Rear Mount Bucket ?

[Burnham]

True. I'm used to operating on forest roads....

 

[SkwerI]

I agree with B, the lights won't last a year. I would have recommended making the entire headache rack and support posts a bit narrower though. I've squeezed down many tight driveways or between houses where there wasn't a lot of extra room to spare. Every increase in vehicle width or height will eventually cost you jobs due to access issues. I kept my headache rack narrow enough to where I can still pass underneath most house eaves without hitting them. I would have also put the hand rail for the access steps on the inside or else eliminated it altogether and welded another handle on the lower boom.

Looks really lean and mean though. You'll have to get it weighed and tell us how much it weighs. Mine was just under 27K (about 26,8xx) when I bought it and before I loaded the toolboxes.

 

[treeman75]

I plan on working off the back so hopefully the lights last a while. Not sure why they put the air connect above the step.

 

[Burnham]

I'm betting it won't be a working situation that eats those lights for lunch...it'll be a lowish tree limb alongside a road somewhere.

 

[SkwerI]

You're more likely to lose the dingleberry lights while driving rather than when working.

Also, go up to the front knuckle on the boom and feel around the edge of those fiberglass access covers. Mine had a slight overhang and they got torn to shreds getting snagged on trees. I had them fixed up and then used an offset grinder to sand them back to about 1/8" smaller than the steel lip. I still haven't reinstalled them yet, still rocking the 'temporary' covers I made out of a salvaged street sign. Fiberglass covers and trees don't mix very well.

 

[Burnham]

Echo in here?

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Yeah, woody places tend to remove plastic object and some steel as well... Heck, I had a tie down cleat ripped apart just the other day from some brush

 

[treeman75]

Ya you have a good point there. I hadnt thought of that, hope it dont get in the way too often. I wonder where is a good place to get it weighed. Stupid question I just remembered where I dump he has a scale.

 

[treeman75]

Ya you guys are right the lights wont make it too long. Where is a good place to put them?

 

[NeTree]

I wonder if those lights are weatherproof enough to mount on the underside of the cage, like mine.

 

[SkwerI]

If you can't hang the lights upside down, then just hang some brackets under the front corners of the headache rack for them. Same position and orientation but 6" lower than their current position.

 

[NeTree]

Yup.

 

[Burnham]

Yup yup!

 

[treeman75]

That sound like a good idea. Do you think I need a light in the back some where?

 

[Burnham]

The front ones ought to be visible from the rear if they are just lowered to under those front corners...don't block them with the bracket, and I expect you'll be ok.

 

[NeTree]

I'd pop a pair of LED strobes in the back, under the deck out of harm's way.

 

[brendonv]

Is it a rule or something?

 

[treeman75]

Thanks for all the help guys.

 

[SkwerI]

I find the strobe lights annoying but they can be helpful once in a while when working on public roadways. I have one in the front and one in the back (looks like a second front light was removed before I bought the truck). I broke the back one a couple years ago. It's right under the bucket base support so it's well protected except when the bucket is in use. I had my welder make a cage for it out of spanned steel so it's immune to small/medium size limb damage now.

Here's a picture from before the modification.

 

[NeTree]

Notice the vice on the deck. Handy little sucker.

 

[treeman75]

What motor and tranny is in your truck skwerl?

 

[SkwerI]

Cat 3126 turbo and an Allison MD3060.

 

[treeman75]

There was two things I told them I wanted on the truck, an air connect and a vice.

 

[treeman75]

The tranny in mine is a 7 speed manual and the shifter says splicer. I wonder what tranny that is? Hows the power of the motor and what is the hwy speed like? Mine has the cat 3126 too.

 

[SkwerI]

225hp, not a lot of speed but mountains of torque. Max speed on mine is about 68-70 and it takes me about 1/2 mile to get up to 50 mph unless there's an incline. Acceleration and inclines don't mix. On the other hand I have no problems pulling my 14K lb dump trailer with it.