I would like general advice on operating a boom lift on uneven ground like slopes. I live on a hillside with about a 15-degree incline and the slope indicator on my 1980 Mark lift 62 foot boom activates when the ground is over 5 degrees incline. So for example when I am just driving the Boom up the hill side, is it better to have the basket uphill from the Boom, even though I would be driving backwards and looking over my shoulder as I'm going up the hill? I suspect that it would be better to have the basket on the uphill side in case the Boom Lift was to lose traction or start sliding down the hill, at least I would be above the Boom Lift, and not below it as it is sliding down hill. Are there any operators manuals I can get or YouTube type videos I could watch to see the safest way of handling a boom lift on uneven ground or a slope?
Also wondering since this Boom Lift is two-wheel drive, if it would be wiser to position the driving wheels on the uphill side just to prevent the entire thing from flipping over? I have had that unfortunate experience on a tractor in the past LOL.
Any advice or source of General Publications?
Just general thoughts, I've driven a few boom lifts but not outside. They seems to drive better with the boom forward and over the drive wheels. You'll still want to be in harness while driving.
I bet that guy **** his britches!
On a hill, put your drive tires uphill, with the boom pointed uphill too. That way if you start to spin, you can shoot out a little more boom to put more weight on the drive tires. Wear your harness, even if your only 5 feet off the ground. They can tend to buck a little, and it might save your life from getting thrown out of the basket.
Wow great advice! Any suggestions on where I can get a harness?
Any safety supply … Plus .. get a lanyard to connect the harness to the lift. Don't get too long... you're trying to stay IN the basket .
Great advice. Thank you! After watching that video, I was thinking about maybe putting some foam padding around the basket floor and side rails as well. Maybe even a top roll bar might not be a bad idea LOL
A better idea is being aware of the dangers of the boom. Padded rails won't protect against high voltage power lines for instance. The top roll bar idea isn't much protection if the whole unit rolls over while being a head hazard all the time. Enjoy the manlift. It's still better than a ladder.
Thanks Hoss Any idea of a good cheap source of parts for my 1980 marklift 62 boom lift? To my knowledge the marklift parts are available through Genie and Terex. I'm having a real difficult time with my current supplier Access Platform returning phone calls and emails and canceling online orders without explaining why.
in the Marklift manual is states that proper operation is with the counter-weight over the drive wheels
Thank you bus
Late to the party here but I've got plenty of experience driving these outside and hillside. Make sure you have a 4x4 manlift that can handle the incline first, also make sure you have a harness and are tied off to the lift. On the way up I always have the body of the lift forward and the basket behind, keep the boom as low as it will sit and only raise the jib as needed. On the downhill ride, I typically put the body of the lift above the basket as well just because it feels much more stable in this orientation. The counterweight sits above and the basket below so if an issue with balance occurs the basket will contact the ground as opposed to having the basket above and catapulting over the body should the lift topple downhill. I have driven downhill with the basket above the body but it's usually a situation where the grade is mild and the slope short, I don't recommend it for longer trips. For actually using the lift on a slope, you can have the ground itself graded but don't use the lift while parked on soil that's been disturbed, you want to grade down to undisturbed soil. You can also use cribbing to level the lift, follow the manufacturers instruction for doing so but most limit the slope to 9-10% grade.