Elevator Altec vs Hi Ranger

[squisher]

In my simple mind I look at a piece of equipment I'm considering buying and I consider that the money spent on it will be completely gone in the end and what benefit(revenue) will I get out of that machine(asset) during it's serviceable life. If it makes the cents and I've got the funds and the work let 'er rip. If it's worth a little change in the end when it gets sold off, bonus, but I don't bank on it.

 

[lumberjack]

Na I'm agreeing with you as best I can tell, we're looking at the same thing the same way from different angles.

 

[Paul B]

RJS, you sold a bucket truck to Stumpy? Why havent we seen any pics of him operating said vehicle?

 

[DTW902]

Thanks for all the info and the welcomes as well. I was about to pull the trigger yesterday on either the altec or high ranger elevator. Liked something about both, and disliked something on both also. I'm from deep southeast texas and clay soils are a problem half the time( weight a big factor). Thanks to this site I decided to hold off and look at the MAT-3 70 as suggested by Dave at TOP NOTCH TREE. That is one fine machine from what I gather from specs and the men using them that I talked with today. Real pricy--but I look at it as investment and not expense. Hope I can work a deal tomorrow or I'll be contributing to HOPE & ChANGE in 2009. BW in Texas

I would say look at the Spider lifts if your thinking about a Mat-3. Depends on what your work load is. Like mostly street work or residential, back yard, ect ect. I very seldom use my big bucket any more, mostly when we get around power, the Spider gets used all the time. The small bucket does the street work.
I don't know what the Mat-3's cost but you might compare them to a Spider lift....

 

[lumberjack]

$140kish a couple years back.

 

[Koa Man]

Extreme Access Solutions, formerly Teupen America, has some pre-owned 23GTs for sale. Lowest priced one is just under $100K.

 

[DTW902]

Here is the link. http://www.spiderlifts.com/
Ask for Lenny or Ryan, Scott can help you out also. Tell them you talked to me, Dave from Kansas or Wesley from Hawaii....

 

[sotc]

you shouldnt tell me stuff like that!

 

[sotc]

how many hours on yours? any issues?

 

[DTW902]

how many hours on yours? any issues?

Not sure who you were asking Willie, but on mine I have around 500 hours. I know it's almost time for an oil change. I have not had any problems with mine so to speak. The turret drive motor started leaking about 6 months after I bought it. It was covered under warranty, they overnighted a new one to me and I changed it myself.
I bent an outrigger cylinder!!!! That is a story in and of itself, but had nothing to do with the lift. Fixed that me and the hydro shop.
One thing I would want if you call them Willie, and you are looking at a 23GT. That it has the hydraulic adjustable tracks, mine was the first one in the US with that feature. Talk to one of the guys I listed above if you call.... Can't hurt anything buuuuut the bank account....

 

[Koa Man]

My LEO 15GT has close to 750 hours, but I have had it a little longer than Dave. Still running like a champ with very little maintenance required.

 

[sotc]

i wiiiiiish

 

[Mr. Sir]

I'm seriously considering the purchase of a Spiderlift. One of my concerns, other than the cost, is the speed of the hydraulics. In the videos I've seen, the Spiderlift seems to be awfully slow compared to a standard bucket truck. For you guys who use them, is this an issue I should be concerned about?

 

[sotc]

dave told me it is slower than normal buckets but faster than most electric lifts and that the manueverability makes up for the speed

 

[Koa Man]

It is very slow compared to a regular bucket truck, but it will get you up into a tree at least 10 times faster than climbing it and with about 1000 times less physical effort. I take my 10 qt. ice chest with my cold drinks with me in the bucket.

 

[lumberjack]

My Genie is slower, but it makes up for it with it's increased capacity, far lighter weight, better accessability, lower operating expense, and (for the Genie) far cheaper purchase price.

 

[squisher]

, better accessability, .

Say what?

 

[SkwerI]

The self propel feature on the spiderlift adds considerable weight and expense. Pushing a towable lift around with the mini is a far cheaper option.

Here in Florida where everything is flat, the truck is accessable to enough of the work to where it's a more profitable option than the mini lift. And if you can get either machine to the tree, the bucket truck is way faster than the lift.

 

[DTW902]

Kinda like this Justin.... Not just getting threw the gate but getting over the pavers.
Mr Sir they are slower. Buuut you can increase the speed. When I got mine a 360 rotation from stop to stop was 1 min 45 seconds. Now it is 54 seconds from stop to stop.

 

[Mr. Sir]

...I take my 10 qt. ice chest with my cold drinks with me in the bucket.

So, you're saying you have time enough to eat lunch on the way up?

 

[DTW902]

I have both Brian and the Spider gets used 90% of the time and the big bucket gets used very little. 6800 pounds on a lawn is a lot different than 25 thousand like your truck or 18 thousand like my truck(rear mount skyworker).
Street work we use the buckets they are faster. Off pavement we use the Spider. I don't want to argue this over and over seems like this always turns into that when the subject of these lifts come up. Use and buy what best suits your needs, but from my point of veiw owning and using both i would buy another Spider hands down before a bucket.

 

[DTW902]

Another note on the hours used, actual time in the lift is a lot more normally you shut it off when you are stationary. Like when doing other work or setting up rigging.

 

[MasterBlaster]

I rarely stationary when I'm flying a bucket.

 

[lumberjack]

You'd be supprised.

My hour meter doesn't go off the engine, it runs off the pump. In 39 months I've put about 120 hours on my machine.

Monday I've gotta remove hazardus deadwood from 10ish trees. I might put an hour on the machine, setting up at least 10 times.

 

[Mr. Sir]

You sure about that, Carl? That's 6 minutes per tree. :what: