Ground protection pads

[marks]

In order to make things easier, last fall I purchased a 60 foot driveable manlift, it weighs 21,000 #s and is 2wd. Earlier this week the lift was put to work in removing some large pine trees, however during the initial setup phase the lift began to give me that sinking feeling. In anticipation of this potential problem there were some 2x12s staged nearby.

The planks worked okay, yet the way they tip fore and aft I'm looking for a better solution. Some way of fastening them together, and/or using plywood under the planks to increase the surface area? The intent is to drive the lift on to the lawn without creating damage. Manufactured plastic mats with a diamond plate design with dimensions of 3'x8'x1/2". Since the plastic mats are 1/2" then why not 3/4" plywood with traction strips, and use 2x12 pads once the machine is spotted in place?

What do you guys think?

 

[Soundguy]

We've made 'dragline' mats using 6x6 timbers and using steel cables to tie them loosly together.. sounds like you are doing similar.. on smaller weight scale.

Soundguy

 

[3RRL]

I used 3/4" plywood over dirt to move some machinery with my Komatsu fork lift. It is a 5000 lb lift and has hard rubber tires. The fork lift just crushed the plywood in some places where the dirt was soft and that was without a milling machine hanging on it. Almost got the darn thing stuck before getting anything done.

Your driveable manlift has pnuematic tires so it might be a different story, but nevertheless, I'd try out a test section first before buying a bunch of stuff.

 

[markct]

well my only advise to you is that whatever you use make sure it can safely support the weight of the lift, i had to help unstuck a 60 ft condor lift once that had sunken thru the pavement near a factory, the ground underneath was soft and the front wheel sunk thru and luckly the boom was low at the time since they were just moving it, but had it been up high it woulda been very dangerous for the operator. i dont know the weight of that lift but it had to be about the same i would imagine, in the 20 to 25K lb area

 

[markct]

after having said all that, i think if it were me i would use something like 4x6 bolted together with threaded rod in mats about 1 1/2 ft wide, and 8 ft long, kinda like crane mats but on a smaller scale, i once saw where they walked an excavator way out into a swamp on a set of crane mats by lifting them and setting them ahead of it over and over