Buying a Lift Truck
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
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In today’s market, buying a lift truck has become somewhat complicated because signage regulations are becoming tighter than ever, and show no signs of loosening. (Photo courtesy of Elliott Equipment)
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Not too long ago your choices in boom trucks were multiple, safe and rather boring. You could always get parts and service and anyone could drive it and operate it. It’s a bit more complicated these days.
The business climate in this sector of the sign industry has seen significant change and regulation is an ever-tightening noose that shows no signs of loosening.
The criteria for choosing a truck used to be fairly straightforward: How high do you need to go and what will you be lifting? Now, if you’re buying a lift truck for the first time or looking to upgrade and update, there are more factors to consider.
PIECES AND PARTS
Though there are still plenty of companies manufacturing truck chassis and engines required for aerial equipment like cranes and ladders, their numbers have dwindled, as have the companies making the aerial equipment.
So, if you’re considering an older model, you first need to find out if the companies that build both sides of the boom truck equation—the chassis and aerial equipment—are still in business. If they’re not in business anymore, or they’re still in business but not making that particular equipment, find out if you can get parts and service.
“A concern is that if you buy that piece of equipment, five or 10 years down the road, where can you get parts for it and who can service it? There will always be independent truck mechanics, but the trucks with new emission controls require a more specialized mechanic,” explains Darrel Wilkerson of Wilkie Manufacturing in Oklahoma City.
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Every commercial and electrical sign shop involved in some type of installation or service should have at least a basic truck with both personnel and material lifting capabilities. (Photo courtesy of The Sign Post)
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Glazer adds that hydraulic lifts, such as those manufactured by Elliott, require less maintenance than cabled systems that need to be replaced on a regular basis. Plus, new units conform to the various regulations, such as new federal emission standards, are safer and typically come with comprehensive training and support.
Still, Glazer says that buying a used or refurbished truck is a viable option for those with tight budgets. “We can assist with financing and help match used trucks and equipment for a good fit. We can assist in refurbishing something as well,” says Glazer.
If you buy a used truck, research the maintenance background on that particular truck, look into any problems that have been generally encountered with the brand and if the manufacturer is still in business, check on the availability of parts and service, and see if there’s a dealer or repair service who can service it.
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In addition to height, you need to consider horizontal reach since the job may be relatively low to the ground but a certain distance from where you can park the truck. You need to consider height, horizontal reach and the average weight you’ll be lifting. (Photo courtesy of Wilkie Manufacturing)
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“Obviously, one of the important considerations is how much height you’ll need, but you also have to take into account how much weight will you be picking up,” says Wilkerson. Will it strictly be for service or will you use it for erection? And, since several states have operator licensing requirements for crane operation, you need to check with your state Department of Labor and OSHA to find out operator requirements.”
TO LICENSE OR NOT?
Ray George, owner of the Sign Post in Bellingham, Wash., recommends finding a truck that’s below the weight requirements for a commercial driver’s license and crane operator certification. Doing so, of course, depends on the types of projects that make up the bulk of your work.
“A lot of people hanging raceways, channel letters, pole signs and small cabinets will never need a crane that’s rated for over 2,000 pounds. You just need something that will work within the realm of 75 percent or so of your work,” says George. “Take the average of what you’re going to be setting both in weight and height. For most companies that will be in the two-story range since most cities have gone to plans where you don’t see a lot of big high-rise signs. When you do get into those larger signs, go rent one.”
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A good rule of thumb is if 50 percent or more of your work is higher than 60 feet or so, then it’s time to look at a bigger truck. (Photo courtesy of The Sign Post)
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“A lot of people getting into it for the first time think they need the biggest and the best, but you really don’t. When you add things like rotating man baskets, you’re adding weight and expense. You can rent cranes and man-lifts that go out 75 or 80 feet for the projects that your standard owned equipment cannot reach or lift for a couple hundred dollars,” says George. “This option is much less expensive than owning the equipment and dealing with the cost of maintenance, payments, insurance, annual DOT inspections, re-cabling every five years, and state certifications each year.
“We recently rented an 80-foot squirt boom for five to six days and it was just easier and less expensive to rent it,” says George. “You should also find something that anyone in your shop can drive without a CDL or crane license that can do most of your work. In 30 years, I’ve probably installed and serviced only 200 signs—or less than 3 percent of our total volume—over 60 feet.”
In addition to height, you need to consider horizontal reach since the job may be relatively low to the ground but a certain distance from where you can park the truck. So, the first and primary factors to consider are height, horizontal reach and the typical weight you’ll be lifting.
Either way, George says every commercial and electrical sign shop involved in some type of installation or service should have at least a basic truck with both personnel and material lifting capabilities.
“Almost every shop is doing letters on the side of the wall; it’s a safer way to go than ladders and scaffolding. It’s a matter of taking a look at your needs, but to buy a 70-foot crane to do 20-foot signs is kind of crazy. Don’t oversize what you need; I think that’s a waste of money and equipment,” says George.
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