Tracked Spider Lifts-Wisdom&Experince Please!! :o)

[nuzbee7]

Im lookin to buy a tracked spiderlift. Can yall give me some factual insight from an owner/operator standpoint? Ive done some research & read some of yalls posts & cant make my mind up.

Ive looked at Omme, Niftylift, Teupen, & a Japanese lift I dont remember the name.

*Also, how do they compare with a bucket truck as far as speed & stability?

Thanks for your help.

Neil

 

[TFPace]

Slick

I try to learn something new every day! Thanks

Posting a link to this type of machine may prove helpful.... I'll do it for you

http://www.italmecusa.com/pages/used-equipment.cfm


These babies are pricey but man they are all about saving a LOT of time too.

Great post!

Tom

 

[autobaun70]

I work for a large rental company, and while these are good lifts, they aren't built heavy enough to be used for full time tree service use. They are primarily designed as Atrium lifts, and can typically be driven through a double door entrance, for working in a high ceiling atrium like you would have in a large hotel or hospital. Ideal for hooking up sound systems, lighting work, ect. The only thing that mobile that I would even consider would be a tow behind boom, such as the 40-50 foot units offered by Genie, JLG, & Biljax/Huloute. These can be used for tree work, but you would have to be extreemly carefull to not let any limbs or tops so much as graze the lift when falling to the ground. Compared to a full size AWP or Bucket Truck, the track that protects/guides the hydraulic lines and control harness are very light weight, and offer very little protection for the lines within. Worse yet, the very lightest impact on them breaks the plastic track, which is a manufacturer only part, to the tune of several hundred $. If you have any lift questions regarding specific makes/models, feel free to shoot me a PM. Not too well versed on truck mounted units, but the driveable stuff I deal with every day.

 

[arbor pro]

...Compared to a full size AWP or Bucket Truck, the track that protects/guides the hydraulic lines and control harness are very light weight, and offer very little protection for the lines within. Worse yet, the very lightest impact on them breaks the plastic track, which is a manufacturer only part, to the tune of several hundred $...

He's spot on with that assessment. I got up against a branch with my upper boom of my genie tz50 and bent the long skinny shield that protects the hydraulic lines when the shooter boom extends/retracts and now the shield won't fit through the guide. I had to take the guide off to make it work and now the plastic track protecting the lines doesn't always want to stay in the bottom track. for now, I'm just watching it close and using as is as I don't have a service center nearby and haven't gotten around to replacing the bent parts. I really like my towable unit for tree work but these things are not meant to be bumped around inside the canopy of a tree like the fiberglass boom mounted on a truck. I don't know how the lines are protected on spider lifts but, if they're anything like on a towable, you have to be a bit careful not to bang into branches.