Author -
Submitted By -Bucket Truck Failure
This is in regards to our 1999 Altec boom truck (TM-41) We had a serious failure of the lower insulated boom extension! The 8 bolts (8 on each end) of the bottom section (bottom when lower boom is raised) sheared and the fiberglass boom section that is attached to slid towards the metal retaining section splitting the fiberglass on both sides! The boom has a material handler and I was in the process of removing a 15 kva transformer (and yes, I was within the weight limits required) when the failure occurred! I had just began to remove the transformer from the 5/8" X 10" bolts on the pole when the boom failed! Thank God the transformer fell only a few inches back onto the bolts, otherwise no telling what else would have occurred! the entire truck shook and the split was quite large enough that I could see it very easy from the bucket! I unhooked the transformer and cradled the boom as quick as possible! Needless to say, the truck is down until the part is replaced and the entire truck is tested! Just a word of caution! Power_Liner!!