Seeking Boom Bucket? We Would
Like To Share Some Information About
Lift Platform Repairs, Upgrades And Options For The Long
Haul
While we certainly
respect the fact that you are spending your time on the
internet
with a clear focus of attention at this time on
Boom Bucket, this
other theme or issue
(which may become a focus of attention for the
industry as a whole)
may come up as well:
While a
non-certified or
specifically-experienced
body shop or a custom molder
of fiberglass
parts
make a
repair look
acceptable to the eye and other surface type
appearances or evaluations,
often the group
can't guarantee the
aerial
lift components truly safe. Nor will they likely have the
economic and risk management resources that are
needed by most reputable operators like
product liability insurance (to protect the company).
[Added
note:
For those searching for
Boom Bucket,
please do
tell the right people.]
Looking at the situation from the most
responsible viewpoint possible, these are some of the
issues that this type of repair requires:
The requirements for insulating
capabilities of upper booms and lower boom insulators .
The level of tension and damage the insulators for the upper and lower boom can safely withstand without compromising their insulation properties.
Also, the lift bucket itself does provide
electrical insulation, so a check of these properties is
an important part of the repair.
The
requirements for structurally sound
mounting of the bucket to
the boom..
More Than Boom Bucket: The Critical Assessment Of The
Abilities Of A Repair Facility For The Most Important Fixup
You'll Ever Do
The following questions should be asked
of any company being considered for aerial manlift
fiberglass work:
Can they prove that they
have liability insurance that is specifically
underwritten for the bucket
truck lift repair area?
Are the
personnel technically competent for this type of work,
with a bonified record of testing and/or
credentials
such as those proffered by the ACMA?
Here are
some other considerations as well:
Is the company familiar
with the special needs of fiberglass components in aerial
man lift units?
How does a customer know
if the insulating properties of bucket and boom have been
maintained during repair? By using an approved testing
device. In this situation it becomes the next
evaluation point to check. (Again, we realize your direct interest is in Boom Bucket .
Please consult manufacturer specs to determine
applicability.)
Beyond Boom Bucket:
Examples of Specific Component Repair/Rebuild Issues and
How the Repair Company Should Handle Them
It is
often helpful to understand where and how these
challenges may come about. We have listed what you
might say are a bit sanitized versions of encounters from
our own experience. A competent process would
embody most of the illustrations we have
included.
Sometimes You Have
To Look A Bit Deeper Because On The Surface,
There Is Often Not Much That Is Apparent
Your local fiberglass rehab
supplier is contacted. They are sent an
upper boom in fairly good condition for surface
refinishing and rehabilitation. Here are the
steps:
1. The first thing that should be done is
to visually examine the boom for any evidence
of damage. Any
problems require the action indicated in the manual.
2. If the boom is dirty inside, the shop should
ask to pressure wash
the inside. should
then be dielectrically tested to make sure that it is
still dielectrically sound. If there is a dielectric
problem, the boom should be analyzed with a conductivity
tester to identify the problem. If the
analysis reveals a problem, the company should call the
owner.
3. If there is nothing else on the repair
agenda, the boom
should be cosmetically repaired and refinished as needed.
4. Then, the boom should be dielectrically tested
again and structurally tested. If no flaws are
found, the boom should be waxed ,
and shipped back to the owner. The final phase is
creating some type of secure package in which it is
placed .
Here Is A Time When More Care Is Needed From The
Very Beginning, And The Training And Procedures
That Call For More Of A Specialist Organization
Touch
An upper boom with some apparent cracks is brought in for evaluation.
1. The cracks should be reviewed using the repair manual guidelines of the manufacturer. It will probably be necessary to sand the
coating off the boom to evaluate the cracks. If the
cracks are judged to be repairable, the repairer
should provide a detailed work plan including time and materials so that the owner
can compare that to the cost of a new boom.
2. Once the go ahead to do the work is
received, the repair company
should complete the structural repairs, then do a structural test on the boom to make sure that the repair procedures worked.
3. If the repairs are
acceptable, the boom should then be cosmetically
refinished and dielectrically tested and returned to
the owner.
When
It Is Not Safe To Even Consider Repair
There are not a lot of backup
systems with a bucket style lift mechanism, especially when it concerns the
attachment of the boom to the bucket itself. There are
various ways that this main support can be
accomplished. In this case:
The main attachment
was accomplished through threaded rods that are in
effect integrated into the side of the bucket.
From a visual inspection, it was clear
that there were fissures in the fiberglass
that surrounded and supported
these mounting rods.
It is apparent that no amount of
reinforcement would likely return this
conveyance to a safe operating condition for the
operator.
When The Basic Bonding Gives Way
A glimpse into this particular
case:
1. A bucket is received for repair. The
aerial platform mounts to the boom via reinforced
fiberglass.
2. An initial examination of the mounting holes in the ribs reveals that there are cracks in the ribs.
3. The
bucket probably should not be repaired
A fiberglass lift platform comes into this particular shop:
1. The
mount side is not damaged, but the front corners are
cracked through. With proper techniques and
materials, the bucket can be repaired.
2. The
repairer should determine whether the customer just wants
the bucket repaired structurally or wants the bucket to
also be refinished to a like-new condition.
3. A quotation for the cost of the
repair should then be given to the customer, the
customer needs to express their wishes and wants back
first, and then the appropriate repair action should
be taken.
Tags: Boom Bucket
