bucket truck on ice

[pro94lt]

well like the title says who has ran their truck on the roads when their can be ice or slick patches???

 

[groundsmgr]

Use to work for bartlett, back when they had the utilities division. Did it alot.

 

[lone wolf]

Anyone in a colder area in the Country has why? You just have to warm the hydraulic oil up a while before you operate the lift.

 

[pro94lt]

Well their has not been a ice storm here in 5 years or so and i wasn't in the tree service business then... just trying to get ready. How bad do these trucks do in it?

 

[pro94lt]

If you don't understand the dynamics of trucks on ice then understanding the risks involved in tree work is going to be a real stretch!



How do you imagine trucks make out on ice patches?

LOL, thanks for the responce and I see where your coming from i do and apreciate it but this is not "will my rancher run a 20 inch bar" thread like you imagined, I was hoping for a little discussion to inform me of the things you learn from doing this as i never have in a bucket truck... like warming up the pump which wolf mentioned... Mine really needs to warm a while when below 40 or so. How about snow chains, studs making it up small inclines when at a stop, added weight on the boom from the ice... fill me in guys im in the south and this is not as common as up north... And when it does ice the only thing on the road is utility companys and rednecks in 4 wheel drives. But hopefulley the phone will ring! keep em coming.

 

[lone wolf]

LOL, thanks for the responce and I see where your coming from i do and apreciate it but this is not "will my rancher run a 20 inch bar" thread like you imagined, I was hoping for a little discussion to inform me of the things you learn from doing this as i never have in a bucket truck... like warming up the pump which wolf mentioned... Mine really needs to warm a while when below 40 or so. How about snow chains, studs making it up small inclines when at a stop, added weight on the boom from the ice... fill me in guys im in the south and this is not as common as up north... And when it does ice the only thing on the road is utility companys and rednecks in 4 wheel drives. But hopefulley the phone will ring! keep em coming.

You need chains and another truck with you to pull you out if you get stuck. I have made my own chains by simply wrapping 4 chains around the tire and wheel and bolting them together.

 

[cfield]

You put chains on you'll be all set. I've even had to put chains on the front tires during the 08' ice storm we had here. Chains are the key, I crashed 1 last winter without chains on, it was the worst ride of my life. We hit a tree, thankfully it saved us from flipping. It broke the cage, bent the bumper and frame,broke a cpl leaf springs. They do go pretty good in the snow being so heavy. Just gotta know there limits, once you lose them theres usually no saving them.

 

[pro94lt]

Well good I've got chains for all six tires...

 

[expertech]

I was the dead tree supervisor for the power company contractor in North Lake Tahoe for many years. Snow and ice were an every day thing in the winter. Chain up and go for it!