In an average year how often could you be using a 75 ft boom?

[ForTheArborist]

Im weighing the difference between a 60 and 75 ft boom lift's usefulness. This wont be a chip box and boom truck just boom truck im getting.

Thanks for the word on the subject.

 

[jefflovstrom]

Depends on your work load. We are booked year round and it could be out 75% of the time depending on the jobs.
Jeff

 

[fishercat]

if you have the chance.............

I would take the 75 over the 60 any day.

 

[Rftreeman]

every time I could get the truck close enough to the tree I'd use it.....

 

[Koa Man]

I don't have a 75 ft. bucket truck, but I do have a 75 ft. Leo 23GT.
It is 2 years and 2 weeks old and I have 1155 hours on it. By the end of June it will have at least 1200 hours. We will be using it a lot this month.

 

[imagineero]

I'm guessing this is more about whether 75 is better than 60 rather than 'should i get a boom lift'. More height is generally better, but I'd be looking at the details of each machine before deciding. Is either of them insulated? Does either one bump you up into a higher insurance/registration category? Are they equal in their controls?

Higher boom lifts sometimes don't do that well at lower heights. We hire out a guy with a bigger boom truck sometimes, and its great at big heights but it's really awful at lower ones. Due to the length of the individual parts of the boom you can't get access to areas close to powerlines unless you park on the opposite side of the street, but then you're blocking the whole street off. We only get him out for really high jobs for that reason, it's near useless for lower level stuff.

Shaun

 

[ihatevines]

We run an 85ft bucket truck. The extra height isn't nearly as important as the extra out reach. Try to see an out reach chart on both of them before you buy.

 

[jefflovstrom]

I assume he is looking at something under 26k that don't need a CDL. Like a rear mount F-Series.
Jeff

 

[ipkyss]

We run a 60/70 high-ranger. Best of both worlds. There when you need it, not when you don't. That being said. Even on smaller trees. Its nice to be able to park the truck further from the tree. Ours is a rear mount and I reach over smaller houses and garages very often to work in back yards. The higher side reach is the most important to me.

 

[Tminus]

I just recently flew a Leo 23GT "spider lift". Gotta say, it was versatile as all hell! 75ft reach, telescoping boom, made accessing the tree at max and min boom extension really easy and efficient. Also, it being a tracked boom, separate from a truck, you can just walk it into backyards, side yards etc. We squeezed that thing through a tiny walkway, and blew apart a dead elm in no time. I would say, if you are looking for a stand alone bucket, without a chip box on a truck, the 23GT is an option worth looking into. 2-man bucket to boot! You're fuel charges will be lower, you'll need a chip/wood truck there anyways, and you can haul the 23GT out with a pick-up, and the spider lift runs on a small pony motor.

I am not sure of the details of the spider-lift, the fella that owned it had to get it certified in Canada, he purchased it in the States. I enjoyed working with it, and it's something I would recommend IMHO.

 

[Tminus]

Whoops, I realized I didn't actually answer the question such as it was. If I owned a standard bucket truck already, and I was looking to upgrade to a 75', I would look into thew Spider-Lift, and I can imagine using that thing as often as possible. I made the two dead removals significantly easier. I certainly wouldn't have wanted to spur up either of the trees, a dead elm, and a dead white pine, both pretty sketchy. They were both in backyards, and a standard bucket truck, 60' or 75' would never have reached them. Something to keep in mind, when you have the right gear, you can tackle more jobs that you wouldn't even want to put a bid on otherwise. Versatility is paramount.

 

[flushcut]

For me a boom truck would be a hard sell I just have not had the jobs where they would fit. I mostly rent a self-drive towable fifty foot. The more height/reach the better.

 

[Koa Man]

That is one reason I opted to get the spider lift instead of a bucket truck. I looked at a 75 ft. rear mount 4x4 and it was $138,000 new. For a few thousand more, I got the 23GT with a trailer. The truck would have been able to access less than 25% of the palms we can do with the spider lift. The trailer costs me $225 a year in registration fees. My friend with a 60 ft. bucket said his last registration costed him $1600.

 

[ipkyss]

where did you find a new rear mount 75ft 4x4 truck for 138,000? Last quote I got for a international 4x4 was in the 90k range for just the cab and chassis. And the 60/70 highranger was almost 100k mounted with the bed and tanks I wanted.

 

[Koa Man]

When I was shopping in early 2009, ITE had one for that price.
I imagine prices have gone up since then. The Teupen dealer in Oregon said my lift is now $165K w/o a trailer.

I don't think it was on an Intl chassis, but mounted on a Ford and it may have been a new 2008. I do remember the price but not all the details of the truck as I just saw it advertised on their website and thought to myself if the truck costs that much, I may as well go ahead with the purchase of the 23GT.

 

[ForTheArborist]

Oh, then spider lift it is. I better ask how much are those payments per month? Can you explain how you get the pass on $150,000 loan?:confused2:

 

[flushcut]

Stellar credit, assets to back it, probably a co signer, your first born, a contract written in blood, and selling you soul to the devil are requirements these days good luck!

 

[Koa Man]

FICO score 770 or higher, and bank wanted proof of future income. fortunately for me, I had just gotten a 3 yr contract with the largest hotel in Hawaii (3000 rooms and 22 acres). I go there every 3 months and spend 12-15 days each time. Every 3 months I get a check that is enough to make 7 payments on the lift.

I also put a down payment of $25K.

 

[ForTheArborist]

I see.

 

[ForTheArborist]

These track boooms put a new spin on the industry, and according to koa you better have your business side of things streamlined before you can get that spider.

I bet this kind of machine is not easy to resell for enough to pay off the loans. Some of these machines are, but this one may be too unique. What can be said about that???