Buying Advice Homeowner Forklift

[paulsharvey]

I have used telehandlers/shooting boom lifts/Lulls many times; and they really do excel at unloading trucks, lifting trusses/bricks, ect. They also actually can grade in ways you wouldn't expect, as all I've used have a chassis tilt capability, and many have forks (impliment tilt), But, the material buckets are generally light duty for the size. I've never seen one that could run a hydralic cutter (except the on you show, which is cool), and in the boom repairs are extremely expensive. If loading/unloading trucks, or lifting material, they are the tool to have. I wouldn't buy one at market price as a generic "do all".

They do have general 3 steering options, front, all wheel, or crab. They have a nice low center of gravity, and are very capable though. They also start around $90k, compared to $75k. You have Way better visibility than a skid steer when moving material

 

[paulsharvey]

Oh, and with a Lull type machine, they are Heavy. When you have 28 ft of boom out, that counter weight is Working.

Lull644 weighs 24,000 lbs, and that's not a particularly large one.

the smaller Genie and Skytracks are a lot smaller,

 

[Xfaxman]

Yes, they're awesome but how much more are they compared to skidsteers and forklifts? A lot of us would have one if it was affordable.

My first compact telehandler was not new and cost $20,000. A 2004 Bobcat V518 bought in 2009:

 

[paulsharvey]

I do mention the in boom repairs, because we damaged several through the years. You have chains, cylinders, and like 120 lf of hose that require complete disassembly to repair. It can easily be 16+ hours of mechanic time, and a crane, to pull the boom segments and repair and reassemble. We were told, true or not, that putting down pressure and/or heavy pulling pressure was the cause of the internal boom damage.

 

[paulsharvey]

The flip side, engine access is Fantastic on the Lull/Cat/Gradall/Genie models I've been on. You can almost climb inside the engine compartment

 

[LouNY]

Because nothing else does the work they do. Sure a telhandler lifts pallets better but it can’t do the magnitude of other work a skid steer does.

I have not been impressed the times that I have used one.
Yes, they are quick moving and turning and have good visibility forward.
However, they are also rough riding, bouncy, confining, difficult to enter or exit, they tear up the ground with the tires or tracks scuffing everything around while turning, extremely difficult to exit with some implements especially when cab equipped, noisey. no rearward visibility and minimal side ways.

 

[plastikosmd]