6 Types of Overhead Crane Grabs

One of the most consequential decisions in storage capacity and automation is the type of crane grab you choose. The grab determines how tightly coils can be stored, whether your crane can be automated and ultimately how much product your building can hold.

So let's look at your options. Here are the six principal grab types used in steel and aluminum coil handling. We'll cover what they are, how they work and why you might choose one over the other.

1. C-Hook

A C-hook is a curved hook inserted into the inner diameter (ID) of a coil. The coil's weight is supported from the inside, and an operator or ground worker physically guides the hook into alignment before each lift.

C-hooks are the most widely used coil lifting device in North American service centers, primarily because they're familiar and inexpensive. But that familiarity comes with real trade-offs. C-hooks require wide walkways alongside each storage row so workers can guide the hook into position, meaning row spacing of 36 to 48 inches is typical. In a 100-foot storage bay, that works out to roughly 10 coil rows.

Best for: Low-volume, manual-only operations where storage density isn't a priority.

The catch: C-hooks and high-density automated storage simply don't mix. If automation is anywhere in your long-term plan, a different grab type will serve you much better.

2. Fixed Leg Grab

This is a meaningful step up from the C-hook. Fixed leg grabs are more forgiving of minor positioning variance, which makes them well-suited to semi-automated crane systems. Row spacing drops to approximately 20 inches, enabling around 14 rows in that same 100-foot bay. And because no one needs to be in the aisle guiding the hook, the safety picture improves considerably.

Best for: Facilities beginning their automation journey, or running mixed manual and automated operations.

3. Retractable Foot Grab

A retractable foot grab works similarly to a fixed leg grab with one key difference. The gripping feet retract completely during horizontal travel, giving the grab an ultra-low profile as it moves over coil rows. Once positioned directly above the target coil, the feet deploy and grip the ID.

This retraction mechanism allows row spacing to drop to 12–15 inches — tighter than any fixed-leg configuration — without requiring a fundamental change to the ID-grip approach. It's a practical upgrade for facilities that want more density and greater automation readiness while keeping a familiar gripping method.

Best for: Facilities requiring higher storage density than fixed leg grabs while maintaining an ID-gripping approach compatible with automated crane systems.

4. Crazy Legs (Articulated Multi-Leg Grab)

Crazy Legs grabs use multiple articulating legs that pivot and adjust to grip the coil ID from several contact points at once. The flexible geometry adapts to a range of diameters without requiring a grab changeover between coil sizes.

This makes Crazy Legs particularly useful in mixed-product environments where coil specifications vary widely. Load is distributed across a larger contact area, which reduces bore contact pressure and makes the grab more forgiving on irregular or damaged bore edges. The trade-off is mechanical complexity: more components to manage and row spacings that don't quite reach the tightest configurations available with other grab types.

Best for: Facilities handling a range of coil sizes and inner diameters.

5. Electromagnetic Magnet

Electromagnetic magnets grip the outer diameter (OD) of a steel coil through magnetic force. No mechanical contact with the inside of the coil is required. The magnet is lowered onto the top of the coil and energised, creating a powerful bond to the coil surface.

With no legs or arms projecting beyond the coil OD during travel, coils can be stored with near-contact spacing. Row spacing of 6 inches is achievable, the physical minimum for any coil handling device. In a 100-foot bay, that's approximately 17 rows, compared to 10 with a C-hook. Paired with an autonomous crane and an ASRS platform like TELIA, magnets deliver the highest-performance, highest-density material handling configuration available today.

Best for: Fully autonomous carbon steel coil yards where maximum storage density is the primary objective. Tend to work better in greenfield scenarios or in cases where businesses are not using the full rated value of their crane with a mechanical lifter, since a magnet grab can weigh 3 times more than other grab types.

Worth noting: Magnets are limited to ferromagnetic materials. They won't work on aluminum, stainless, or most non-ferrous metals.

6. Vacuum Coil Lifter

Vacuum lifters use large suction pads to grip the outer diameter or end face of a coil through suction, generated by an onboard pump system and applied across multiple pads to distribute load evenly.

For facilities handling aluminum, stainless steel or specialty alloys where magnetism isn't an option, vacuum lifters offer the best path to tight row spacing — typically 6 to 10 inches. Like magnets, they grip the OD rather than the bore, eliminating bore contact damage entirely. The main limitation is surface condition: oily, rough, or porous coil surfaces reduce vacuum reliability significantly.

Best for: Non-ferrous coil handling (aluminum, stainless, specialty coatings) where magnets can't be used.

Grab Selection Is a Storage Strategy

The grab you select today sets the ceiling on what your facility can ever achieve in terms of storage density and automation readiness. It's a strategic decision that will either expand or limit your operations.

Here's a quick reference for how the six grab types stack up in a standard 100-foot wide coil storage bay:

Grab Type	Typical Row Spacing	Approx. Rows / 100 ft
C-Hook	36–48″	~10 rows
Crazy Legs	18–36″	~14 rows
Fixed Leg Grab	~20″	~14 rows
Retractable Foot	12–15″	~16 rows
Vacuum Lifter	6–10″	~16 rows
Electromagnetic Magnet	4–5″	~17 rows

If you're evaluating crane automation or just starting to ask whether your current setup is leaving storage capacity on the table, grab selection is the right place to start the conversation.