Need Assistance Selecting a Boom

[richriddle]

We are a semi-retired company in our fifties who purchased a hobby farm. To help on the farm, we purchased a Case 1845C skid steer with a 72" toothed bucked and a set of Xtreme duty pallet forks. A boom seems to offer a logical choice for a next attachment for the Case, but we lack sufficient knowledge to effectively select a proper boom, a tree boom or a boom pole. What are the advantages of each boom? We are looking at everythingattachments.com at the current moment. They seem to sell fairly decent quality attachments. Thank you for your assistance.

 

[jenkinsph]

The boom pole mounted to the skid steer can be handy to have but it really depends on how much need you have for it. It would be a low priority attachment compared to the variety of other ssqa attachments available for your 1845.

 

[richriddle]

Thanks for the reply. We contemplate purchasing a brush hog and a grapple or 4 in 1 bucket. What other attachments would you recommend purchasing instead of simply renting when the need arose?

 

[Cord]

Both of the boom poles you have pictured are really good at doing one task. Personally, I like attachments that are versitil and not one trick ponies. The tree boom is good for lifting balled trees from a trailer but it has a very short reach. The boom has a better reach and will also pick a balled tree, however it's not extendable so you couldn't use it to set trusses. For these reasons, I've been looking at a extendable boom pole. RSE - Truss Boom I've taken a liking to the linked boom for a couple of reasons. It's extendable so I can use it to set trusses but I can collapse it and pick a heavier load from the truck bed. This pole has a larger and thicker tube that's made from a stronger grade of steel. Of course, this means it's also more expensive. For me, I need my attachments to be versitil and sometimes that means I need to spend a little more to get that versatility. Try to ask yourself what future tasks you could possibly envision using the attachment for. Now analyze how well the attachment will accomplish those tasks.

For this reason, I wouldn't recommend a 4 in 1 bucket. Yea, it's better than a bucket, it's small opening will really limit it's capabilities. For that reason, I'd suggest a grapple. I went with a narrow Faver because it would be really versatile. Yea, a wide grapple would be really efficient at clearing a large area of brush. My narrow grapple isn't as fast, but I've done a bunch of tasks that a wider grapple couldn't do.

Not to blow my own horn, but here are just a few projects that I took on with my grapple:
Pulling out sidewalk with a Faver grapple - YouTube
Pulling out small retaining wall with a Faver grapple - YouTube
Moving concrete block with Faver grapple - YouTube
Moving log with Faver grapple - YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vH19flZJHao
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPXDf3X-GkU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGslzYfoWzY

 

[Xfaxman]

What will be the main use for the boom pole?

This is one time that I could have used one, but used what I already had. :thumbsup:

 

[richriddle]

For these reasons, I've been looking at a extendable boom pole. RSE - Truss Boom I've taken a liking to the linked boom for a couple of reasons. It's extendable so I can use it to set trusses but I can collapse it and pick a heavier load from the truck bed. This pole has a larger and thicker tube that's made from a stronger grade of steel. Of course, this means it's also more expensive.

I looked at the boom you linked earlier on eBay, but the feedback indicated RSE does not ship the products in a timely manner, if at all. You can see the feedback here: eBay Feedback Profile for rsefab That concerns me. If not for that problem, it would be a great selection. Perhaps they try to manufacture them after payment. Thank you for your input on a 4 in 1 bucket.

 

[TitanSkidsteer]

One option you may want to consider is getting a jib boom. Titan Attachments has a few different options with one being an adjustable telescoping jib boom. Depending on what you want to hoist and how high, this may be a cheaper alternative since you already have a set of xtreme duty pallet forks.

Titan Forklift Adjustable Mobile Crane Lifting Hoist Truss Jib Boom Hook 6lb

 

[richriddle]

One option you may want to consider is getting a jib boom. Titan Attachments has a few different options with one being an adjustable telescoping jib boom. Depending on what you want to hoist and how high, this may be a cheaper alternative since you already have a set of xtreme duty pallet forks.

Titan Forklift Adjustable Mobile Crane Lifting Hoist Truss Jib Boom Hook 6lb

Thank you for your input. I had seen a jib boom advertised on the Internet and thought they were only intended for real fork lifts, not skid steers with fork lift attachments.

 

[MESSMAKER]

Since you already have forks already and could use them as a boom. I don't know how much you would use a boom unless you have a specific task in mind.

 

[Cord]

Thank you for your input. I had seen a jib boom advertised on the Internet and thought they were only intended for real fork lifts, not skid steers with fork lift attachments.

I've used them on skidsteers and they work. However the extended lifting capacity isn't very good and it's now reduced ever further by the weight of the forks and back rack. It's better to get a direct mount boom.

 

[CobyRupert]

A lot of answers, but we don't know what you want to use it for.
To lift things high? And/or to extend reach? What type of loads?
The tree boom has a higher reach and looks like it forces one to keep the load closer to the skid steer.
(Note: The closer the load to the skid steer, the more lift capacity. Which is also true for where the load is fastened to the boom pole.)

 

[leonz]

We are a semi-retired company in our fifties who purchased a hobby farm. To help on the farm, we purchased a Case 1845C skid steer with a 72" toothed bucked and a set of Xtreme duty pallet forks. A boom seems to offer a logical choice for a next attachment for the Case, but we lack sufficient knowledge to effectively select a proper boom, a tree boom or a boom pole. What are the advantages of each boom? We are looking at everythingattachments.com at the current moment. They seem to sell fairly decent quality attachments. Thank you for your assistance.


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This has not been mentioned by you, but long before you consider any attachment and I mean any attachment!, you need to be sure to add a full rear weight kit to your skid steer loader to counter the forces created by the act of lifting the main boom without an extended boom pole or a grapple of any size or any attachment that is longer than the buckets designed for it.

you need to have enough counterbalance to overcome the force of gravity affecting any attachment with any kind of load-this is why you see cast weights on cranes to couter the gravitational forces created by overbalance loads.

 

[Catman8]

We are a semi-retired company in our fifties who purchased a hobby farm. To help on the farm, we purchased a Case 1845C skid steer with a 72" toothed bucked and a set of Xtreme duty pallet forks. A boom seems to offer a logical choice for a next attachment for the Case, but we lack sufficient knowledge to effectively select a proper boom, a tree boom or a boom pole. What are the advantages of each boom? We are looking at everythingattachments.com at the current moment. They seem to sell fairly decent quality attachments. Thank you for your assistance.

View attachment 498484 View attachment 498485

I have personal experience buying a implement from a small company, do yourself a favor and only buy from companies that have been in business 30, 40, 50 years and save yourself the headache. It's not worth the few hundred dollars you think your saving. Stick with the well known brands that have been in business for decades.

 

[richriddle]

Thank you for the responses.

Your insights into a fork boom adding weight are noted. The Xtreme 1PF forks weigh in about 388 pounds. The stated lifting capacity for the 1845C is about 1750 pounds. The comments about buying from established companies are well received. Luckily none of the attachments we are considering have hydraulics involved. This area has an excellent welder who can repair anything needed at a reasonable rate.

I will look into the rear weights for the Case for counter-balance issues. The skid steer will be used to construct driveways, as a fork lift to move things around the hobby farm, to lift attachments and/or tools and move them, and to lift beams, lumber and trusses into place when building. It will be used to stand up walls but not lift them.

Here is the skid steer conducting the work:

 

[Cord]

That being a short wheel base machine, you might want to reconsider a counterweight unless it can be easily removed. I've used short wheel base machines with counter weights and they are very tail heavy when unloaded. Take the bucket off and even a slight hill will have the front tires up in the air. Long wheel base machines can tolerate a counter weight much better than a short one.

 

[richriddle]

That being a short wheel base machine, you might want to reconsider a counterweight unless it can be easily removed. I've used short wheel base machines with counter weights and they are very tail heavy when unloaded. Take the bucket off and even a slight hill will have the front tires up in the air. Long wheel base machines can tolerate a counter weight much better than a short one.

Strange you should mention that. The hobby farm has quite the hill we were cutting a drive into today. It wanted to pop a wheelie a few times.

 

[Cord]

Yea, that's typical to short wheel base machines. Now imagine that problem with a counterweight. Don't get me wrong, counter weights work great, but man they can really suck on a short machine.

I have a Gehl 6635 long wheel base machine with a counter weight. I know that with a empty bucket I can drive up a 45 degree slope before the front tires come up. Gives you an idea of how the center of gravity changes with the wheel base.