Re: Bucket trucks, what\'s good? Help.
My 8 cents worth
I have owned Hi-rangers, asplundhs, and currantly a Altec and 2 Mat-3's. My first Bucket I ever bought an asplundh LB50, I thought this is going to be great no more climbing for me, reality they are a great for removals, but for most pruning it was a high priced elevator, ride it up and jump out. So it sat in the yard 3-4 days out of the week you just couldn't get it in to most spots. This Teco looks nice Trk I like cornbinders and the mileage is good. The 4X4 will be really handy and the 466 is a good motor. Does it have an hour meter on the boom? add 30 miles for every hour of stationary operation. 80' wow it will be a great removal machine where you have room to get it in, those booms are so long that they really will get in the way alot - it will suck for pruning other than dead tips and raising. If its fine (should have a yearly or recent inspection report on the boom (although thats another story)) You get it for ~ 50K I think you could sleep real well with that, I really don't know what that truck cost new I would venture to guess 110-120k?
On a slight tangent - Let me tell all you bucket owners out there about the MAt 3's. They are Unbelievable!! Heres how I got my first one, Mat 3 contacted me and said they wanted to give me a bucket for a week .. eh what did you say? .. a bucket for a week .. ah ok I says but you know I'm a tree guy and 'm going to take it out and work the piss out of it
(being an honest guy I added) and there is no way ... no way I am buying a new bucket this year or next, its not in the cards till then my hi ranger is doing me fine. They still gave it to me I thought they were crazy but what the hell free bucket for the week. I gotta tell ya I took that thing to my house on the week end and I did things with a bucket I never did B-4 (oops left myself wide open there), I couldn't believe it The telescoping upper boom allows you to squirt around and through limbs where you would never get conventional booms, Man finally a bucket that can prune. I ordered a 60' at the end of my demo on an 84" WB the booms are shorter than a 43 we squeeze it in places conventional 50's won’t go. I am thourally(?) convinced it is the Cadillac of all bucket trucks. My employees who run the old Altec think its a piece of S___, ( its not it's a great bucket), there only Frame of Reference is the Mat 3's which KICK ASS on any other Bucket out there, my new 70 is tits. /forum/images/graemlins/cool.gif
Whew I hate typing
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