Grab lorry sizes, weights & capacity
"What size grab lorry do I need?" nearly always comes down to two numbers: how much weight you can legally carry, and how much the material actually fills. They're rarely the same thing, which is why a body that looks half-empty can already be at its legal limit. Here are the figures that matter for UK muck-away, aggregate and grab work.
Grab lorry weights and payload
- 8-wheel grab (8×4) — 32 tonnes gross vehicle weight. Usable payload about 14–16 tonnes. The grab crane and heavier chassis cost you roughly a tonne or two versus a plain 8-wheel tipper.
- 6-wheel grab (6×2 / 6×4) — 26 tonnes gross, payload about 9–11 tonnes. Better where access is tight.
- Plain 8-wheel tipper (no grab) — same 32 tonnes gross but around 16–20 tonnes payload, because there's no crane to carry.
These are typical figures — the exact payload depends on the specific chassis, body and crane, and it's set by the vehicle's plated weights, not a rule of thumb. Overloading is an offence and a fast route to a DVSA prohibition, so the plated figures always win.
How many cubic metres does a grab or muck-away lorry hold?
This is where most people get caught out. A typical 8-wheel body is around 12–20 m³, but volume isn't the limit — weight usually is. What fills the body depends on the material's density:
- Wet muck-away / spoil — roughly 1.6–2.0 t/m³. You reach a ~16-tonne payload at about 8–10 m³, so the body looks part-full.
- Dry soil / hardcore — roughly 1.3–1.6 t/m³. About 10–12 m³ before you're at weight.
- Aggregates (Type 1, sand, gravel) — around 1.5–1.8 t/m³, so similar: weight limits you before the body is full.
The rule of thumb: with heavy, wet material you load by weight; with light, bulky material you load by volume. Either way, the weighbridge ticket is the number that counts.
Width, length and grab reach
- Width — the maximum legal HGV width in the UK is 2.55 m. Allow around 3 m of clear road to pass, and more to work the grab.
- Length — a rigid 8-wheeler is commonly up to about 11–12 m long.
- Grab reach — the crane typically reaches about 6–8 m to the side, so material near the kerb can be loaded without the lorry leaving the road. Reach and lift capacity fall off the further out the grab works.
Grab lorry, tipper or muck-away — which is which?
A grab lorry is a tipper with a crane and clamshell bucket, so it can load itself and reach over a wall or kerb. A plain tipper carries more but needs a loader to fill it. "Muck-away" isn't a vehicle at all — it's the job of removing spoil and waste, usually done by tipper or grab. For the full breakdown, see the difference between muck-away, grab and tipper work.
Every grab load, tonnage and ticket in one place
Whichever vehicle you run, the money is on the weighbridge docket. Raahi captures the tonnage, tip site and ticket number off every load, so muck-away and aggregate jobs reconcile against the weekly invoice automatically.
See muck-away & grab lorry software →How much weight can a grab lorry carry?
An 8-wheel grab (32 t gross) carries about 14–16 tonnes — a little less than a plain tipper because of the crane. A 6-wheel grab (26 t gross) carries roughly 9–11 tonnes. The plated weights are the legal limit.
How many cubic metres does a muck-away lorry hold?
Bodies are typically 12–20 m³, but wet muck-away (≈1.6–2.0 t/m³) hits the ~16-tonne weight limit at about 8–10 m³. Lighter material fills more of the body before you're at weight.
How wide is a grab lorry?
Up to the 2.55 m legal maximum. Allow ~3 m to pass, and more to deploy the grab, which reaches about 6–8 m to the side.
What size grab lorry do I need?
An 8-wheel grab suits most muck-away and aggregate jobs; a 6-wheeler is better for tight access. Match the grab reach to how far the material sits from where the lorry can safely stand.