Outriggers

[jmcscrap]

Has anyone noticed, or is it normal for outriggers to come off the ground when operating an aerial lift? We just demoed a 65' lift with 2 sets of outriggers - front and rear. The rear set were at least a couple inches off the pad when extended out the opposite side. Our current setup has never done this, but when asking the salesman he said this is normal and all their trucks do this. I guess it doesn't seem normal to me at least. Thanks!

 

[CanaryBoss]

Um that’s sounds like a recipe for disaster

 

[adolan]

Yes I have seen this happen lots of times, but only when way over the side - say working over the passenger side of the truck and the outrigger on the driver side will be off of the pad every once in a while

 

[Jehinten]

Were the outrigger set hard, or barely touching when set up? Barely touching I could see the back side lifting off with the sway of the suspension. If set hard, you can lift a trucks suspension and you shouldn't see any movement.

 

[Gorman]

Put a mat or two underneath the outrigger. That will provide more security.

 

[Benjo75]

I wouldn't like that. I've never had that happen and don't intend to.

 

[RBJtree]

Back when I worked for someone and they had a bucket, a mid mount with only two outriggers, the non weighted side would lift a little when way out to the side and low. Less so when the riggers were down very hard. But you can't really lift a truck real well with two out riggers, it will just make it a teeter totter. I've never used a 4 outrigger bucket. I used to run a 54' crane with A frame front outriggers and that would lift one too. That thing had 0 saftey measures you could just push it till it broke or rolled over and it would never make a beep or a buzz or slow down at all. It was old and rickety. If we were lifting anything "heavy" from over the side I would stand on the opposite side controls so the boom wasn't over my head. In case it broke. If you think about it, with 4 outriggers, if only one lifts and the ground doesn't move, the frame of the truck is flexing. Everything flexes or breaks, but how much is ok? What is the fatigue cycle limit till it breaks? I don't know.
Thanks for listening.

 

[Lumberjack]

It happens... it's common on knucklebooms as well.

 

[jmcscrap]

Thanks for the feedback. They were set hard, rear wheels off the ground. It did look like it was twisting more than leaning.

 

[southsoundtree]

Are the rear tires meant to be off the ground?
The one truck I ran had to have the wheels on the ground.
We need 2 outriggers for the Versalift, but had 4.

 

[Leroy]

Forestry buckets are not meant to be extended to the point that the truck suspension is lifted. Most of the stability comes from the chassis. As others have said it's not uncommon to see them lift up a bit.