Outriggers are the hydraulic legs that extend out from the truck chassis before a lift. They spread the footprint of the truck so the load being lifted doesn’t tip the chassis sideways or lengthways. Every Hiab job starts with outriggers deployed and ends with them stowed.
How it works in practice
On hard surfaces (tarmac, concrete), outrigger pads sit directly on the ground. On soft surfaces (gravel, mud, soft drives), we add ground mats: large plastic or steel plates that spread the outrigger load further, so the pads don’t sink. Without this, a heavy lift on soft ground can drop the truck or damage the surface.
What it means for your job
Footprint: the outriggers extend roughly 1-2m out from each side of the truck. We need that clearance on both sides at the lift point. If the site is too narrow for full outrigger spread, we work with reduced spread (which reduces the safe lift capacity) or we look at a different lift position. Tell us about width restrictions in the quote request.
Related reading
All our Hiab haulage services · Why a Hiab beats a standard wagon · Where we operate.
Get a quote
Call 07932 870006 or send the details through our quote form. Plain English, no surprises.