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