new ride

Yeah, a boom truck, so the operator drove home at 70 mph instead of 45!

I was talking with a buddy the other day in a nearby western state, who has expanded his business recently from a single boom truck (a 26 ton National, BTC, but on a all wheel drive chassis, pretty cool) I see Manitex offers that 40 ton'r with a 142' stick now also. He now has a Manitex 40124, plus a 90 ton LinkBelt, and he was raving about how much it could do compared to any boom truck he's operated, BUT, at the end of the day 45 mph back to the barn, was tough to get used to after boom truck speeds. We all need one of each, just like airplanes, no one machine does it all. Every single time I call my 30 ton rider boom truck, a CRANE, which is almost always, I hope no one on this site hears about it, ha ha.

Tradesman: your load chart is about identical to mine. If all a guy did was set residential trusses 100% of the time, the Manitex 101S is hard to beat, I could and did set a lot of trusses out 95' with my old one, and I can't quite do that with the 30 ton National. I see why you had that 40 ton do the craning on your job, plus it's always fun to see how another operator gets it done.

We drove a few spikes!

What's up with this nailer? Let the homeowner lay one out?

That and I counted 3 bent over nails in the roof, but I didn't mark them- everyone else can find them on their own.


Seriously though, that looks nice, and like a bunch of work.

Don’t know if I should start a new, new ride thread or not but, I splashed a little paint and some new stickers on the old Elliott ( or maybe not )

Looks nice, will you have to derate it like the elliot?

No it was built for me with 15 ton charts and computer chip. More pictures to come.

Congratulations man. Expanding to two rigs or replacing the Elliott?

Eitherway it's great that your in position to make that step. Got a big 500hp Detroit in that western star.?

Knepptune said:

Congratulations man. Expanding to two rigs or replacing the Elliott?

Eitherway it's great that your in position to make that step. Got a big 500hp Detroit in that western star.?

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No as far as the crane goes I'm a one man show, the Elliot had to go to help finance the Manitex. The Engine is a 9 liter Cummins.

The only other 30 ton boom truck I know of, besides my 1300 series National, with a counterweight. Very interesting, good choice. It's got a nice short rear overhang, should be about as good as the 22101's for "off road".

I just had to throw these in since you guys are talking about Manitex s. Mine dosent work as much as id like so i keep falling back on my old conventionals . the last picture is gardening at home with the excavator

Congrats, it’s a nice looking machine.

I didn’t know they made engines without dirt and grime on them.

This is the counter weight system it has room for two more rocks at 750 pounds each. It doesn’t add to the charts just the stability, I’ll live with it for a while and see how it acts the rock in it is 1000 pounds

The dash is so pretty and so many 0’s on the odometer

It’s not the most luxurious cab I’ve been in, it’s about another 25 k for the upgraded tilt cab. Once I was in this one it felt nice with everything in the right place and really good visibility.

They spec a Braden winch the salesman said they where better but I don’t remember why.

I like they way the truck has some little extras not just a tin can like I’ve been used to.

I’m thinking of iner fenders to help reduce the damage from salt and road gravel. Any thoughts good or bad?

This is a before and after of a Reno we are doing in a church, to get them a emergency exit at the front. We opened up the window and put a exit only door in.
Ps. That’s not me it’s my Forman he’s one of the best carpenters I’ve ever worked with.

I see no jib, I imagine the 112' will get you everything you need, and it probably wouldn't get you any radius. I think I'd buy the weights while they are still available, unless it puts you overweight on your rear axles. Then at least you would have them if they change styles etc. Although they don't look like anything special that a fab shop couldn't make you some.

Two stage outriggers? 24' wide? Pilot hydraulic joysticks or electric over hydraulic? Have to dump air on the bags before setting up? Also no front jack/ 360 without it because of the counterweight?

Also, why in the world would they hang a boom angle indicator, right in front of the winch on the opposite side of the boom from the cab? What good does it do there? Just so they can charge a extra $750.00 for it?

Western star is really getting popular in the vocational market by me. Concrete trucks, Dump trucks, etc. They do make a nice cab. What's with the circular yellow lights on the cab, some kind of ontario rule, or is it just the way the dealer specs them out?

You're going to have to go back to the yard and drag some chains and steel chokers across the deck, just so you get the first scratches over with.

crane operator said:

I see no jib, I imagine the 112' will get you everything you need, and it probably wouldn't get you any radius. I think I'd buy the weights while they are still available, unless it puts you overweight on your rear axles. Then at least you would have them if they change styles etc. Although they don't look like anything special that a fab shop couldn't make you some.

Two stage outriggers? 24' wide? Pilot hydraulic joysticks or electric over hydraulic? Have to dump air on the bags before setting up? Also no front jack/ 360 without it because of the counterweight?

Also, why in the world would they hang a boom angle indicator, right in front of the winch on the opposite side of the boom from the cab? What good does it do there? Just so they can charge a extra $750.00 for it?

Western star is really getting popular in the vocational market by me. Concrete trucks, Dump trucks, etc. They do make a nice cab. What's with the circular yellow lights on the cab, some kind of ontario rule, or is it just the way the dealer specs them out?

You're going to have to go back to the yard and drag some chains and steel chokers across the deck, just so you get the first scratches over with.

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The job was mostly about $ for something I haven’t needed for the past 10 years, my last two jobs got put on a lumber rack in my yard the day they came home to gain the extra capacity. The salesman actually suggested getting the counter weight built said it would be a lot cheaper.
Single stage outriggers 19’6” spread ( I think don’t have the book in front of me. Hydraulic pilots, that worth the price right there. Yep you have to dump the air, someone told me it lifts the wheels and you don’t need as much jack height ?? It has 360 charts, there is a angle indicator on the cab side too it’s placed a lot nicer than the Elliotts really easy to view from the seat. The beacon light are just something Cropac does they spec a nice truck. They where in the crane news this year they are manitex largest North America dealer, they ordered 42 straight mast boom trucks for over 6.3 million $
I might have to do like the long haul drivers do and get a set of slippers and soft white gloves
Thanks for your interest

Yes, dumping the air would drop the chassis helping set up, just don't forget to dump the air, you can rip the airbags because there's nothing keeping them from over extending when you go up on jacks. Some guys add chains in the suspension so if you forget to dump the air, the chains hold it from overextending.

I have also seen guys wire the pto into the dump valve, so when the pto engages, the bags automatically dump . Would keep you from forgetting.

The grain haulers fight the over extending air bags also, the weight disappears so fast when they dump, the leveling bags can't let the air out fast enough, they usually add chains to the trailers.

The 360 with no front jack will be nice. I'm assuming you got full lockers for the rear also? Kinda surprised to see a non bearing swivel on the ball. If your other ball on your trade in is bearing swivel, I'd swap. Tell them the other one has sentimental value.

I'd get all the weights back there you can, the difference in stability, the pucker factor, makes them worth hauling around. I like their system though for choosing how much you can add, mine is just one big chunk of iron, 1400 lbs. It will make it a little more awkward to walk around behind the cab at times, doesn't matter, it's well worth it.

With 110' of main boom, the only time I've used my jib in the last couple years, has been on grain elevator work. But, the outfit that uses me for that work is so slow and erratic in paying that I am about ready to cut them loose, and then leave the jib in the yard. Going across the port scales at 33,980 lbs on the rears as I do, (but only after leaving the boom extended 5' further forward then normal, plus removing all my rear dunnage), losing the jib weight would allow me to leave the dunnage in place.

The 101's are known for having pretty good stabilty over the front with no fron stabilizer, mine did anyway. Once the front tires are 3' in the air it's a slightly different story, now that I do have a front stab, I'd be loath to give it up. Like the counterweight, it just feels better, load chart be damned.

My 101 came with the tool box on the side like that, mounted real low, for the life of me I can't see why they put it there, before I tore it up I raised it up higher, to the bed bottom.

My rig came with "fenders", plastic (tough though), and it for sure keeps the grime off the bed bottom, but if you have to chain up they can be a pain. One winter I removed them just to make chaining easier, this winter I left them on, and luckily didn't need to chain up anyway. What's your all up weight?

Natman said:

My 101 came with the tool box on the side like that, mounted real low, for the life of me I can't see why they put it there, before I tore it up I raised it up higher, to the bed bottom.

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I have the same ones on the elliott and get a lot of use out of them, and they haven’t suffered any damage, they even block some of the salt and sand from the frame

I picked up a new commercial framer client this week they do condominiums and multi plex apartments. The first day I stood some prefab wall panels up that they couldn't do with the tela-handler then the next day I put bundles of trusses up, it's two mono trusses some of my picks were out at eighty feet. He said he looked forward to working with me this summer they have 10 10 plex apartments this year. NICE I've got some bills to pay.

Just a note I wasn't working at half span on my out riggers, someone came along to talk to me when I was tearing down.
Nasty!! But I'm determined she's going to her new home just like I've kept it for the last 5 years.