1996 JLG 45E Boom Lift

[dieselpowerrules]

Hi everyone!

So I run this lift in the title at work. My question is, does anyone know if there's a limit to how far you can extend the boom out when high up in the air? Everyone I ask seems to have a different answer. Seems to me it would put a lot of leverage on the base of the machine. It has 22 feet of horizontal outreach. Some people tell me the machine won't let you do anything unsafe...but it is how old after all. Others say, "I'm a 300LB man that small boom wouldn't support me". So I'm reaching out to see if anyone with experience with these could share some wisdom! I'd rather not tip over from 45' in the air! There are no indicators of any sort on the boom as you extend out like I've heard of on some of the bigger machines.

Thanks much for any possible advice!

 

[Bls repair]

You should have a lifting chart in operators manual or by operator seat . If not try to find one for that machine on line. There’s no one answer fits all.

 

[willie59]

The only limitation for the JLG 45E is a maximum 500 lb load in the platform on firm/level surface. Do not use the machine on rough terrain or with tires not inflated properly if it has pneumatic tires or you can tip the machine over at maximum horizontal extension. As long as you're on firm/level ground, tires are inflated proper, you're good as long as you don't exceed 500 lbs in the basket. And no, that machine does not have anything that warns or prevents tipping, the only thing it has is a 5 degree slope sensor that makes an alarm go off when you're on a slope of 5 degrees or more indicating you're not on level ground.

 

[dieselpowerrules]

The only limitation for the JLG 45E is a maximum 500 lb load in the platform on firm/level surface. Do not use the machine on rough terrain or with tires not inflated properly if it has pneumatic tires or you can tip the machine over at maximum horizontal extension. As long as you're on firm/level ground, tires are inflated proper, you're good as long as you don't exceed 500 lbs in the basket. And no, that machine does not have anything that warns or prevents tipping, the only thing it has is a 5 degree slope sensor that makes an alarm go off when you're on a slope of 5 degrees or more indicating you're not on level ground.

This is good to know! Thanks much for the reply!

Also, when the secondary part of the boom starts going up, there's a lot of back and forth play I can feel in the basket. So basically, it feels like you're on a boat. Is this normal, or is something major worn?

 

[willie59]

No way I could say without checking the machine myself. Only thing I can say is pretty much all boom lifts have some normal movement when elevated and extended, but one is required to have an ANSI inspection done yearly on all aerial lift machines by a qualified technician, might be a good idea to call a rental store and have one come out and do an inspection on the machine, that way you be in compliance and you'd also know that all is good with the machine.

 

[dieselpowerrules]

Sad thing is, this company JUST started having this machine inspected last year. But I'm wondering how good this inspector is, as I found things he didn't...

 

[willie59]

Sad indeed. Sounds like you're well on your way to training yourself to know the ins/outs of the machine, that's a good thing.

 

[dieselpowerrules]

It comes natural to me. I'm an Industrial Electrician and Maintenance Tech for this company. But I do respect anything I don't know or understand. Thanks a lot for your help with these questions. Now at least I know I can boom out to whatever I need to and know I'm not going to die. I'm also sending the tires out to be foam filled, as that's what the inspector recommended. This company doesn't want to get something a decade or two newer, they can at least make this one as safe as possible if they want me up in it.

 

[willie59]

foam filling the tires is good, negates the chance of tire failure and also adds ballast to the base, not that it really needs more, but more is good. Again, just make sure you work on firm/level surface. Those machines are like scissorlifts, known as slab machines as they're designed to work on a flat slab surface, uneven terrain will cause stability problems. Important maintenance on those machines is to make sure you keep the batteries filled with water and keep battery connections clean. Charge them at the end of every shift of use, don't fully discharge the batteries. The fully automatic charger on those machines senses the state of charge on the batteries. If they're discharged it will charge the batteries at a higher amp rate than with batteries that are just slightly discharged. And that charger only works to recharge the batteries and then shuts off, it doesn't do "maintain" charge. You have to unplug the charger and plug it back in to do maintain if the machine sits idle for extended periods.

 

[dieselpowerrules]

The surface in the building is great, nice even cement floor. But I will be having to use it outside to take care of parking lot lights and etc. That will be a learning/growing a set curve. I have no clue what the wind speed rating is on this machine. Interesting you mention batteries. When I came back to this company this past summer, the batteries were so bad I could get one good lift out of it and then had to charge it again. The last maintenance guy said he asked for new batteries and they wouldn't buy them. Well I went and raised a storm, and we ended up getting them. I always keep up on the water level. This lift has a new charger in it, its maybe a year old. And it's weird, I'll plug the machine in to charge it, and its like it won't shut off. After the batteries are charged, there will be a nasty sulfur/rotten egg smell. So yes, I always have to unplug it.

 

[dieselpowerrules]

So you seem to have some experience with these machines. Got another question for you if you don't mind. I discovered the access hatch to the manual descent system. I found that the main valve block and the red knob thing under it were just free floating in there, not mounted at all. I founds nuts and bolts that worked to get all that secured back to factory. But, what is the red knob valve thing for? Also, this valve block appears to be several solenoid valves. Is this the "main control center" of the machine?

 

[willie59]

It sounds like you're describing the main control valve for the machine with the solenoids on it. The red knob valve located just below the main control valve is for synchronizing the boom sections if they get out of whack. The manual lowering is a different thing on that machine. If you haven't already you can download the manuals for that machine from the JLG website and they will describe how to perform those procedures.

 

[dieselpowerrules]

The red knob mounts directly below the valve for manual lowering. It's all in the same place, behind the cover that slides open on the same side as the ground controls. There is a knob on what I think is the master valve that it says to turn one way and pump the jack to lower one part of the boom, and turn it the other way and pump the jack to lower the other part of the boom. I tried to see if this works, and it doesn't. I can maybe turn the valve a half turn each way, and that's it. Thinking I'm gonna need the service tech again, because this really should be working. But I can also try to find these manuals as well. There's an operators manual where it should be, but it doesn't say as much as I think it should.

 

[willie59]

The manual descent procedure is noted at the end of the operators manual in emergency procedures, page 6-1. The boom synchronizing procedure is noted in the maintenance manual.