5 things to look for in your next telehandler

Telehandlers are a vital part of many job sites. Thanks to their versatility, ability to increase productivity, safety advantages, maneuverability and ever-improving technology, they’re key to optimizing operations.

Adding a telehandler to your fleet means knowing what to look for. Here are 5 essential details to keep in mind when buying your next telehandler.

FIND A MODEL THAT FITS YOUR NEEDS

The last thing you want is to have a telehandler sitting idly by on your worksite. The best way to maximize your operational gains with a telehandler is by using it as much as possible.

To find the right model, you need to know if you require long boom reach, lifting capacity, a machine for the farm or for a construction job site, a compact machine to fit in tight spaces or a rotating telehandler to lift material or humans high up. Your daily task and your trade will influence your choice. For example, a 360-degree rotating telehandler such as the Merlo Roto is extremely popular on residential construction sites with roofers, framers, form workers, and steel erectors since the machine can work 10 hours a day, lifting material far out and high up, without ever changing position.

Working with the right telehandlers can offer increased productivity, even when you’re not inside the cabin. A remote-control option is great for when you must work in tight areas or from a basket or platform.

When a telehandler is on a worksite, operators can save time and effort thanks to the efficient build, the ability to switch attachments fast and their versatility to be used for almost any task.

CAPABILITY CONSIDERATIONS

Your telehandler is a jack of all trades, and should be capable of handling any task on your worksite. Need to load or unload materials from a delivery truck? Use a telescopic forklift. Need to lift bricks to your masons on the fourth floor of a residential building? Lift it with the telescopic boom. Working on an excavation project? Telehandlers equipped with a bucket can provide plenty of digging power.

On the search for your next telehandler, versatility should be near the top of your list. Telehandlers can be found working on landscaping projects in downtown Montreal or driving through the Alberta prairies. This level of versatility is key for your operation. Unloading, handling, lifting materials or workers, stacking, digging: most owners put telehandlers at the centre of their operations.

It’s the reason telehandlers can be seen on high-profile projects such as Toronto’s Eglinton Crosstown LRT project, the Calgary west road, the Montreal light train and several bridge maintenance jobs across the country.

Your goal when purchasing your next telehandler should be to find a machine that can replace the capabilities of two or three of your other machines – such as a forklift or skid steer.

Look for capability that will deliver the best solutions to your operations. Factors to consider include:

Performance • Speed – how fast can the machine travel from one site to another? • Power – how much can it lift? • Precision – a hydrostatic transmission can ensure millimetric variations in the movements of the machine and in the positioning of the load.

MERLO P120.10+

• Stability – a perfectly balanced machine with no extra rear counterweight, strong outriggers and automatic frame levelling. Efficiency • Maneuverability – a short turning radius and 4-wheel steering can allow you to turn on a dime. • Size – a compact and lightweight machine enables better access to tight spaces and guarantees safety, maneuverability, productivity and lower fuel consumption. Comfort • Cabin – a large cabin with AC/heating and 360-degree visibility will keep operators comfortable and safe. • Cabin and boom suspension – good suspension allows for faster operation without compromising operator comfort or the load.

DON’T SKIMP ON SAFETY

Before anything else, safety is the most important aspect of any operation. From a construction site to a dairy farm, the safety of your machine operators and workers comes first.

When you’re using a machine as much as you use a telehandler, your operator needs to always feel safe and comfortable. This not only helps prevents injuries and accidents but also increases productivity and efficiency. Many safety features on telehandlers are also designed to provide operational gains.

Features such as 360-degree visibility allow the operator to see the entirety of their surroundings, and also let them work more quickly as they don’t have to check for blind spots.

Other safety features can be more subtle, yet just as effective. Load sensors will warn you if you’re carrying too much weight before you tip. Some brands offer a reinforced “Ring of Steel” that wraps around the chassis and protects the machine, as well as its internal components.

THE TILTING CAB ON A ROTATING TELEHANDLER.

THE LATEST TECHNOLOGY

Telehandlers equipped with sensor technology, such as those on Merlo machines, can track load weight, the attachment, height and angle in real time on an LCD screen in the cabin.

This technology should extend to every part of your next telehandler. Features like a tilting cabin are often the difference between buying or not buying a rotating telehandler.

“The tilting cab is a must-have because it just changes your visibility, never sitting there with your head bent, you can go up and down as you need to,” said Winston Miller, owner of Winston the Framer, a production framing company in the Ottawa region. “It just makes your day so much more comfortable.”

Features such as a large cabin, boom side-shift, cabin suspension system and auto-levelling are all appreciated by operators who spend hours working in the machine each day.

SELECTING THE RIGHT DEALERSHIP

Another key is to find a dealer that will become a partner to guide you well before and after the sale. Telehandler specialists, like Manulift, have experts that are 100 percent dedicated to telescopic handlers. This means that they offer expert service, machine training, fast response, specialized road and workshop technicians, financing experts and good selection and availability of parts. When keeping these details in mind during the purchasing process, your next telehandler will help you take your business to the next level. This article was submitted by Manulift.

SNORKEL 660SJ BOOM LIFT

SNORKEL

MID-SIZE TELESCOPIC BOOM LINE UPGRADED WITH HIGHER LIFT CAPACITIES

Snorkel has upgraded its line of mid-sized telescopic boom lifts, all of which will now feature a new dual-envelope design as standard, delivering higher lifting capacities on all six models. The Snorkel 400S, 460SJ, 600S, 660SJ and 600S and 660SJ All-Terrain have been fitted with a newly designed, globally compliant jib boom. Measuring 5 feet 6 inches (1.67m), the new jib boom reduces the stowed length of the unit for ease of transportation, while enabling higher lifting capacities.

All six upgraded models will now deliver a maximum platform capacity of 1,000 pounds (454kg) with a restricted working envelope and 600 pounds (272kg) unrestricted. Snorkel says that this update has been developed in response to customer demand, and that the higher lifting capacities enable workers to carry additional tools and materials to the work area, increasing job site productivity. The latest models also feature upgraded controls with a visual indicator showing the operator which capacity zone they are in, and clearer graphical display for ease of operation.

SKYJACK PARENT LINAMAR FORMS GROUP TO PURSUE ELECTRIFICATION

Linamar Corporation, the parent company of Skyjack, has formed eLIN Product Solutions Group which will focus on leveraging electrification opportunities for

Linamar’s products in its Mobility and Industrial businesses, as well as future new markets. eLIN will utilize McLaren Engineering’s development and testing capabilities and Linamar’s global footprint to deliver eLIN products to the market.

The new eLIN group will focus on four key areas: Power Generation, Power Storage, Propulsion Systems, and Structural & Chassis offerings for electrified vehicles in all of Linamar’s businesses. Linamar’s McLaren Engineering group has had success in electrifying products, including: developing e-axles for Light Vehicles (LV) and Commercial Vehicles (CV), continued development of hydrogen fuel storage tanks, expansion into battery structures and EV subframes, electrification initiatives in its Skyjack business, a strategic alliance with Ballard Power Systems for the development of Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV) propulsion systems, and an advanced development project with Exro Technologies leveraging their unique inverter technology with Linamar’s e-axle and gearbox.

The group will focus on developing electrified product solutions for all business lines, developing electrification strategies and winning new programs for existing plants and groups.

GENIE

TOOL KIT AIDS IN LOAD CALIBRATION TESTS

Anew calibration tool kit available from Genie Parts includes everything service personnel need to make it easier and faster to do a full load calibration test of Genie boom lifts equipped with digital Load Sense.

First introduced in 2017, Genie digital Load Sense has no linkages, no springs and no actuating parts for a simple and rugged design. It continuously monitors the weight in the platform and adjusts the operating envelope according to the boom lift's load chart.

In addition to testing the load sense system as part of the annual inspection, if a platform component is replaced due to damage, a zero-load calibration can be performed to verify that Load Sense is operating correctly. By following 10 simple steps and using the kit, zero-load calibration can be completed in as little as 30 seconds.

The kit, which will be available globally and is compatible with most Genie boom lifts equipped with the digital Load Sense system, includes approved rigging, scale, chain hoist, and instruction manual, all contained in a portable carrying case. The chain hoist is used to put tension on the scale to apply the appropriate calibration weight.

AERIAL EQUIPMENT PRICES UP IN AUCTION RESULTS: RITCHIE BROS.

Ritchie Bros.’ September Market Trends Report showed positive results for aerial equipment, with prices up 29 percent in the

United States, while medium earthmoving and truck tractors are up 38 and 36 percent respectively (for the three months ending August 31, 2021).

Ritchie Bros. has included a special focus on aerial work platforms and material handling equipment sales in the United States and Canada. High-usage and rental rates, as well as OEM production delays, have resulted in a sharp decline in the number of boom lifts, scissor lifts and telescopic forklifts sold in 2021. Combine this volume decline with the unprecedented demand Ritchie Bros. is seeing this year and you get record-breaking returns for consignors. Over the past three months scissor lift prices have inflated 15 percent, while boom lifts and telescopic forklifts are both up 16 percent.

JLG

SELF-LEVELLING CHASSIS BOOM LIFT

JLG Industries’ JLG 670SJ self-levelling boom lift is now available in North America. Equipped with JLG’s patented self-levelling technology, the 670SJ automatically adapts to terrain on slopes up to 10 degrees in any direction, while driving with full functionality at a 67-foot platform height.

The self-levelling technology is designed to adjust the boom lift’s chassis to the ground conditions – rather than having to adjust the ground conditions to the machine. This allows the 670SJ to navigate uneven terrain while driving at height from one job to the other without lowering the boom. “Engineered with the world’s first fully integrated, self-levelling chassis, the 670SJ is a game changer for the aerial equipment industry,” says Shashank Bhatia, vice president of engineering for MEWPS, JLG. “On the underside of the machine, you can see that it has four independent axles, each controlled by its own smart hydraulic cylinders. These enable each wheel to separately follow the contour of the terrain and stay in constant contact with the ground. This not only allows the machine to continuously and seamlessly self-level, but it does so without requiring operator inputs.”

It also features three operating modes to maximize transportability. Self-levelling mode enables the machine to work at full height, with full functionality, on slopes up to 10 degrees. Travel mode can be used when the boom is stowed to move across the job site at a faster rate of speed. Shipping mode allows the entire machine to be lowered once in position on a truck, reducing travel height.

All of these features are made possible through the machine’s advanced control system, which continuously receives performance data from various sensors on the machine. It then displays the information through a digital display and selectable screen interface in the platform during operation, ensuring users are more knowledgeable about what's going on at ground level while working at height.

JLG’s self-levelling technology offers a host of benefits, including reducing (and in some cases even eliminating) the prep work required to level the work area. It also eliminates the trial and effort of repositioning a boom lift to find a level work area. This helps operators get into position and up to the work area quicker, maximizes reach capabilities and reduces the need for larger, higher reaching lifts on-site. It provides a smoother ride due to its advanced control system, and is designed to continuously adjust to the terrain to keep the platform level and minimize movement.

This boom lift offers a 73-foot work height and 57 feet of horizontal reach, with 550-pound unrestricted and 750-pound restricted capacities. It also features JLG’s automatic, single-sensor load sensing system with zero-load calibration. This keeps the machine within the allowable work envelope by limiting range depending on the platform load.

SERIOUS LABS MEWP VR SIMULATOR OKAYED FOR IPAF PAL CARD RENEWALS

After a rigorous review process, the Serious Labs Mobile Elevating Work Platform (MEWP) Virtual Reality (VR) Operator Training Simulator has been approved by the International Powered Access Federation (IPAF) for renewals of its Powered Access License (PAL) Card. This is the first time that heavy equipment operators may renew their license by simulator, Serious Labs states.

IPAF has issued over two million PAL Cards worldwide. Cards typically need to be renewed every five years.

The simulated MEWP PAL card renewal tests existing holders through a VR-based replica of the IPAF 3a/3b practical test. Two scenarios go through a pre-use check on the machine and a practical course, just as if the operator was on a machine in the real world. Created from the data and results of trials over the course of eight months, the course has an abridged theory session but the same practical session, based on ISO 18878 that is used in the standard 3a and 3b courses. The trial used experienced operators with a minimum three years’ experience who each held a valid PAL Card.

SNORKEL™ S4740E SELF-PROPELLED ELECTRIC SCISSOR LIFT

ADAPTABLE DRIVE | ROLL-OUT EXTENSION DECK | NON-MARKING TIRES

REACH NEW HEIGHTS

The Snorkel S4740E reaches new levels of accessibility in more ways than one. It is also the only Snorkel electric scissor lift available with a choice of hydraulic or electric drive. Durable lead acid batteries provide long-lasting performance. The rugged and robust S4740E features a variable tilt system suitable for indoor and outdoor use.

As the tallest reaching electric slab scissor lift in the range, the S4740E boasts a maximum working height of 45 ft. 5 in. (14.0m) and features a spacious roll-out deck extension up to 48 in. (1.21m).

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CALL 780-467-0600 OR VISIT WWW.AHERNCANADA.CA

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