What Exactly Is a Boom Truck?
A boom truck uses a winch to recover heavy items or move materials to places that are usually not accessible. Like for example, they are usually used maneuvering supplies to a hillside or over a ditch or to reach the top of a building.
Larger trucks are outfitted with a boom winch which is mounted in the truck's bed. It is capable of moving construction things and other equipment from the side of the street to a certain place. There is a different boom truck design that is equipped with a cherry picker. This version enables arborists to access treetops easily.
The Vehicle
The Stinger BT 3063 model has a 113-foot reach and is outfitted with stabilizers and outriggers. A boom truck can range from an aerial work platform which is moved by a hydraulic lifting mechanism that 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 made for a specific buyer's needs.
Cherry Picker
Bucket booms or cherry pickers enable employees to reach excellent heights. Normally, cherry pickers or buckets move employees from the ground up to high areas such as the sides of buildings, treetops, for fire department and firefighting or up utility poles.
Location
The boom platform is able to be operated by remote from the truck's cab. Either the boom is mounted on a separate trailer or on the bed of a large truck. Larger booms need outriggers that horizontally extend from the truck in order to stabilize and level out the crane during its use.
Controls
This kind of boom truck has a cab-over-engine that has a control cluster which can move the boom from inside the cab. It is usually a panel in the boom itself on the side of the bed.