Towable boom lift or bucket truck?

[pymoo]

I'm thinking about buying a lift to work around the house this summer (paint, chimney repair, windows, tree trimming, etc.), and will resell it when my work is finished. I'm attracted to the versatility and simplicity of the towable boom lifts such as the JLG T350 or Genie TMZ 34/19, as well as the platform size, however they seem expensive (to me) used, ~$10K (eBay, Craig's List). Another option would be to get a used bucket truck, which seem plentiful, and can be found for $6K and up. A towable electric boom lift would be simple and quiet to use, whereas the bucket trucks seem to require the truck engine to run (if operated via PTO) or are operated by a gas-powered generator, and generally have a smaller one-man bucket (300lb limit versus 500lb of the trailer lifts).

Any opinions of how I should be thinking about this, and which option would have the best resale? I'm thinking a bucket truck may have the most versatility for resale, and I (of course) would prefer not to lose too much $$ in the process.

This '95 Ford F800 with 32' Liftall boom is available for $6,900:
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This Genie lift with 34' height can be purchased for $9,200:
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[SolarAndWood]

I went through the same process for my siding project and ended up picking up a set of three pump jacks and a 20" wide pick for a few hundred bucks. The risk I see with any of that kind of equipment is 1. it is always easier to buy than sell and 2. if something goes they are expensive to fix. I like renting the all terrain 4WD scissor lifts when it is other peoples money. Don't even mind being 40' in the air on it.

 

[Reggie Dunlap]

I lease a 65' 4WD Genie lift for months at a time for construction jobs that I do. They save lots of labor and are generally safer for my carpenters than using ladders, staging, or pump jacks. The machine is very stable at 30,000 lbs. Cost is around $2400 per month, and the machine is $100,000 brand new.

The reason I've never bought one is the cost of ongoing maintenance. They have miles of hydraulic lines that will wear out. The beauty of leasing is that any mechanical issues are not my problem and they send me a new machine immediately if there are any problems.

The tow behind Genie lifts are tippy and hard to maneuver into the right place behind a pick up. If I were you I'd rent or lease a bigger machine for a month.

 

[burnham]

I work at a town owned electric light department. We just sold a nice International bucket truck, 55' working height, low miles/hours, for around $4500-$5000. I think the truck was a 1986. We have another one that they are ready to get rid of, probably be the same kind of deal. A lot of the town-owned stuff is in really nice shape. I have rented the smaller genie man-lifts, nowhere near as nice as using a bucket truck. The trucks we use are material handlers, they have a jib and winch line mounted next to the bucket which can handle up to 2000lbs. The engine does have to run for the bucket to move, but a lot of trucks have a switch mounted in the bucket to stop/start the engine. If I'm working in one area for a while I'll kill the engine so I can listen to the radio.

 

[pymoo]

Thanks for the feedback. I was thinking the trailer booms could be inconvenient to maneuver. I also question the resale value of a trailer lift, since it seems like rental businesses are the biggest customers.

I've thought about renting a machine, but I don't think I will be organized enough to get my work done quickly, even within a month, given all the things I'd like to tackle. If I can resell whatever I purchase for less than the equivalent of a couple months of rent below what I paid, then I've come out ahead. The risk is of course, having to sink money into the used lift, whether it is hydraulic lines, batteries, engine repair, etc. plus any transaction costs (taxes, insurance, etc.).

At this point, I am leaning toward a bucket truck, since they seem more plentiful, and I'd feel more manly owning one. =) I need to see about getting connected with local fleet sales (such as a utility or city), to avoid the middle man if possible. The prices really seem to vary a lot, and it's hard to know which trucks are more desirable (F450 / 550 vs. F800 / International) and which booms (Versalift, Altec, Telstra) have a better reputation.

 

[btuser]

I've worked on both and a nice lift is better than a nice bucket truck. Personally, I'd rather be on a ladder, but I guess it depends on what I'm doing.

 

[pymoo]

As a follow up, here is a pic of what I ended up getting - a 2003 Genie TMZ-34/19. Its cosmetically rough, but worked flawlessly for weeks of siding repair and staining, which I will finish this spring. (I also used it to vent my Mt. Vernon insert with pellet vent pipe all the way to the top of the top of the chimney, versus the flue dump I was using previously). It has a max height of 34' (to the bottom of the basket) and a max reach of 19' (at around 20' of height).

I decided against the bucket truck approach after looking at a few in my price range and seeing how rough they were. The thought of needing to rebuild an engine or transmission and insure another vehicle persuaded me against it in the end.

I move the lift around with a small Kubota tractor and have had no trouble getting it into position around the house, with no tracks in the yard. It has been an extremely useful piece of equipment!

 

[Flatbedford]

What did you pay for it?

 

[greg13]

I have done a lot of work on both. bucket trucks are more stable when you are in the air, much harder to work on and usually a PITA to do any hose work on - the most common problem. Tow behinds are much easier to work on, but resale prices are higher as there IS a demand for them. We during the busy season we can sometimes turn a rental unit around 3 times during the day.
Make sure you look VERY close for bent booms & outriggers, worn pins & bushings and loose turret bearing. Raise the booms up slightly and push the boom sideways & bounce in the basket. Look for any movement. Remember that JLGs are all computer controlled, they have their share of Electrical problems that REQUIRE the use of a JLG analyzer to troubleshoot.

 

[pymoo]

The electronics on the Genie is a potential weak spot too, but I purchased from a dealer and everything passed inspection (at the time) including the booms and bearings. I have ~$7,500 in it now, which will go up when I eventually repaint it. It has worked out to be perfect for my needs so far.

 

[woodsmaster]

I have a neighbor that has had a couple of self propeled lifts for years. He recently bought a tow behind and loves it. It's
half the price of the self propeled and you don't need a big truck and trailer to haul it.

 

[Gasifier]

Congrats. Nice piece of equipment pymoo. Wish I was closer. You could let me borrow it for a "little" while? :lol:
I have thought of buying a used one as well. But I think in the long haul it would be better to get all my ducks in a row and rent one for a weekend.
That is going to be a handy thing to have around at your disposal though. Have you discovered any new friends/buddies that you didn't know you had yet?

 

[pymoo]

Lots of new friends... Similar to owning a pickup, but by a factor of 10. :bug: (j/k)

Actually, I haven't loaned it out, due to my worries about liability. If I fall out of it, my wife collects the life insurance. If someone else falls out, they could sue us out of house and home (and Mt. Vernon insert). %-P

 

[Hass]

I was going to get a forktruck to put up a workshop w/ 20' ceilings. Figured it would be easier plus i need one anyway... to move stuff around the shop and be able to stack wood on pallets, then just move the pallet to the house when winter comes