Tree Service Boom Lifts Upcoming Auctions

A boom lift is a mobile elevating work platform (MEWP), also known as an “aerial work platform,” that utilizes hydraulic lift systems to elevate workers, tools, and materials to heights ranging from 36 to 180 feet (11 to 55 meters) and beyond.

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2022 CMC 72HD+ Arbor Pro

Boom lifts belong to a broad category of equipment commonly referred to as “cherry pickers” or “man lifts.” Tree service boom lifts provide access to difficult-to-reach areas on tree care, landscaping, forestry, and other work sites, facilitating tasks such as tree trimming, topping, and pruning.

Tree Care Boom Lift Types

There are three primary categories of tree service boom lifts, each with its own advantages. Here’s a quick overview. 

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2024 JLG 600AJ Articulating Boom Lift

Articulating Boom Lifts

Articulating boom lifts, or knuckle booms, can reach “up and over” obstacles and around corners with their multiple hinged boom sections, which other types of lifts can’t do. In tree care, these wheeled or tracked machines—the latter are often called “spider lifts” because of their spider-like stabilizer legs—let arborists trim three sides of a large tree without relocating. 

One articulated example designed for the tree care industry is the CMC 72HD+ Arbor Pro, a unique spider lift that can also be mounted on the rear of a truck and used as a forestry bucket truck. The tracked 72HD+ offers 72 ft (22 m) of working height, 41 ft (12.5 m) of lateral reach, and 507 pounds (230 kilograms) of load capacity.

Telescopic Boom Lifts

Telescopic boom lifts, also known as “straight booms” or “stick booms,” trade the flexibility of an articulated boom for greater platform height, horizontal outreach, and load capacity. Genie’s high-reach SX-180, for example, provides an amazing 80 ft (24.4 m) of outreach to go with its 186-ft (57-m) working height and 750-lb (340-kg) lift capacity. 

You’ll find aerial lifts like these on TreeTrader.com equipped with four-wheel drive, built-in slope compensation, and the ability to move with their platforms extended.

Towable Boom Lifts

Towable boom lifts are available in articulated and telescoping versions with many of the same features and capabilities as self-propelled models. These trailer-mounted boom lifts are often easier to transport between sites, but they must be dropped off near the tree by the towing vehicle.

The JLG T500J towable boom lift, for example, offers a working height of approximately 50 feet, combining portability with the reach and versatility required for tree care, maintenance, and other elevated tasks.

Which Is The Best Lift For Tree Service Workers?

Many arborists and landscaping professionals consider spider lifts (tracked articulating boom lifts, also known as “atrium lifts”) to be the best all-around type of lift for tree trimming, pruning, and maintenance. Some are narrow enough to fit through fence gates and are sometimes called “backyard lifts.” Note that articulating lifts with an over-center design will provide more side reach and range of boom motion than a non-overcenter model. 

Key Boom Lift Features & Options 

Boom lifts are powered by: 

• Electric batteries
• Diesel
• Gasoline
• Propane/liquefied petroleum gas (LPG)

Variations include a fuel-efficient hybrid system that uses batteries and a small engine simultaneously, or a dual-fuel engine that can use either gasoline or propane. 

Palazzani’s TZX820 track articulated spider lift is available with a user-selectable bi-energy option. This allows the operator to use engine power for tree pruning and other outdoor work, and zero-emission, low-noise battery power for working indoors or in low-noise areas.

Common boom lift features include outriggers and stabilizers, automatic self-leveling systems, and rotating platforms.

Some boom lifts support: remote control functionality, air and water lines to the platform, variable track width to fit through smaller gates and doorways, and all-wheel steering with crab mode.

How Boom Lifts Compare To Bucket Trucks

Boom lifts can get closer to many trees than bucket trucks because they generally have better off-road capabilities and can fit into smaller spaces. Also, track models and boom lifts with flotation tires can traverse softer ground without creating ruts or otherwise disturbing the surface. Finally, an arborist lift’s man basket or work platform has more space than a truck’s 1-person bucket.

On the other hand, boom lifts need to be towed to the jobsite, while bucket trucks are self-contained units that can arrive ready to work on trees within reach of the road or hard shoulder. Also, specialized models called “forestry bucket trucks” usually include a wood chipper to process branches and other tree debris without the need to tow additional equipment. 

Where To Buy & Finance Boom Lifts

Explore TreeTrader.com to find new and used boom lifts for sale from leading manufacturers JLG and Genie, as well as from Haulotte, Manitou, Niftylift, Skyjack, Snorkel, XCMG, and others. 

Many of the articulating, telescopic, and towable boom lifts on TreeTrader.com make great tree trimming lifts for tree care and landscape professionals. Popular tree service lifts include the JLG 660SJ, JLG 600S, JLG 860SJ, Genie S65, and Genie S45.

Have you already found the tree service boom lift you want to buy? If you need an equipment loan, look to CurrencyFinance for competitive boom lift financing options for your business.