first bucket truck, first time on a real job, first busted hydraulic hose, still call it a SUCCESS!

[Erwin]

Just bought my very first bucket after 14 years of climbing. 52 years old now ,still planning to climb for years to come. The only justification is to climb less and hope to reduce chance of injuries and wear and tire to my aging body parts. It's a nicely maintained 97 GMC C7500 with an Altec 55 feet bucket.
after practicing for a few times, took it out on a real job yesterday. Reall smooth and enjoyable experience. Finished cutting all the branches and planning to come down, chip it up and switch to a bigger saw to cut down the trunks. just about 10 feet from the ground, it stopped and a 1/2 line from the very bottom joint busted and sticking out and shootin oil straightly up. Ground man killed the engine so it wont empty the whol tank.
switched to lower control and was able to fold the booms back to transportin position and drive it home. What puzzles me is with the top controller switched off and only turning, lifting and lowering from the lower control station, I still see quite a bit of oil coming down the inside of the lower boom, although no oil shooting out of the one stcking up.

quite a scarry experience for a new guy in bucket, but I think that I handled it well this far. I've been reading about how to replace broken lines on the internet today and think that that's something I should able to do. The truck did come with an Altec manual and I'm going to study it and figure out what circuit is affected and how to replace it. If you guys have any ideas and quick inputs, that's very appreciated! Erwin

 

[Erwin]

Kind of wish that there is something like a "hydraulic line busted, things to do step by step" - a care kit for Newbies in this kind of situations.

 

[since16]

My bucket is an older low miles automatic gem also. Switches and levers might b loose and she ott dry rots after time its part of the deal. Mine moved super slow for the first 2 months I thought it was because it was a material handler then I messed with the lower upper boom switch and found the screw wasnt tight enough to send all the pressure on upper boom. First job I used the boom winch to move logs across a creek right after the last one i saw oil spilling from the turrett. I pulled the cover and there was a line to the winch lever leaking like heck. I pulled it with a wrench it was late there were 4 other lines that looked totally ready to let loose. So when i got a line made at orilleys I bought a long extension 3/8 rachet and full set of crows foot wrenches. I pulled all the ones that looked like they were gonna go and replaced them that night on the job in the dark it was more than worth it pretty much free compared to down time or hiring a mechanic.

The crows feet work better than you would think and I keep the whole set on the truck for the future lines were super cheap. They told me the bill im not trying to pull a fast one on anyone and told them they left something off but it was right. You really need a crows foot set on the truck I had a small leak after that and tightened it with them and nothing since.

Oh and take tons of pictures before middle after cause you will forget easily which goes to which if they are the same size. They also need to go on in an order.

True story guy I know (stevie blunder) type went to replace some hydraulic lines up under the turrett and didnt take pics pulled them off forgot the order and truck still down a year later dont b that guy

 

[Erwin]

if you have to go do a quick n easy job and did not bring your ground man with you. what do you do if lines break? by the time you repel down and shut down the engine you would lose all your oil, right? I'm trying to come up with a way to kill the engine from the bucket. Erwin

 

[no tree to big]

Buckets used to have an engine start stop switch at the control....

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[Erwin]

Thx. Good to know. Since half of the time I'm solo it really worth it to look into this.

Where do u all bucket people buy your replacement hoses with connectors fablicated? Hydraulic supply shop? Bucket truck service center or else where? Thx

 

[pro94lt]

What model? Most do have a kill switch in the bucket... Was it a high pressure line or the plastic low pressure?

 

[no tree to big]

Our new altec has no kill switch we have a 08? Over center high ranger that doesn't have one. Our 02? Maybe 04 non over center high ranger has one our Old 94 over center hi ranger had one along with a hi/lo idle control

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[ironpirate]

If it is just a black hose around the lower turret you be able to get one made anywhere that makes hydraulic hoses....insert your favorite auto part store here. If it is dielectric (red hoses usually) you may want to bring it to a bucket truck shop if there is one near you. I had all the hoses replaced 2yrs ago in my Altec LB650. I had to drive it 2hrs away to find a shop that could handle it and maintain the dielectric rating.

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