Economical to Own

Subject : Skyjack SJ7027 Rough-Terrain Scissor Lift-manufactured by Skyjack Inc., Guelph, Ontario; featuring 27-foot platform height and 70-inch wide deck. Other key features include 1,000-pound capacity, 4'6" roll-out deck extension, and Kubota dual fuel engine.

Date in service : 11-99

Hours in service : 1,223

Equipment owner : Ahern Equipment Rentals, Las Vegas , Nev. -probably the largest independent rental company in the United States . The company has rented and sold more Skyjack machines than any other single organization in the world. Ahern began purchasing Skyjack equipment in the late 1980s. Nearly all the scissor lifts in Ahern's fleet are Skyjacks.

Service location : Poway , Calif. , and Phoenix , Ariz.

Date of review : 3/16/04

Skyjack introduced the first 7027 in 1994 as part of the popular mid-sized 600 series of rough-terrain scissor lifts. The model was updated in 2002 to the SJ7027, featuring a wider frame, longer wheelbase, improved scissor tube design, and the ability to be fitted with outriggers. The unit I evaluated was selected at random from Ahern's "Rent Ready" line at its yard in Phoenix .

Despite the low hour meter reading, which is not uncommon with scissor lifts, rental records indicate that this machine has been highly utilized since it was put in service five years ago. Skyjack prides itself on the ruggedness of its products, engineering them to provide the lowest cost of ownership possible. Ahern's 7027 is a perfect demonstration of that philosophy.



Observation highlights

The unit appeared to be robust in all the right places-lower component boxes, all-steel deck, and even little things, such as the hinges on the fold-down guard rails and the latch on the swing gate.

The aluminum control box, shown in Image 2, was in fantastic shape. Likewise, the unit's exterior has withstood Arizona 's bright sun and heat. Fading was minimal to the 7027's orange and gray paint scheme, and the only decals that have been replaced are those that have been damaged or obscured by paint over-spray.

The all-steel diamond plate deck was slightly corroded but couldn't have been any straighter than when the machine was new. Rolling out the deck extension, however, required more effort than I would have liked. The telescoping push-bar design can be a challenge for one person, especially if the bar is a little rusty or slightly bent, which causes it to get hung up as you try to extend the deck. The job was not impossible-just required a little exertion. (Maybe I'm just getting old.)


A close inspection of the unit showed no evidence of there ever having been a hydraulic leak. All hoses were tightly and neatly secured with original factory tie wraps. In addition, the hoses and electrical cables showed no signs of abnormal wear, even in the repetitive flex areas.


This unit was fitted with hydraulically driven generator. See Image 3. Note the tidiness of the hoses and cables located on the scissor arms and chassis. And, in Image 4, notice that the steering cylinder is protected behind a substantial piece of steel C-channel-just one of many steps taken to protect components from exposure to damage.




Power train

When fully throttled, the Kubota DF750E dual fuel engine still sings a pretty tune-what a great engine! It is protected by a roll-out mounting system. See Image 4. I was anxious to see whether years of grime, dirt, and dry wall mud built up on the roller and tracks would make it difficult to pull the engine out, but was pleased to discover that it took very little effort. A plastic track carries and protects hoses and cables from the engine to the chassis. It too appears to have done its job well over the years.

All of Skyjack's RT scissor lifts feature differential drive. This axle configuration tends to scrub the rear tires more than other drive designs. Understandably this unit's rear tires were not original, but, as expected the axle itself has been no problem.



Owner's opinions

The people at Ahern are really big fans of the 7027 because it is so economical to own. It was quite revealing to review the computer archived service history of this particular machine. Total cost for all repair parts, tire replacement, and scheduled maintenance was less than $1,200. That's just $240 a year!

At least half of this total cost was related to tire replacement due to both wear and damage caused by operational abuse. So, if you exclude that, parts costs for break-downs comes in closer to $100 per year. This is truly amazing for a highly utilized rough terrain scissor lift.

The single biggest service issue noted for this unit involved the bank of electric control relays that are at the center of the machine's operation. As you can see in Image 5, these "ice cube" relays (so called for there appearance), are mounted on the inside of the door in one of the lower component boxes. Vibration and the shock of slamming the door, in conjunction with some exposure to water running down the inside of the door, have led to premature failure of several relays. Skyjack responded to this service concern, and in 2002 moved the relays, provided by Hydac, to a sub-panel that fits back inside the component case. The manufacturer also installed a gasket to the door to limit moisture exposure.

The only other service issue worth noting was that Ahern had to rebuild the joystick supplied by P-Q Controls. Because operators tend to lean on the control, especially when traveling over rough terrain, it is a tribute to its ruggedness that only one joystick failed in five years of service.

 

The purpose of "On the Job" equipment reviews is to evaluate how a machine has stood up to the rigors of real work environments. Although its inherit design contributes to a piece of equipment's hardiness, Lift and Access recognizes that maintenance and application directly impact the overall life of the machine. For this reason, all machines selected for review in "On the Job" are under its first ownership, have been in service for a maximum of 5,000 hours or 6 years and a minimum of 2,000 hours or 3 years. With the exception of normal maintenance and repair they must be in original condition. They must have never been repainted or reconditioned in any way. If you would like to nominate your aerial lift, crane, or forklift for review, contact gramsey@liftandaccess.com