Who flips/extends the arm on their bucket all the way over/horizontal?

[treecutterjr]

Does any one extend their bucket out straight horizontally? Basically bringing the upper boom all the way up AND over until you are pointing straight out?
I don't and IVe never seen any one out doing it.,And none of the guys that have worked with me have. Just wondering if this is a common practice?
I definitely feel like I have felt the bucket "lean" a bit when trying to reach out to the max.
@sking because I was talking to one of these line clearance guys that claims they do it all the time.
I
BS? Or am I just not as knowledgeable as I think?

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[BC WetCoast]

Do it, but not regularly. Most often have to do it to go under some wires as I'm not allowed to go through the wires (between primary and secondary or secondary and communication).

The way I think about it, the engineers designed the boom to be able to do this, or they would have either made the outriggers wider or put stops in the system to prevent it.

If you are going to do it, make sure your outriggers are on stable ground with good pads.

I don't do it often, because it is a pain in the azz going over the top then getting the bucket in the right spot. I'm not the greatest operator, but I find over the top the bucket doesn't seem as maneuverable.

 

[pro94lt]

Yes if you mean breaking over center? I can pull up swing the upper boom over center. Many booms won't break over center

 

[CanopyGorilla]

Yes. When my outriggers have good footing I push that pig as far as she will let me.

 

[2treeornot2tree]

I go over center alot. You can sometimes get a couple more feet of side reach to get that branch just outta reach. Booms are rated for the worst load case which is completely horizontal off the side of the truck.

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[teamtree]

Does any one extend their bucket out straight horizontally? Basically bringing the upper boom all the way up AND over until you are pointing straight out?
I don't and IVe never seen any one out doing it.,And none of the guys that have worked with me have. Just wondering if this is a common practice?
I definitely feel like I have felt the bucket "lean" a bit when trying to reach out to the max.
@sking because I was talking to one of these line clearance guys that claims they do it all the time.
I
BS? Or am I just not as knowledgeable as I think?

Sent from my SM-N900T using Tapatalk

We do it all the time.....when you flip it out to be parallel to the ground...it does put more pressure on your outriggers and will lift the opposite side. But I would say it is very common practice if your truck will do it. To be honest....I feel "unsafe" at certain points but I have never had any problems doing it.

 

[pro94lt]

I mounted two little levels on the rear. set the outriggers on large pads and have your ground guy keep an eye on them if the your bubble isn't in the level mark you've got problems. Also if you're doing a job where you have to swing out and you've set up when the ground is frozen keep an eye for thawing ground. .. maybe I'm a little paranoid but a local guy flipped his truck over a few years back... my truck also has 4 outriggers many only have 2.

 

[pro94lt]

Treecutterjr what truck did you feel lean? Does it have 2 or 4 outriggers?

 

[teamtree]

I mounted two little levels on the rear. set the outriggers on large pads and have your ground guy keep an eye on them if the your bubble isn't in the level mark you've got problems. Also if you're doing a job where you have to swing out and you've set up when the ground is frozen keep an eye for thawing ground. .. maybe I'm a little paranoid but a local guy flipped his truck over a few years back... my truck also has 4 outriggers many only have 2.

It is good to be a little paranoid or scared....at most, it may keep you alive. I would say outrigger setup key....staying level and using pads, cribbing, wet/soft ground, asphalt, etc.

Without going over center and just reaching out will pull up your outrigger but as long as the other one is ok you should be fine. Just watchyour set up.

 

[teamtree]

also....a bucket truck is not the same as a crane....your tires are meant to stay on the ground. I can tetor-toter my altec if my front wells are up off the ground.....i.e. down hill set up.....it will stop as soon as the front tires come down and then back tires are up.......I have only done it a couple of times.....i.e. don't think it is meant to do it....lol

 

[Blakesmaster]

also....a bucket truck is not the same as a crane....your tires are meant to stay on the ground. I can tetor-toter my altec if my front wells are up off the ground.....i.e. down hill set up.....it will stop as soon as the front tires come down and then back tires are up.......I have only done it a couple of times.....i.e. don't think it is meant to do it....lol

Yeah, I don't play that teeter totter game. If a tire has to leave the pavement I'm driving it onto a stack of plywood/4 bys/whatever. Not flying the boom without all four on something solid.

 

[Blakesmaster]

And yes, I will lay the boom all the way out.

 

[2treeornot2tree]

I always put something under my front tires if they have to come off the ground alot to get level

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[treecutterjr]

I don't lean mine over Centre. I was Up in it earlier and just couldn't make myself do it. Never have, seems sketchy but who knows. I have had MY bucket feel like it leans. It's sometimes been on less than solid ground. I only have 2 out Riggers not 4. But I just wondered. I've never had to do it or anything but just wondered Who does. But to each his own.

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[2treeornot2tree]

I only have 2 out riggers too. I made 2'×3.5' wood pads out of glued and screwed 24 and plywood

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[BC WetCoast]

I don't lean mine over Centre. I was Up in it earlier and just couldn't make myself do it. Never have, seems sketchy but who knows. I have had MY bucket feel like it leans. It's sometimes been on less than solid ground. I only have 2 out Riggers not 4. But I just wondered. I've never had to do it or anything but just wondered Who does. But to each his own.

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If you boom will go over centre, use the lower controls and bring it over (a lot of crews do this daily anyways as a way of cycling the controls). Then get in the bucket after it's over centre just to get the feel. Remember your controls will now be backwards.

 

[no tree to big]

Set up solid and Just do it don't think about it if ur worried about tipping do it over the front that way u for sure won't flip and u can get used to it..

Don't know if this stands for all trucks but I know for sure our non over center high ranger will go straight off the side with no out riggers and not tip, it was very wobbly but tires stayed on the ground.

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[treeclimber101]

There is one position that a boom is very unstable and not recommended to do . A center mount should not be flipped over backwards and stretched out to either the left or right corner they can flip over sideways or basically the truck pulls itself over backwards , without rear outriggers it does not have enough counterweight to stop itself from flipping

 

[teamtree]

There is one position that a boom is very unstable and not recommended to do . A center mount should not be flipped over backwards and stretched out to either the left or right corner they can flip over sideways or basically the truck pulls itself over backwards , without rear outriggers it does not have enough counterweight to stop itself from flipping

I am not following you......I raise my upper boom up (knuckle is in the back) and over 180 degrees...I then raise my lower boom about a foot and then I spin the whole boom to either side and all the way to the front of my truck......I just have one set of outriggers.....I think this is what you are saying but not sure.....

 

[teamtree]

I don't lean mine over Centre. I was Up in it earlier and just couldn't make myself do it. Never have, seems sketchy but who knows. I have had MY bucket feel like it leans. It's sometimes been on less than solid ground. I only have 2 out Riggers not 4. But I just wondered. I've never had to do it or anything but just wondered Who does. But to each his own.

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Go to the ICUEE show in Louisville the next time it is in town....you can try every type of bucket on the market......you will see what the true capabilities are.....go slow and get used to it. It is amazing when you have a machine that will give you 15' feet of extra reach.....I had a high-ranger line truck before my altec LRV-60 and wow....what a difference....I can get most trees with one set up, instead of 3 with the hi-ranger