Outrigger placement

[Mr Stubs]

Now I know that I am not doing line work yet but I am a ape....

My question has to do with outrigger placement on a bucket truck (my application)

Our trucks are only equipped with one outrigger per side and are located to each side of the lifts ring gear.

I have just began to fly the bucket and trim (ahead of schedule, I must be doing things right I guess) and I had to set up the truck for the first time by myself today and encountered a problem with my Foreman.

I was taught to always set the lower outrigger first but my Forman says different. I didn't want to argue with him about "what I learned in school" so I let him show me how he wanted the truck set up and trimmed away. I did let him know that I was not sure if he was right in his school of thought and I wanted to research it a bit.

Can anyone explain his line of thought? Is there a reason that I cant see as to why a truck should be set up this way with the high outrigger first? (just enough to touch the ground and then lift the lower one)

[topgroove]

You are right Mr. Stubs, I always was taught to lower the low side first and than the other side. Take it with a grain of salt and when your with him just do it his way. Its easier that way. Your gonna expierence alot of hardheaded lineman and forman in the years ahead. Just smile and agree with them even when you know your right. Just don't do anything you think is dangerous.

[Highplains Drifter]

Now I know that I am not doing line work yet but I am a ape....

My question has to do with outrigger placement on a bucket truck (my application)

Our trucks are only equipped with one outrigger per side and are located to each side of the lifts ring gear.

I have just began to fly the bucket and trim (ahead of schedule, I must be doing things right I guess) and I had to set up the truck for the first time by myself today and encountered a problem with my Foreman.

I was taught to always set the lower outrigger first but my Forman says different. I didn't want to argue with him about "what I learned in school" so I let him show me how he wanted the truck set up and trimmed away. I did let him know that I was not sure if he was right in his school of thought and I wanted to research it a bit.

Can anyone explain his line of thought? Is there a reason that I cant see as to why a truck should be set up this way with the high outrigger first? (just enough to touch the ground and then lift the lower one)


With today's camera phones there is no reason in the world you didn't post a photo with your thread:



What was the soil conditions for the pad and rigger?

What side of the truck was your work area?

I feel you where wrong stating “this isn't how I was taught”, why didn't you ask him what his reasoning was for doing that set up. I am not going to tell you what is right or wrong because I do not want to give you a pistol to pull from your hip to try and blow his knowledge. If you ever get a foreman after you, you're apprenticeship could become a hard battle.

[Mr Stubs]

With today's camera phones there is no reason in the world you didn't post a photo with your thread:



What was the soil conditions for the pad and rigger? Both where set on the asphalt road but the corner did have a healthy pitch to it

What side of the truck was your work area? Work area was on the low side of the set up but was all done close to the truck

, why didn't you ask him what his reasoning was for doing that set up. He believes that if the low side outrigger is placed first then the high side outrigger will not have any pressure pushed against it. I am not going to tell you what is right or wrong because I do not want to give you a pistol to pull from your hip to try and blow his knowledge. If you ever get a foreman after you, you're apprenticeship could become a hard battle.I dont want to turn this into a pissing match with him, I realize that he is the one who allows me the bucket time (that I have to get in order to progress).

I did feel safe on the set up, all the bubbles where in the green on the inclinometer gauges before the outriggers where placed.

My main reason for the post is to see if there is a method or reasoning that I dont understand yet. I need to educate myself the best that I can to help make the best decisions that I can in each unique situation that I run into.

[bones]

There is no way to tip the truck over by mistakenly raising the lower outrigger first. People put the lower outrigger down first then go and jack way up on the higher outrigger. Job gets done, they're not paying attention and pull up on the lower outrigger first forgetting that they jacked the piss out of the higher one for good leveling. Truck could tip.

By putting the higher one down first, you already know the truck won't tip if the lower one is raised first by mistake.

Basically just a rule to protect apprentices from their stupid selves. In all reality, it doesn't matter which side goes down first, just so the higher one is raised first. But it takes awhile for an apprentice to display he does in fact possess some form of common sense so stupid rules are made up so "nothing can go wrong" in the mean time.

In time...all rules concerning outriggers can be broken because you become in essence an outrigger-putter-down-and-picking-up ninja. You develop a kind of outrigger sixth sense about how far you can push the limits of outrigger positioning.

[Bear]

I'll second bones post. Sometimes the schhols try to put a routine behind the obvious. Challenging your journeyman is not going to result in a smooth ride. Just use common sense, get a feel for the equipment and use diplomacy to ensure work is fun and not a fight.

[Major Wager]

Touch down with the high side, level with the low side.