# Bucket truck boom failure, MI



## MIspecial

http://www.livingstondaily.com/arti...red-in-Genoa-Township-hydraulic-boom-accident


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## deevo

Wow, that's a long way to freefall in a bucket! I hope the guy pulls through!


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## TXLiquid

What boom is that, High Ranger?


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## PinnaclePete

Updates when available, Learn and Live. Best wishes to him.


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## motor

TXLiquid said:


> What boom is that, High Ranger?



Looks like an Altec. Looks like the lower boom cylinder had a failure.


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## Treetom

*Am900*

The ring on the main cylinder failed causing the whole boom to drop.


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## motor

Treetom said:


> The ring on the main cylinder failed causing the whole boom to drop.



Did the gland nut back off or strip the threads right out?


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## Treetom

*Not sure*



motor said:


> Did the gland nut back off or strip the threads right out?



Motor, I have an older Altec, AN series, 1994, so the exact cause of failure is of great interest to me. I'll post that information if it becomes available.


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## motor

Treetom said:


> Motor, I have an older Altec, AN series, 1994, so the exact cause of failure is of great interest to me. I'll post that information if it becomes available.



Please do, I've seen rods bend/break due to mis-use but it almost looks like the cylinder came apart. I tried to zoom in but the picture isn't the highest resolution.


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## TumblebugTaylor

I turned down a welding job on a leaking cylinder on a boom truck a few weeks ago. THe man has a rag tag operation mostly junky euipment. He has an older truck and boom. The main cylinder was leaking and he asked me to weld it up. They have been using the boom and slings tying off to the limbs and hoisting them away. They also push on trees with it. THe safety pilot valves have also been removed.


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## Mikecutstrees

motor said:


> Please do, I've seen rods bend/break due to mis-use but it almost looks like the cylinder came apart. I tried to zoom in but the picture isn't the highest resolution.




I had a rod break today on one of the two cylinders that raise the body on my dump truck. Ive only owned it a year and its 10 years old. What might cause it to fail besides lots of use. I don't want it to happen again.....

Mike


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## Frank Boyer

Over loading, off set load, miss aligned, and a defect in the metal are a few things.


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## treeclimber101

God its so gloomy that it makes you wanna park the bucket and climb everything but thats no safer .... I wonder how many booms fall every year , it must be scary as hell for the ground to come up so fast....


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## alanarbor

I know Aerial lift of conn. has a 6 year replacement schedule on boom cylinders. I can't speak for other manufacturers, but I am sure they do too. If this cylinder was overdue for replacement that could be a factor.


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## motor

ALC is the only manufacturer that has that requirement. Others have replacement schedules for drive cables, leveling chains ect. And rumor has it the new rods will be ten years, not positive on that though. I do know they have gotten rid of the cables for the lower boom elevation.

Mikecutstrees, Among what Frank said a frozen pin could also contribute to that type of failure.


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## Rickochet

I work for a very large publicly owned electric utility that has the best maintenance program possible. We still have failures from time to time. We are using man made equipment maintained by humans. Even the best of everything fails on occasion. Making repairs using poor judgment and improper methods is the recipe for disaster! Play it safe-- no short cuts!!!!


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