What Is a Boom Truck?
A boom truck uses a winch to recover heavy items or transport materials to places that are normally not accessible. Like for example, they are usually utilized maneuvering supplies to a hillside or over a ditch or to reach the top of a building.
Larger trucks are outfitted with a boom winch which is mounted in the bed of a truck. It is capable of transporting construction things and other equipment from the side of the street to a particular location. There is another boom truck configuration which is equipped with a cherry picker. This model allows arborists to access treetops easily.
The Vehicle
Terex's Stinger BT 3063 model has a reach of 113-feet and is outfitted with both stabilizers and outriggers. A boom truck can range from an aerial work platform that is moved by a hydraulic lifting mechanism which 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 needs.
Cherry Picker
Bucket booms or cherry pickers enable workers to reach excellent heights. Usually, buckets or cherry pickers move workers from the ground up to high areas like the sides of buildings, treetops, for firefighting and fire department rescue or up utility poles.
Location
The platform on the boom is operated by remote from the truck's cab. Either the boom is mounted on the bed of a large truck or on a separate trailer. Larger booms need outriggers that horizontally extend from the truck so as to stabilize and level out the crane throughout its operation.
Controls
This model of boom truck has a cab-over-engine which has a control cluster which could move the boom from inside the cab. It is usually a panel in the boom itself on the side of the bed.