What is a truss crank stand?
A truss crank stand is a telescoping stand that raises truss, a lighting T-bar or a speaker on a hand-cranked winch, so you raise and lower the load with the winch instead of lifting it overhead. Two stands of the same model with a span of truss between them make a goalpost for DJ or band lighting, and one stand with a lighting bar works on its own. The same kind of stand is sold as a crank-up stand, a wind-up stand or, built as a tower, a lifting tower.
How high do crank stands go, and how much can they lift?
The truss crank stands we carry reach from 8.5 ft to 22 ft, and the ones with a published per-stand rating are rated from 143 lb to 500 lb, each under its maker's own conditions. Every figure below is the maker's own, from its product page, spec sheet or manual. Where a maker prints two figures for the same thing, both are shown, except for Global Truss: the table uses its current product pages, and its 2019 catalog and manuals print different heights, weights or metric figures for several models, such as 16.4 ft and 15.9 ft for the DT-PRO5200.
| Stand | Max height | Maker's load rating | On top of the mast |
|---|---|---|---|
| Truss crank stands | |||
| Global Truss ST-90 | 9.8 ft | 143 lb (65 kg) | 1.375 in top insert; 51 in lighting bar included; STSB-005 truss adapter sold separately |
| Global Truss ST-132 | 13.2 ft | 220 lb (100 kg) | 1.375 in top insert; 51 in lighting bar included; STSB-005 truss adapter sold separately |
| Global Truss ST-157 | 15 ft 7 in (4.8 m) | 330 lb (150 kg) | 1.375 in top insert; GT-LB132 lighting bar optional; STSB-005 truss adapter sold separately |
| Global Truss ST-180 | 18 ft (5.5 m) | 440 lb (200 kg); the 2019 catalog text also says 396 pounds | 2.2 x 2.2 in top insert; STSB-006 truss adapter sold separately |
| Global Truss DT-3800L | 12.5 ft | 176.4 lb (80 kg) | 35 mm male output adaptor; DT-TA24 or DT-TA34 truss adapter sold separately |
| Global Truss DT-3900L | 12.94 ft | 250 lb | 35 mm male output adaptor; DT-TA24 or DT-TA34 truss adapter sold separately |
| Global Truss DT-PRO4000 | 12.33 ft with the output adaptor fully extended | 264.6 lb (120 kg), load centered; has a minimum load (see below) | 35 mm male output adaptor; DT-TA34 truss adapter sold separately |
| Global Truss DT-PRO5200 | 16.4 ft | 441 lb (200 kg), load centered; has a minimum load (see below) | 35 mm male output adaptor; DT-TA34 truss adapter sold separately |
| ProX XT-LS132 | 14 ft (ProX also prints 156 in fully extended) | 200 lb | T-adapter for F34 square truss included |
| ProX XT-CRANK14FT-220 | 14 ft | 220 lb vertical: truss, fixtures, cables and hardware combined, centered and balanced | 5 ft T-bar included; a T-adapter such as the XT-TADAPTER-U sold separately |
| ProX XT-CRANK18FT-330 | 17 ft 3 in (ProX also prints 17 ft, and an 18 ft system reach with truss and T-adapters) | 330 lb vertical per stand | T-adapter truss mount: ProX says it is included and also that T-adapters are sold separately, so ask us |
| ProX XT-CRANK18FT-500 | 18 ft | 500 lb center load per stand | T-adapter truss mount included |
| ProX XT-CRANK22FT-400 | 22 ft | 400 lb vertical at 22 ft, or 500 lb at 18 ft | XT-TADAPTER400 T-adapter included |
| ProX T-LS35C-STAND (set of 2) | 8.5 ft (the T-LS35C package page says about 9 to 10 ft) | 360 lb evenly distributed across both stands | T-bar adapters for triangle truss included |
| Odyssey LCRANK133 | 13.3 ft | Odyssey publishes no load rating | Truss adapter (LCRANKTRUSSADP) and lighting bar (LTBAR47 or LTBAR59) not included |
| Lifting tower | |||
| ProX XTF-T101D (made by Fantek) | 12.47 ft (3.8 m) with its extension profile; 3.2 m on the telescoping sections alone | 220 lb (mechanism mode), counting the truss fitting; minimum load 55.12 lb | Takes a truss fitting such as the XTF-ATCMOB |
| Crank-up lighting and speaker stands (not for truss) | |||
| On-Stage LS9900B | 157.5 in | 185 lb on its spec sheet; its web page says 220 lb | T-bar with four fixture positions |
| Odyssey LTS1APRO / LTS1APROWHT | 8.5 ft | 100 lb, evenly distributed | LATSA1 speaker mount adapter included |
| Gravity GSP4722B | 2.4 m (Gravity publishes metric only) | 40 kg | 35 mm speaker flange |
Each rating is for one stand under its maker's conditions, except the T-LS35C-STAND, which ProX rates as a pair. Global Truss's ST manuals count the weight of the truss and everything on it as load on the stands and require it spread evenly across them; ProX rates the XT-CRANK14FT-220 for the combined weight of truss, fixtures, cables and hardware; and Fantek counts the truss fitting toward the XTF-T101D's limit. A stand's rating is not what the truss between two stands can carry: the truss has its own limits, set by its maker's load table where one exists.
Three of these have a published minimum load as well as a maximum: ProX lists 55.12 lb for the XTF-T101D, and the DT-series manual Global Truss publishes gives the PRO 4000 and PRO 5200 a minimum of 10 kg in its technical table and 33 lb (15 kg) in its warnings. We found no minimum published for the other stands, so follow the manual that comes with yours. Odyssey publishes no load rating for the LCRANK133.
Disclaimer: Hollywood DJ provides load information, including the manufacturer load tables we host, for general reference only. It is not intended to replace a qualified engineer or professional rigger, who should plan and approve any truss or staging installation.
Do crank stands come with a truss adapter?
Some do, most don't, so check before you order. Included: a T-adapter for F34 square truss with the ProX XT-LS132, a T-adapter truss mount with the XT-CRANK18FT-500 and XT-CRANK22FT-400, and T-bar adapters for triangle truss with the T-LS35C-STAND pair. Sold separately: every Global Truss crank stand (STSB-005 for the ST-90, ST-132 and ST-157; STSB-006 for the ST-180; DT-TA24 or DT-TA34 for the DT-3800L and DT-3900L; DT-TA34 for the DT-PRO4000 and DT-PRO5200), the ProX XT-CRANK14FT-220, which ships with a 5 ft T-bar, and the Odyssey LCRANK133 (LCRANKTRUSSADP). ProX's page for the XT-CRANK18FT-330 says both that the T-adapter is included and that T-adapters are sold separately, so call 1-800-700-4542 to confirm what is in the box.
Match the adapter to your truss as well as to the stand. Global Truss lists the STSB-005 for F23, F24, F33 and F34 truss, the DT-TA24 for F23 and F24, and the DT-TA34 for F33 and F34. ProX makes the XT-TADAPTER-U for F34, F33 and F32 truss on stands with a 1-3/8 in (35 mm) pole, and Odyssey's LCRANKTRUSSADP takes 12 in or 290 mm truss.
What is the difference between Global Truss ST and DT crank stands?
The lifting mechanism. Global Truss's ST stands (ST-90, ST-132, ST-157 and ST-180) raise the mast on a manual cable winch, which on the ST-132, ST-157 and ST-180 has a built-in safety brake. Its DT stands (DT-3800L, DT-3900L, DT-PRO4000 and DT-PRO5200), from its Duratruss line, use a rack and pinion direct-drive winch in place of the cable and pulley. The ST-90, ST-132 and ST-157 have a 1.375 in top insert and the ST-180 a 2.2 x 2.2 in insert; every DT stand ends in a 35 mm male output adaptor. The ST-157, ST-180 and DT-PRO5200 stand on outriggers.
What they carry differs too. Global Truss's ST-132 and ST-157 manuals describe their top tube as the industry standard for lifting and supporting pro audio speaker cabinets, while the DT-series manual restricts the PRO 4000 and PRO 5200 to entertainment lighting: "All other use is forbidden."
What is a lifting tower?
A lifting tower is a winch-driven tower that carries its load on top of the mast (top loading) or picks it up from the floor (front loading). The ProX XTF-T101D, which Fantek builds in Spain, is a top-loading tower: three telescoping steel sections lifted by a steel cable on a manual winch, self-locking steel pins that hold it at height, and four legs. Fantek's manual says the three sections give a lifting height of 3.2 m and an extension profile takes it to 3.8 m. To carry truss it takes a truss fitting such as the XTF-ATCMOB, which Fantek counts toward the load limit; its ratings, including a minimum load, are in the table above.
ProX also sells Fantek front-loading towers, which lift line arrays, truss and LED screens from the floor: the XTF-FT5323, XTF-FT6033 and XTF-FT7045. Call 1-800-700-4542 to size one.
How do I set up and use a crank stand safely?
Follow the manual that comes with your stand. The makers' manuals and pages we checked include these rules:
- Set the stand on firm, level ground and level it with its adjustable leg or feet. Global Truss's ST manuals recommend 3/4 in plywood pads under the feet.
- Count the truss as load. Global Truss's ST manuals count the truss and everything on it as load on the stands, spread evenly across them.
- Use the locks the way your manual says, and keep the load centered and balanced. ProX says to lock every safety mechanism, including safety pins and knobs, before raising a load, and Global Truss's ST-180 manual says to add the load only with all pins locked and the locking knobs tightened.
- Put a safety cable on every fixture. ProX says safety chains must be installed on every item attached to the stand.
- Crank paired stands together. ProX says both stands should be raised and lowered in sync, and Global Truss's ST-132 manual calls for one operator per stand.
- Keep people clear. ProX asks for a safety perimeter with a radius 5 ft greater than the stands' maximum height while you lift and lower, and Global Truss's DT-series manual says not to stay under the load. Global Truss, Fantek and Gravity forbid using a stand to lift people, and Global Truss says never to lean a ladder on one.
- Never move a stand while it is loaded; ProX says not while it is extended, either.
- Outdoors, brace it against wind. Global Truss's ST manuals rule out extreme outdoor weather and its ST-157 and ST-180 manuals require guy wiring outdoors; ProX says to secure the stand with braces or cables.
- Have the rig engineered. Fantek says: "All assemblies, especially those involving complex configurations or significant loads, must be analyzed and validated by a qualified structural engineer prior to execution."
- Inspect it before every use and have it serviced on the maker's schedule. ProX says a qualified person should inspect the stand and rigging before each use and recommends an annual inspection by an authorized technician; Global Truss's ST-157 and ST-180 manuals require service and inspection at least once a year by an authorized service center.
Disclaimer: Hollywood DJ provides load information, including the manufacturer load tables we host, for general reference only. It is not intended to replace a qualified engineer or professional rigger, who should plan and approve any truss or staging installation.
Crank-up lighting stand or truss crank stand: which do I need?
A crank-up lighting stand lifts a bar of fixtures; a truss crank stand lifts truss once it has an adapter for your truss. The On-Stage LS9900B carries a T-bar with four fixture positions, and On-Stage lists no truss adapter for it. The Odyssey LTS1APRO and LTS1APROWHT are crank-up tripods with one articulating leg for steps and slopes, sold with a speaker mount adapter. The Gravity GSP4722B is a rack and pinion wind-up speaker stand with a 35 mm flange. Some truss crank stands also work on their own with a bar: Global Truss ships the ST-90 and ST-132 with a 51 in lighting bar, and ProX ships the XT-CRANK14FT-220 with a 5 ft T-bar.
Can I pick up a crank stand in Los Angeles?
Some. Several ProX crank stands are stocked at our Los Angeles warehouse at 934 E 11th St for will-call pickup. Global Truss crank stands are not stocked in Los Angeles and ship directly from Global Truss, so lead time depends on Global Truss. Call 1-800-700-4542 to check a model, or to price freight on the heavy-duty stands, before you plan around an event date.