
We also provide HIAB crane recovery in Bolton, Wigan, Leigh, Bury, Rochdale and Chorley — see more of our core service areas. Our coverage extends across the North West — if you’re not sure whether we reach you, give us a call.
Not Sure If We Cover You?
Just call us — we’ll tell you straight away whether we can help, and get someone out to you fast if we can.
FAQs
What’s the difference between HIAB crane recovery and standard winch recovery?
Will the crane cause damage to my car?
My vehicle is overturned — can you still recover it?
The car is near power lines or on soft ground — can you still lift it?
I’m stuck in a narrow street or courtyard — is that a HIAB job?
How do I know if I need a crane when I call?
Need a Crane Recovery?
24/7 HIAB crane recovery across Bolton and the North West. No membership, no call-out fee.
