Which bucket truck, 60 or 75? etc.

F

Firetree

Location
Central Florida
Fellow Buzzers, I am inquiring of those of you who have bucket truck experience for insight. We run a small company and perform mostly residential work. We sold our utility bucket and are now shopping for a forestry body bucket. Any insight into features and models would be greatly appreciated. Our main question is about the usefullness and frequency of the 75 footers. We do not have many trees that tall but appreciate the reach when neccessary.
Thanks in advance for your contributions on this subject.
 
The reach is worth the cost over the life of the unit. Terex 75wh. I was planning on purchasing a new one on a tandem truck soon. The weights are tough to get in line if you get a forestry package and a pony motor. The one I have now weighs in at 33500lbs empty with tools. When the box is full, typically 41-42k. Get the heaviest options for axles and brakes.

With the 75' extension, carry cribbing for the front tires if you plan on going over the front on someone's driveway. Punch holes or break concrete with a bounce of any sort.
 
Wouldn't trade ours! You can elevate above most household secondarys and most bungalows taking them completely out of your way.
For tandem, If you're building it, I would have somewhere to store +\-6 sheets of ply. Like fireaxe says, they can be hard on driveways. once you get used to it you'll keep finding new ways of using the elevator. Good luck.
 
Thanks guys. We just sold our tandem axle utility bucket and would like a single rear axle now with a box. We have a chip truck which is our primary for chipping. The bucket would serve to back it up or handle smaller quantity jobs. I hear the elevator really helps in getting obstacles out of the picture. The word on the street is, "It is worth it". More comments welcome. =:)
 
It came up as a memory when BW said about reaching over primaries. The elevator will put you with no insulator between the primary and the ground. Just FYI, it blew the fuse for the circuit and left a 1/2 pit in the lower metal portion of the boom. I got lucky and no one was touching anything.

Not a fan of reaching over anything anymore, leave it to line clearance guys.
 
[ QUOTE ]
It came up as a memory when BW said about reaching over primaries. The elevator will put you with no insulator between the primary and the ground. Just FYI, it blew the fuse for the circuit and left a 1/2 pit in the lower metal portion of the boom. I got lucky and no one was touching anything.

Not a fan of reaching over anything anymore, leave it to line clearance guys.

[/ QUOTE ]
Wow wow wow, read again! No one said anything about reaching over primaries! Household secondary= BIG difference, 240v insulated triplex.
 
I think the bigger question is what can you afford. When I got my 60' forestry unit recently, I definitely wanted a 75' but definitely couldn't afford it. Good used 75' seem rare. Especially for a good price.
 
Well said niceview. We are wrestling with that aspect of it too. We are saving as much as possible and we think we can justify financing and/or spending that much because we are planning long-term. We love arboriculture and hope to use this truck for the next 10-15 years. Therefore we'll divide the price by 10 (years) and look at it like that. Thank you for your input guys...very helpful. Niceview, where did you buy from?
 
There is no insulation on power lines boss... the rubber is there to protect the wire, not you. Any EHAP class will teach you that its just weatherproofing, not insulation.
 
Picked it up in Atlanta from global equipment exporters. Definitely a few leaks they weren't offering up. I couldn't get the financing for a 75' but the 60' has definitely helped out so far. I'd say if you can afford it, or have the financing, go for the 75'.
 
I think a 4wd 60' rear mount is just as vaulable as any 75 foot bucket in the northeast. I run a 75 foot elevator ALC every single day, but its just a huge truck, and when doing removals, 15 feet isnt enough to justify such a huge truck. That being said, I rarely climb out of the bucket, if I have to, its usually a prune where no matter how tall the bucket is, you cant get it to every cut you want to make.
 
We just got an altec am855 60' rear mount, flatbed, short wheel base, 2speed rear end, over center booms, w/2000lb material handler! Wow.

Seems like we just did a bunch of jobs I'd a cried over if had to climb them. Nasty trees next to driveways.

For the price of a 75' elevator and the chassis required, might as well get a k-boom. The ability to pick weight is a new dimension. I'm starting with the 60'rear mount, next step will be the 75'+ k-boom. My 60' cost right about half what a similar year chassis elevator or k-boom commands.

We really do not have many trees over 65'. Most of the time I'm under 45'. Even when working on 75'+ trees there is usually plenty of swing room under 60' of working height. Reach is usually more of an issue then height and the elevators don't have it. A k-boom has reach. The real reach bubble of a 75' horizontal k-boom
 
I climb 2-3 times a month for a guy with a 4x4 60' RM ALC.

That truck knocks the hell out of tree jobs. I said I wouldn't own a bucket truck...until I ran that thing. It does over 95% of his jobs, he does not climb, period. I'll come in the the tough ones, and tall ones.

The 75's sure are sweet though. I can see it coming in most handy for the side reach.

Heck of a price difference between the two.

I've been highly anticipating the cherry 60' RM ALC that found me. I've got a deposit on it although it can't come quick enough!
 
I did want a 4x4. But..best bank for our buck came in a short wheel base, flotation steers, auto trans, 2-speed rear(high tops at 60mph), ability to look out rear window, and ground pro does make it able to get into some sweet spots.

The one guy around here who has a 75' elevator forestry body does not climb at all. His prune jobs show. He has to un- hitch his chipper often and chips into his dump body one ton, he tows his tractor with this truck to load chunk. A bunch of guys use tractors up here, I'm the only one with a mini let alone one with a branch manager.

I do not think forestry bodies are for residential work. I think they are for clearing r.o.w. Our bucket does not leave the yard as much as the chipper and chip box. And the price I paid for the bucket I'm ok with it waiting for the action.

The ability to get close to the tree is huge. I think a 60' rear mount can get close(more feasibly) than a forestry body with elevator 75'.

I do not think anyone mentioned the outriggers. If you set up off pavement, having four outriggers rocks. With some extra cribbing wood you can comfortably set up on various terrain.
 
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