opinions....best spider lift?

[baumeister]

I have had the nifty for three years now. Recently I had a leaking seal on two of the drive wheels. I have done nothing but word from manufacturer is I would have to replace the whole gearbox that is between the hydraulic drive and the wheel. A 2000 dollar ordeal. Rightnow I am observing them to see what happens. Then last week a hydraulic hoses burst after being worn through from rubbing on the frame. I am obviously going to have to pay for this repair. Closest support is two hours away that is a big bummer. I consider a hydraulic hose burs after three years from rubbing bad workmanship. But disappointed it that.

 

[Lumberjack]

You can't replace the hose yourself? Even if you can't, surely there is someone local who can.


What model machine do you have?

 

[baumeister]

Nifty sd 64. I am in the boonies. Found someone who might come out. Could replace the hose myself, but my time is more valuable doing sales and managing my crew during working hours. Usually about 70 hrs per week. Rest Isdedicated quality of life family time.

 

[ROYCE]

Nifty sd 64. I am in the boonies. Found someone who might come out. Could replace the hose myself, but my time is more valuable doing sales and managing my crew during working hours. Usually about 70 hrs per week. Rest Isdedicated quality of life family time.

How do you like your nifty lift? Also, have you ever run a bucket truck before? I am curious to the comparison. I know their are pros and cons to each.

 

[baumeister]

IMO no comparison. Owned a 2007 ford f740 with one of the last aerial lifts of Connecticut.

In my area:

Jobs used. Turf damage. Fuel consum

Ford f740. 70%. Extensive. A lot

Nifty. 95%. Min.. none. Very little

In all honesty, if you are doing residential work mostly where you have to go off road to get to the trees, bucket trucks are completely outdated. If more than 50% ofyourwork is reached from the road then maybe a bucket truck works for you. That said,
The nifty has been down now two times in 3 years due to hydraulic hose leaks. I am pretty disappointed in that. Feel there are some design flaws. Hoses should not be bursting after 3 years, but that is what you get when you buy new products on the market for short times I guess

 

[tc262]

The nifty has been down now two times in 3 years due to hydraulic hose leaks. I am pretty disappointed in that. Feel there are some design flaws. Hoses should not be bursting after 3 years, but that is what you get when you buy new products on the market for short times I guess

I was just talking to a mechanic a few weeks ago at an aerial lift shop that has several Sd64s in their rental fleet. He said Nifty has made several changes to the 64s in the last few years. Changing the hose routing through the boom is one of the changes he's mentioned. He said Niftys always trying to continue to improve their products.

 

[Lumberjack]

The SD64 has been out for 8 years, not exactly a new product.

I guess I'm more laid back. To me, 2 hoses in 3 years on a machine with well over 1k feet of hose in it doesn't bother me as a dealer or end user. Both of my Kubota excavators had 2 hoses in their first 3 years, the track loader had a kinked heater hose from the factory... the Rayco stump grinders (both bought new) went through lots of hoses, perhaps that's what desensitized me to issue.

My used Rotobec loader has had 9hoses and 2 steel lines replaced in 10 months that I can remember.... I'm not impressed with its design compared to Palfinger'a Epsilon loader.

Of the ~14 SD64s I've sold in as many months, that I can remember, there have been 5 hoses replaced on 3 machines. Two unrelated hoses one machine had defective fittings, one popped in the top boom's metal hose tray, and I replaced two on a jib where a clamp had damaged them. One had a slow leak (saw a drip on the shop floor) and I replaced the other because of a blemish in its jacket from the same clamp.

The one that popped in the hose tray is the only one that caused a work stoppage.


I'd be interested to see the leak on the wheel motor/gear box. It may be a more simple fix than replacing the whole gearbox.

 

[Merle Nelson]

Anyone who wants to prevent hose wear/failure at contact points with frame etc could clamp an inexpensive piece of rubber hose, split down the middle to install, in place right?

 

[ROYCE]

So how does the SD64 Have 70 feet of vertical reach? It states it has 63.5 feet of height to the bottom of the platform. I am not 6.5 feet tall, so......??

Get used to replacing hydraulic hoses. It happens. With all my equipment I have replaced a ton, I have lost count. Luckily most are easy to get to. Just take the hose off and take it to a repair shop. Usually fixed in under 15 mins while I wait.
I even thought about buying the stuff to fix it myself.

 

[OasisTree]

So how does the SD64 Have 70 feet of vertical reach? It states it has 63.5 feet of height to the bottom of the platform. I am not 6.5 feet tall, so......??

Get used to replacing hydraulic hoses. It happens. With all my equipment I have replaced a ton, I have lost count. Luckily most are easy to get to. Just take the hose off and take it to a repair shop. Usually fixed in under 15 mins while I wait.
I even thought about buying the stuff to fix it myself.

You have to figure in the fact that when you level the machine the wheels can be up to 2 ft. off the ground . But it's the side reach that is really impressive, with the full 500# capacity.

Sent from my XT1575 using Tapatalk

 

[ROYCE]

Oh

You have to figure in the fact that when you level the machine the wheels can be up to 2 ft. off the ground . But it's the side reach that is really impressive, with the full 500# capacity.

Sent from my XT1575 using Tapatalk

Oh, Okay! That makes sense. So, technically, I could bring crane dunnage and jack the think up with the outriggers to get 6-8 feet off the ground really extending my height

I just looked over my schedule for the next few weeks and I called to get a demo of the lift to see what it would be like. We shall see.

 

[RoyalTree]

Will be very interested in your opinion on it after your demo.

 

[matdand]

So how does the SD64 Have 70 feet of vertical reach? It states it has 63.5 feet of height to the bottom of the platform. I am not 6.5 feet tall, so......??.

You should be with your arms raised.

 

[Merle Nelson]

Royce I like your idea of getting set up for basic hose repair myself.

I watched the hydraulic shop make up 4 hoses for me the other day to change the stock length on a Root Grapple and Grapple Bucket that Lumberjack had gotten for me with my Avant. The guy just used a cutoff wheel on an angle grinder to cut bulk hose off a roll and without even blowing hoses out or checking for fragments of burned rubber on ends crimped fittings with a hydraulic press and gave them to me....along with an invoice for $359.

Thirty years ago I was making up the odd hose here and there by hand in a logging shop. All that is needed is 20 or 30 feet of bulk hose in commonly used sizes, a angle grinder with cutoff wheel, a can of never seize, and an assortment of commonly used fittings that screw into locked position on hoses rather than crimped in place.

AND I can clean parts before assembly.

 

[Lumberjack]

Anyone who wants to prevent hose wear/failure at contact points with frame etc could clamp an inexpensive piece of rubber hose, split down the middle to install, in place right?

Yes sir, the piece of rubber had split... I think someone got a bit overzealous with the clamp.

You have to figure in the fact that when you level the machine the wheels can be up to 2 ft. off the ground . But it's the side reach that is really impressive, with the full 500# capacity.

Sent from my XT1575 using Tapatalk

That's two of the main things that attracted me to the SD64, great side reach both at max outreach as well as at higher elevations (42' max side reach up to 33' working height, 30' of side reach at 60' height) and the 500lb unrestricted chart. I'm a big fellow and we primarily do removals (cutting and tossing isn't uncommon)

 

[Gorman]

Royce I like your idea of getting set up for basic hose repair myself.

I watched the hydraulic shop make up 4 hoses for me the other day to change the stock length on a Root Grapple and Grapple Bucket that Lumberjack had gotten for me with my Avant. The guy just used a cutoff wheel on an angle grinder to cut bulk hose off a roll and without even blowing hoses out or checking for fragments of burned rubber on ends crimped fittings with a hydraulic press and gave them to me....along with an invoice for $359.

Thirty years ago I was making up the odd hose here and there by hand in a logging shop. All that is needed is 20 or 30 feet of bulk hose in commonly used sizes, a angle grinder with cutoff wheel, a can of never seize, and an assortment of commonly used fittings that screw into locked position on hoses rather than crimped in place.

AND I can clean parts before assembly.

That hydraulic press is very costly.

 

[ROYCE]

That hydraulic press is very costly.

My dream is to buy one for the shop, then hire a full time mechanic that could fix hoses for everyone. We have a TON of hydraulic machines run around these parts...."Think logging"
I would also like to buy a machine to professionally sharpen chipper knives. Same thing, offer that to other companies who have chippers.

 

[ROYCE]

Yes sir, the piece of rubber had split... I think someone got a bit overzealous with the clamp.




That's two of the main things that attracted me to the SD64, great side reach both at max outreach as well as at higher elevations (42' max side reach up to 33' working height, 30' of side reach at 60' height) and the 500lb unrestricted chart. I'm a big fellow and we primarily do removals (cutting and tossing isn't uncommon)

Now, do you have a foot petal that needs to be pushed every time you want to use a function while in the basket?

 

[Merle Nelson]

That hydraulic press is very costly.

What I'm saying is I don't think you need the costly press.

Thirty years ago I was putting a little never seize on ends of hose and screwing a fitting on with a cresent wrench. I would imagine they still have those same fittings available.

By the way, we were doing that in a shop that served about 100 pieces of logging equipment, log trucks, cleat tractors, skidders, high line yarders etc. So it is not a hard or slow process.

 

[Gorman]

What I'm saying is I don't think you need the costly press.

Thirty years ago I was putting a little never seize on ends of hose and screwing a fitting on with a cresent wrench. I would imagine they still have those same fittings available.

By the way, we were doing that in a shop that served about 100 pieces of logging equipment, log trucks, cleat tractors, skidders, high line yarders etc. So it is not a hard or slow process.

I've never heard of that way. My brother has access to a press at his work. That's where I get all my hose. I just buy the fittings. The press costs many thousands but I wouldn't see why buying one if you could just do what you're talking about.