Genie S60 vs. Z60

[firewooder20]

Hi folks,
For topping some trees around the house, I will be renting a lift. Has anyone found the Genie S60 (straight boom) or the Z60 (jointed boom) to be better(compared to each other)?
thanks

 

[Brent03]

I’ve never used either on trees, but I’ve used both types in construction. The z boom will allow you to get to more places on the treetop without moving around as much on the ground. These lifts are heavy so they could make a mess of the grass.

 

[arathol]

Get an articulated lift. The straight boom lift is pretty useless in comparison.
If you are going to be moving the bucket around a lot, get a towable electric lift that has out riggers such as the BilJax 5533A. These are quite a bit more stable than the driveable models.They aren't nearly as heavy, they are very easy to use, they don't make much noise and don't use any fuel. There is also a self leveling feature so it won't matter if the ground is not perfectly flat (not an option with the wheeled self driving lifts). You can use it in your yard and it won't destroy the grass. Just put some plywood under the pads and you'll never know it was there later.
A video to show its function-

 

[firewooder20]

I’ve never used either on trees, but I’ve used both types in construction. The z boom will allow you to get to more places on the treetop without moving around as much on the ground. These lifts are heavy so they could make a mess of the grass.

Thanks, I used a straight boom last time and it did need to be repositioned many times. I can see how the z boom will be a big advantage.

 

[firewooder20]

Get an articulated lift. The straight boom lift is pretty useless in comparison.
If you are going to be moving the bucket around a lot, get a towable electric lift that has out riggers such as the BilJax 5533A. These are quite a bit more stable than the driveable models.They aren't nearly as heavy, they are very easy to use, they don't make much noise and don't use any fuel. There is also a self leveling feature so it won't matter if the ground is not perfectly flat (not an option with the wheeled self driving lifts). You can use it in your yard and it won't destroy the grass. Just put some plywood under the pads and you'll never know it was there later.
A video to show its function-

Thanks for the link, I think my 2WD truck and the hilly terrain(with narrow spots where the lift will be used) will not allow the use of a lift with outriggers. Probably going to have to try the z boom since it has a bit narrower footprint. But I will take a look at what the local rental yard has for towables - might be worth a shot just to see if they have one that will reach 60'.

 

[Brent03]

Thanks for the link, I think my 2WD truck and the hilly terrain(with narrow spots where the lift will be used) will not allow the use of a lift with outriggers. Probably going to have to try the z boom since it has a bit narrower footprint. But I will take a look at what the local rental yard has for towables - might be worth a shot just to see if they have one that will reach 60'.

I rented a towable a few times doing electrical installs. I towed it one of the times with a 2001 Ram 2wd v6. Iirc truck does not need to be hooked up during use. I however was not on any hills worth talking about. It is on a single axle so it kicks the truck a bit but even that gutless turd lugged it down the road just fine.

 

[arathol]

I towed it one of the times with a 2001 Ram 2wd v6. Iirc truck does not need to be hooked up during use. I however was not on any hills worth talking about. It is on a single axle so it kicks the truck a bit but even that gutless turd lugged it down the road just fine.

Actually, you need to unhook the lift from the vehicle when in use. The self leveling out riggers can lift the unit at least a couple feet off the ground if needed. That won't turn out real well with the truck still attached.....

Thanks for the link, I think my 2WD truck and the hilly terrain(with narrow spots where the lift will be used) will not allow the use of a lift with outriggers. Probably going to have to try the z boom since it has a bit narrower footprint. But I will take a look at what the local rental yard has for towables - might be worth a shot just to see if they have one that will reach 60'.

I wouldn't use any sort of lift that couldn't be leveled in hilly terrain. Many of those wheeled man lifts have sensors that prevent the use of the boom if the unit isn't level, and there is not much of a way to get it level if its on any sort of slope or incline. The outriggers on the towables can accommodate a fair bit of uneven ground, the wheeled ones not so much...