spider lifts vs tow behind gene

[stoneland]

I know that this topic has been discussed before.

I have been doing some browsing on the Internet about these two products. The spider lifts (looks like a great machine) and also the gene tow behind lift. I understand the benefits of the spider on tracks and the ability to drive it around the site besides that, is there a great difference in the machine performance and build? ( is it worth the extra money for the spider).

The main reason i am really interested in this is because last year we spent alot of money on sub contracted work for a guy and a truck and some times he would not show up or finish the job correctly. So my partner and I have decided to take it in our own hands. I was in an Ag school, while I was their I was enrolled in landscaping and conservation classes. This is when I learned the very basics of climbing. I am currently trying to find classes in my area to learn more any suggestions would be great.

 

[Koa Man]

All depends on how much accessability you need. As you probably know, the spider's forte is being able to get into tight places. If you don't need that, I would get the cheaper lift.

 

[stoneland]

What would you say the quality difference would be?
I don't really need to get threw a 40" gate to often it is just mostly around residential properties. I thought that it is a better idea to get a machine that is lighter than a truck to take across a customers lawn. In new england we don't have the flattest ground, will this be a burden with the gene lifts?

 

[ROLLACOSTA]

IMO whilst better than nothing a tow behind on a high percentage of jobs would be a pain in the ass,i'm looking at getting a tracked platform..

 

[SilentElk]

Here's the determining factor. Do you have the cash? If you have alot of money to spend or can afford then a spider If not, then a genie. That simple. The spider will always do more but you pay for it.

 

[ASD]

if you can't afford to by the right tool Waite till you can or you will end up with some thing you don't really want!

 

[stoneland]

I don't do a whole lot of tree pruning or take-downs, I just hate relying on some guy to show up. The way I look at it is, the more work that I can do myself the more money in my pocket. I really can't see spending 100K for a piece of equipment that I'm not going to use everyday. Do you guys think that the genie is a good machine for the price? I have found them on ebay for around 10,000 (used). Or will I just be kicking myself?

 

[ASD]

I don't do a whole lot of tree pruning or take-downs, I just hate relying on some guy to show up. The way I look at it is, the more work that I can do myself the more money in my pocket. I really can't see spending 100K for a piece of equipment that I'm not going to use everyday. Do you guys think that the genie is a good machine for the price? I have found them on ebay for around 10,000 (used). Or will I just be kicking myself?

:bang:
have you seen any spiders for sale used ?? pry not

 

[jamie]

tracks

we had a tracked ranger platform, maybe good for cruising round folks gardens, take it thru the woods, no hope in hell, got bogged down real bad.

jamie

 

[stoneland]

No i have not seen any used spiders but i have looked around a bit.

What do you guys like so much about the tract units? are there other models and company's i should be looking at?

 

[ASD]

No i have not seen any used spiders but i have looked around a bit

THAT'S BECAUSE PEOPLE DON'T SELL TOOLS THAT WORK !!

i'm not trying to bust your balls but for a tree guy that want's a lift the spider is at the top of the list. so y buy #2 ???

 

[stoneland]

"i'm not trying to bust your balls but for a tree guy that want's a lift the spider is at the top of the list. so y buy #2 ???"


I'm only starting to do tree work and not sure how far this will bring me in this field. I'm just trying to provide another service to my customers. I currently do landscapes and maintenance work. I figure the less people on my clients property the better, they just need one # to call for every thing. i'm not trying to go full time in the tree service, but if it works out that i end up going full time then I will buy the cats meow. just looking for a tool that can get me in the door. any suggestions wood be great. thanks



I have so much yet to learn.

 

[Lumberjack]

Koa hit the nail on the head, the others are babble.

A new genie costs 27k or so, I think the comparable spidy was in the 70k's? For me, if I was picking one of the two I would get the Genie, I havent had to walk away from any jobs because I either couldnt climb or couldnt fly. Access isnt a big issue here. The genie stows to 5'6", both require a second vehicle/second trip to the jobsite, thats a wash.

As the quality of the lifts? I give the nod to Tuepen, they have put alot of effort into there units, however I havent sent the LEO GT comparable to the TZ50, however from what I have seen the spidy is quite similar to the genie with regards to the boom and ROM.

ASD says do you see any used.... spider lifts are used for alot more than just tree work, and are very new to the US market. He says its the "right tool," but what about the hundereds of thousands of bucket trucks that have served for so long? What, besides access makes the spidy better than a tow behind? I dont think that the spidy will outlast a genie 2x as long being operated by the same operators. Sensationalist claim at best, its unfounded.

Access is the deciding factor, I have a genie. Tuepen is working on an insulated lift, perhaps just the jib, but insulated none the less. The Leo 23 GT offers significant advantages in ROM over a genie, but at a price tag of 4 times one genie. However, when the time comes to look for something bigger, I will surely give a Tuepen a look. Access is the main factor.

On thing that is good on both Genie and the Leo GT's are the articulating booms, that also extend. The jib on the Genie is superb, it really helps getting in tight areas.

If Genie made a 70'-80' version of the 50' for under 50 grand, it would be outstanding for what I need. With a slightly longer main boom and a 3 stage top boom the outreach would be terrific (50ish') and it keep me from climbing most jobs. Since I added the TZ50 my climbing has been greatly reduced, life has been made easier, and I have added more to the bottom line without feeling as rough at the end of the day.

In summary, access is the deciding factor, if you have alot of off camber tight access like Koa, get a spidy. If you live in smalltown USA and can get at most with a wider unit, it would be foolish to spend money for something you dont need, specially that much.

A lift is not a subsitute for refined climbing skills. When you come across a job where you cant use the lift you will fall on your face unless you keep fresh with climbing. Also when going from climbing everything to flying, watch your caloric intake as you will blow up due to burning less calories flying than climbing.

 

[Koa Man]

You might consider a 1 ton size truck with a 40 ft. lift. Those can be gotten fairly cheap and are very quick to move around. Believe me, you can do a lot of work with a 40 footer, especially if you are just starting out.

 

[Lumberjack]

I think an articulating boom is nearly a must for most tree work I have seen.

 

[Koa Man]

Where I am, a telescopic lift get used a lot by many tree companies. You can't beat them for raising up the canopy of a wide spreading tree and if you can get the truck underneath it, you can go between the branches to remove water sprouts, deadwood etc. A lot of the bigger companies have both types. Of course, the kinds of trees you work on will be a big factor, but regardless, I still think you can do a lot of work with a 40 ft. telescopic lift. I had a little 28 footer before and we did a lot with that.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

I've used several makes of tow behind lifts and they all have a very big drawback to an SP platform. Positioning, it is very hard to get them in the right spot in small yards.

IMO if you are going to use a small lift occasioanlly then the cheaper unit should be seriously concidered. If it is a unit that will be used several times a week then the time saved would probably pay for the lift over just a couple years time.

The availability of the spiders will keep them from elling for a while because people cannot compare the platforms insitu.

If you are the first in the area to get one, maybe you can get a contract to demo units so you can help sell them to other companies?