Rust Junkyard Crane Controls
The magnet crane at the Junkyard monument — modal controls are why everyone flails at it.
The keys
| Input | Does |
|---|---|
| Hold Left Shift + W/A/S/D | Drive mode — move the crane itself around the junkyard |
| W / S | Arm mode — raise / lower the upper arm section |
| A / D | Arm mode — rotate the cab left / right |
| Left / Right Mouse | Lower / raise the main boom |
| R | Toggle the electromagnet — grab or release |
| F | Headlights |
Before it moves
It lives at the Junkyard monument and runs on Low Grade Fuel — bring at least 50, it burns quickly. Fuel goes in before you climb up.
What goes wrong
- !The controls are modal, and that's the whole trick: WASD drives the treads while Shift is held, and operates the arm and cab when it isn't. Almost everyone who 'can't use the crane' is missing the Shift modifier.
- !The magnet attracts cars from close range — get near and tap R rather than trying to line the boom up perfectly. Drop wrecks beside the shredder and it feeds itself.
- !It only lifts modular cars and the junker wrecks inside the Junkyard, and it takes damage if driven out of the monument.
Sources: Rustafied (car scrapping update) · CorrosionHour — checked 2026-08-04. Keys no source documents are left out rather than guessed.