It is nice to have a heavy truck

[Stumper]

I got a call today inquiring about the bucket truck. Thankfully it is too heavy. It seems that they need someone to drive out onto the world's highest suspension bridge and tighten some fittings at almost 60 feet over the planks.......1100 feet over the bottom of the Royal Gorge. The thought of bouncing the bucket on a bridge that sways in the wind, while looking down that hole makes me a little woozy.

 

[SkwerI]

Aww heck, sounds like it would be worth $250-$300 per hour (or more). And the boom on that old truck is nice and stiff, not wobbly like mine. I swear the boom on my truck flexes 3-4 times as much as the old blue one.

 

[Frans]

Man i would jump on that job! (uhhh no pun intended) Maybe unbolt the tool box to lighten things up?

I haven't heard too much feedback on that truck Stumper. Glad to hear your using it.

 

[MasterBlaster]

I would LOVE to do that! I'd swing out over the side for a killer rush!

 

[stehansen]

That sounds like a cool job. The bridge sways in the wind? Maybe not so cool. I never get the feeling of being at height climbing, but I do in the bucket sometimes, usually when things are swaying.

 

[Stumper]

It does sound cool.... but it also gives me the willies. I almost volunteered the idea of climbing but then remembered that I am really busy and also scared of heights. Switching from tree mode to scaling stanchions and crawling cables could prove to be a very slow and painful job.

Frans, The truck is over 5000 lbs over the bridge's rated max weight so I don't think there is any way to make it acceptable.

 

[Stumper]

Brian, Ole Blue is a pretty stable platform....but I still bounce the bejabbers out of myself sometimes working overcenter-seems like setting the upper and lower booms moving at opposite tangents just makes it jump. I'm okay if I feather in the lower boom down very gently...but I'm used to cranking faster when I'm not overcenter and wind up doing the Watusi.

 

[Paul B]

Stumper, if I send you my digi cam will you take and post some pics?

 

[DTW902]

I got a call today inquiring about the bucket truck. Thankfully it is too heavy. It seems that they need someone to drive out onto the world's highest suspension bridge and tighten some fittings at almost 60 feet over the planks.......1100 feet over the bottom of the Royal Gorge. The thought of bouncing the bucket on a bridge that sways in the wind, while looking down that hole makes me a little woozy.

Ahh if I only lived closer, that would be a cool picture of the spider lift out on that bridge....

 

[Newfie]

Just reading about such an endeavor makes me woozy.

 

[JIML]

Aww heck, sounds like it would be worth $250-$300 per hour (or more). And the boom on that old truck is nice and stiff, not wobbly like mine. I swear the boom on my truck flexes 3-4 times as much as the old blue one.

Old truck had a square boom? Round booms bounce alot more but are stronger.

 

[SkwerI]

Nope, both are round. Altec AM series. But the old one was a low hour machine used up north by a private electrical contractor, my new one is a high hour machine that came from Entergy Corporation in Louisiana.

 

[sawinredneck]

Ahh if I only lived closer, that would be a cool picture of the spider lift out on that bridge....

Don't call me!!!!! I've seen that bridge! I wouldn't even walk out on that bridge.

Good luck Justin!

 

[sotc]

gives me the willies to

 

[No_Bivy]

PICS!!!!! Justin sounds awesome

 

[No_Bivy]

on second thought
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[Paul B]

that there is galloping Gertie, a bridge that was in Gary and Rogers neighborhood. too bad it wasnt designed too well for wind.

 

[Dave Shepard]

It's nothing like what Stumper is talking about, but I had to cross a suspension bridge at a gold course once. I don't know what the bridge was rated for, but the T300 Bobcat is well over 10k. When I first drove off the concrete abutment, I dropped down about a foot and a half, and as I drove across, the slack was forced ahead of me like a huge bow wave. As I reached the center point, the slack shifted to the rear of the machine, bobbing the cat up in the air as it went by. Dang strange feeling.


Dave

 

[SkwerI]

Justin, is that truck getting any quicker around town? Hopefully some time on those new injectors has allowed them to loosen up a bit.

 

[DTW902]

Don't call me!!!!! I've seen that bridge! I wouldn't even walk out on that bridge.

Good luck Justin!

Ha Haaaa. Ya I saw first hand how you reacted at about 50ft, I could just imagine swinging you over the side of that bridge with nothing but air under you for 1100ft. I would probably have to replace the basket on the spider and power wash it, to get it cleaned back up....

 

[Stumper]

Brian, It doesn't takeoff too quickly but it does fine around town. It has developed a tendency to race between gears on the higher end.I can induce it to shift by backing out of the accellerator and then getting back on it. The tranny fluid is clean in appearance but I wonder if there is a screen that needs cleaning?

 

[Frans]

Vacuum control sticking Stumper? Maybe a vacuum leak?

 

[SkwerI]

It is most likely due for servicing, Justin. I had the fluid and filter changed after I bought it, but that's been 3 years. I am guessing but I think it was about 5700-5800 hours. You're probably over 7500 by now. It also uses some transmission fluid so you may just need to top it off.

 

[Stumper]

It has been topped off. PLus one on servicing.
Frans, I am in the dark on Allison trannies. I know my Fords have a modulator valve(vacuum control) My old Dodges operated without vacuum controls of any kind.

 

[lumberjack]

Pretty sure diesels don't have vacuum modulators .