Pistol grip vs 3 lever

[TreeAce]

Are all the newer buckets built with pistol grip control? The only buckets I have ever ran had 3 lever so I was wondering this.....can you move both the upper n lower boom at the same time with a pistol grip? Can you move upper , lower, and rotate at the same time? I could get some sweet moves with the 3 lever set up and was just wondering what I have to look forward to....hopefully get a bucket lined up for spring. Any opions about altec vs high ranger? The way I remember it, back in the day, altec had 3 lever and high ranger had a pistol grip. So I always figured I wanted an altec. But now I am wondering if it even matters? If I get a truck without a pony motor , ya think I will regret it? Any thoughts/input is appreciated

 

[Blakesmaster]

Pistol grip is the way to go, IMO, but they all work. Pistol has more moving parts so there may be some maintenance drawbacks though I've not had issues with mine. You can simply do all three moves at the same time with one hand, they're very intuitive and only take a bit to get used to. I've run levers on both altec and alc and wouldn't trade my pistol grip highranger for either of those booms. That's just me, everyone's got their favorite.

 

[2treeornot2tree]

Why when you get a diesel engine bucket truck, they dont come with pony motors? Do they have a backup electric hydralic system? Or are you just screwed if the trucks engine shuts off or breaks down?

 

[superjunior]

never used a pistol grip so I'd like to know myself. Got my 3 lever alc controls down to a science tho. I'll often be facing opposite the controls and can still do multiple things at once with one hand. Our truck doesn't have a pony but never had issues with the cat diesel. Don't know if I'd trust a gas powered truck without a pony motor

 

[2treeornot2tree]

i dont know if I like only having one power source for the hydralics.

 

[superjunior]

Why when you get a diesel engine bucket truck, they dont come with pony motors? Do they have a backup electric hydralic system? Or are you just screwed if the trucks engine shuts off or breaks down?

no back up electric hydro system that I'm aware of. I have seen a couple diesel trucks with pony motors but that is a rare and expensive package. I would think most gas packages come with a pony for fuel efficiency and reliability versus a diesel. basically the diesel just doesn't need it

 

[superjunior]

i dont know if I like only having one power source for the hydralics.

make sure you got your saddle and rope up there with you just in case :msp_tongue:

 

[2treeornot2tree]

make sure you got your saddle and rope up there with you just in case :msp_tongue:

lol. With diesel being $4 a gal, i would think it would get pretty expensive to let the truck idle all day. Let alone all that saw dust is going to be getting sucked into your trucks air filter. Guess if the truck would shut off, your gonna have to rappel outta of the bucket to the ground and fix the truck on spot till you can get your booms back down. I think I will stick with a gas motor with a pony in my next truck. I have been thinking about keeping my existing truck and getting me a tracked spyder lift instead.

 

[treeclimber101]

Yup and we all know what idling does to the top end of a diesel or gas for that matter ...

 

[TreeAce]

Pistol grip is the way to go, IMO, but they all work. Pistol has more moving parts so there may be some maintenance drawbacks though I've not had issues with mine. You can simply do all three moves at the same time with one hand, they're very intuitive and only take a bit to get used to. I've run levers on both altec and alc and wouldn't trade my pistol grip highranger for either of those booms. That's just me, everyone's got their favorite.

So, you can not only get all three movements (up boom,low boom,rotate) at once , you can do it even easier? Cool.

 

[Tripled's]

Well to answer the question on the hydraulics not working if the motor die, the answer is yes. They have something similar to a starter motor that will let you get the boom back down. In the case of my ford hd you have to raise the boom to even raise the hood. Just make sure you have good batteries.

 

[treeclimber101]

The title of this thread should be pistol grip vs. 4 lever .... and I have had a pistol high ranger and yea they are nice but they are also a bit of a handle when it comes time to repair them very technical and equally expensive

 

[TreeAce]

The title of this thread should be pistol grip vs. 4 lever .... and I have had a pistol high ranger and yea they are nice but they are also a bit of a handle when it comes time to repair them very technical and equally expensive

I sure hope you have some hydraulic tools.

 

[2treeornot2tree]

I sure hope you have some hydraulic tools.

Does anyone know where to get them cheap. Or at the best price possible.

 

[2treeornot2tree]

The High Ranger I now use has the pistol grip but I think I perfer the 3 lever.


Upper boom, lower boom and rotate is three levers. What is the forth?

The fourth is the hydrolic tool 1 and 2 on and off.

 

[mattfr12]

Pistol grip all the way. i use to get a hand cramp all the time in our old ariel lift of Con trying to work the upper and lower boom at the same time with one hand.

 

[superjunior]

The High Ranger I now use has the pistol grip but I think I perfer the 3 lever.


Upper boom, lower boom and rotate is three levers. What is the forth?

on an ALC the fourth would be the red right lever - to switch to the hydraulics. I always hit that damn thing on accident

 

[sgreanbeans]

I have had 4 bucket trucks, all for diff config's. Pistol grip is the way to go, they are a bit more to maintain, but the only specialized tool you need to have is a pressure gauge. About 150 for a good one. The trigger mechanism is actually pretty easy to figure out, just gotta watch the linkage, if your bucket is moving slow, look under the boot, fine dust will build up and shorten the travel of the linkage, slowing down the movements. Some of the pistol grips have that white, thin, plastic hydraulic hose, instead of the linkage, now this stuff can be a pain. They make little quick couplers that you can use to fix the lines, but the do not work very well. Stay away from those, go with the steel linkage.
My first truck was a diesel with a Kubota 4 cyl gas, had it own fuel tank. I have never seen one again, but they are out there.

I wanna know what u guys do in the cold, to keep that fluid warm. I bought a BIG block heater for the tank, but still need it to run for a while before working it. Blew a hose on a very, VERY cold day. I didn't let it warm up, that is a bad memory! I have been told that some guys replace their fluid with air craft oil, where the hell do you buy that. Its not like I am going to just pull up t the air part and filler up!

 

[treeclimber101]

The High Ranger I now use has the pistol grip but I think I perfer the 3 lever.


Upper boom, lower boom and rotate is three levers. What is the forth?

I am not telling ...... But it has something to do with a "parrots beak" .......... Most guys don't count the hydro tool as a control but if you do alot of pear pruning the parrots beak is your best friend

 

[superjunior]

I am not telling ...... But it has something to do with a "parrots beak" .......... Most guys don't count the hydro tool as a control but if you do alot of pear pruning the parrots beak is your best friend

gonna pick one of those up one of these days. on mine that lever is a diverter valve to switch the flow for hydraulic tools, can you still use the boom controls with that engaged?