clinchscavalry
ArboristSite Operative
I bought a bucket truck last fall, and promptly hit a huge buck with it on the way home from the dealer. Long story, but I just got it out of the body shop a month ago. That made about nine months out of service. Anyway I have it now and have stocked the tool body with all my saws, chain, wrenches, oil, hyd. fluid, etc. etc.
It's a 2000 F-550 with 7.3 diesel, auto tranny and 4.88 rear end.
The bucket unit is a ETI 37 foot, over center unit.
I know the truck has a gross vehicle wt. rating, and I could go to a CAT scale and weigh the rig loaded with gear, but I want to know if anyone has towed heavy loads with a similar truck and how it performed. I intend to pull pecan wagons weighing about 12,000 lbs., give or take, loaded, and wonder if this truck, already heavily laden with the bucket unit, is up to the task. I would also like to move my medium sized tractors and implements with it from time to time. The tractors weigh 8000 to 8500 lbs., and I imagine a suitable trailer might weigh another 4 or 5 thousand lbs.
Is a bucket truck really suitable for heavy trailer pulling ?
It's a 2000 F-550 with 7.3 diesel, auto tranny and 4.88 rear end.
The bucket unit is a ETI 37 foot, over center unit.
I know the truck has a gross vehicle wt. rating, and I could go to a CAT scale and weigh the rig loaded with gear, but I want to know if anyone has towed heavy loads with a similar truck and how it performed. I intend to pull pecan wagons weighing about 12,000 lbs., give or take, loaded, and wonder if this truck, already heavily laden with the bucket unit, is up to the task. I would also like to move my medium sized tractors and implements with it from time to time. The tractors weigh 8000 to 8500 lbs., and I imagine a suitable trailer might weigh another 4 or 5 thousand lbs.
Is a bucket truck really suitable for heavy trailer pulling ?