The luffing jib tower crane (also known as bottom-slewing crane or rapid-deployment crane) has its slewing mechanism at the tower base rather than at the tower top. The entire tower rotates with the jib — in contrast to the top-slewing crane, where only the upper section rotates. Luffing jib cranes are more compact, quicker to assemble, and more cost-effective, but are limited in height and reach.
Typical specifications: hook heights up to 40 m, reaches up to 45 m, load capacities up to 6 tons. Assembly is usually accomplished via self-erection: the collapsed crane is delivered by truck and hydraulically self-erects — ready for operation within 30–60 minutes. Top-slewing cranes, by comparison, often require a mobile crane for assembly.
Luffing jib tower cranes dominate residential construction, landscape gardening, and smaller commercial building sites. Liebherr (K-series), Potain (Igo/Hup-series), and Wolffkran offer self-erecting luffing jib cranes in trailer-mounted, mobile base, or fixed foundation variants. Modern models feature radio remote control, frequency-regulated drives, and automatic wind cutout.