What Is a Boom Truck?
To recover heavy items or to move supplies to places and areas which are not normally accessible, boom trucks will use a winch. For instance, they are commonly used to reach the top of a building, maneuvering materials to a hillside or over a ditch.
Larger trucks are equipped with a boom winch which is mounted in the bed of a truck. It is capable of moving construction items and other equipment from the side of the street to a particular location. There is a different boom truck design that is outfitted with a cherry picker. This version allows arborists to easily access treetops.
The Vehicle
The Stinger BT 3063 model has a 113-foot reach and is equipped with stabilizers and outriggers. A boom truck can vary from an aerial work platform which is moved by a hydraulic lifting mechanism that is mounted on the bed, up to a Class 8 tractor-trailer rig with a bucket. It is also possible to have a customized boom lift manufactured for a specific buyer's requirements.
Cherry Picker
Bucket booms or cherry pickers allow workers to reach excellent heights. Usually, buckets or cherry pickers move employees from the ground up to high areas such as treetops, the sides of a building, up utility poles or for firefighting and fire department rescue.
Location
The platform on the boom is operated from the truck's cab by remote. Either the boom is mounted on the bed of a big truck or on a separate trailer. Bigger booms require outriggers which horizontally extend from the truck in order to level out and stabilize the crane in its use.
Controls
A cab-over-engine model boom truck has a control cluster capable of moving the boom situated inside of the cab. It is often a panel in the boom itself on the side of the bed.