Telehandlers and man baskets and Arb..

[benedmonds]

Thinking of changing our tractor and I rekon a telehandler would be more useful. We would need a PTO and a minimum 40 kph, although faster would be better. I've done some searching and found that Landini Powerlift and Merlo multifarmer seem to do what is required..

 

Any thoughts?

 

I have also got confused about the use of man baskets..

 

http://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/pm28.pdf

 

If it's occasional use and LOLER'd, can they be used? Do they need controls in the basket?

 

Stronga, who sell the baskets say "All of our access platforms fully comply with The HSE PM28 giving you a perfect solution to working at height on your farm." But from reading other threads I am not so sure..

 

STRONGA Direct

[Stephen Blair]

telehandlers are hard to position, you end up having to block roads and stuff, and once you have set up and boomed out, you can get there and be out by a few feet. i have used them a few times but not ideal. good for presurewashing roofs though lol

[benedmonds]

Can I legaly do this?

[Big 'Ammer]

Most farm telehandlers don't have sufficient reach to be of much use with a basket for arb work.

 

However a large, say 13m, with a good operator is an excellent piece of kit on the right job.

 

I have done plenty of jobs in the past this way to good effect.

 

Whack the tree down in big chunks and then pick it up and shift it with the one machine.

 

One of the larger firms in our area does (or did) a lot of there work this way.

 

I'm not sure of the legalities nowadays regarding separate controls in the basket etc...

[Stephen Blair]

i dont see why not mate, they do it in every building site in the country. well they used to.

[Stephen Blair]

i was working with an AA aproved contractor and he had a monster one that rotates with a basket, so f they can do it then so can you, as long as you fill in the right forms and have the kit in good condition and checked

[garth mc garth]

if u want good reach u will need a site telehandler, not only are they gutless on the road they are bloody heavy, jcb 12m telehandler i drove a while back on clearance job was over 11.5 tonnes. go for a farm spec one as it will have much much more power ie a 530 / 70 jcb has about 130 donkeys compared to a site loader which will have about 70hp. farm spec ones will have pick up hitch for a trailer and generally hydrualic trailer brakes and sometimes a selectable tipping outlet.

if u need pto then merlo or landini is really the only option. 40kph is generally top speed on any telehandler for good reason even with soft ride / float on the boom its still a bumpy ride especially travelling on the raod with a heavy grab or bucket fitted

[Stephen Blair]

the one i worked alongside couldnt travel far becaus eit would blow its pump

[stoxs]

try looking up MERLO they do telescopic handlers with 3 point linkage on the back and PTO.

 

Using a man platform is ok as long as the platform is attached to the machine with a locking attachment (not slid on the forks only), the man in the basket has harness and attached to the basket and finally there has to be a lock on the tilt of the basket so that it can`t be tipped while in the air, the easyest and best way of this is to lock the lever in the cab if using a joystick machine a piece of wood cut to fit over the joystick that stops it being moved sideways is acceptable.

 

Done lots of field side crown raising using a standard manitou telescopic and it was fine, good for odd trees here and there, do a bit the drop off the basket stick on the grab and push it in a heap.

 

biggest problem is you have to work backwards otherwise you have to move all your branches before moving forward,

 

another warning is never cut behind or above the boom as branches will slide down the boom and through the window!!

Edited October 14, 2009 by stoxs
english language is to difficult

[Buzz]

if u want good reach u will need a site telehandler, not only are they gutless on the road they are bloody heavy, jcb 12m telehandler i drove a while back on clearance job was over 11.5 tonnes. go for a farm spec one as it will have much much more power ie a 530 / 70 jcb has about 130 donkeys compared to a site loader which will have about 70hp. farm spec ones will have pick up hitch for a trailer and generally hydrualic trailer brakes and sometimes a selectable tipping outlet.

if u need pto then merlo or landini is really the only option. 40kph is generally top speed on any telehandler for good reason even with soft ride / float on the boom its still a bumpy ride especially travelling on the raod with a heavy grab or bucket fitted

 

Good advice there Ben, I to have done alot of tree work with telehandlers.

 

The right one is very versatile, avoid cheap ex-site machines. The problem you'll have is that to get decent reach the machine will have support legs on the front which then become a right royal PITA off road.

 

Your better off sacrificing reach for one of the fam based machines. I had a Merlo on trial and put a chipper on the back. It was a handful but very useful.

 

Depending on your other requirements I'd be tempted to keep your tractor Ben and get a small tow behind platform. A wheeled nifty lift will be more versatile.

 

Matt.