Keeping it's Cool
 Subject : CareLift ZB10055 Telescopic Handler-manufactured by CareLift Equipment Limited, Breslau , Ontario ; rated at 10,000 pounds 55-foot lift height. Date in service : 4-99 Hours in service : 2,429 Equipment owner : Ross Equipment Rentals-one of the largest independent rental companies in Arizona . The company has rented and sold dozens of CareLift machines since 1998. Other telescopic handlers in their fleet include Ingersoll-Rand and UpRight models. Service location : Phoenix , Ariz. , and surrounding communities Date of review : 2/6/04 |
Despite logging almost 2,500 hours on the job and being almost five years old, the ZB10055 shows no indication of succumbing to any major component failures, structural issues, or paint deterioration often associated with the five-year milestone.
The ZB10055's original paint and decals have withstood Arizona 's bright sun and heat. Fading is minimal. However, many welds forming the frame channels were not properly descaled before painting, and over time the slag has fallen off, exposing bare metal. In addition, the hoses appear to have held up in the heat.
The inside of the cab has proven to be quite durable. Plexiglas shields have done a wonderful job of protecting all the gauges. In addition, if a damaged cover obscures the view, the shield is easy to replace. Notice that the operational decals and warning placards looked as legible as when the unit was first delivered. Multi-function joysticks, appearing as good as new, control the boom and frame leveling functions. The people at CareLift just rave about the quality of these joysticks, which are supplied by Walvoil of Italy.
Power train
The only serious service issue resides under the hood. Ross Equipment has experienced ongoing problems with the electric solenoid controlling fuel flow to the injectors on the Cummins 4BT 3.9 liter turbocharged diesel engine. The coils tend to burn out a lot. If you've had this problem with a Cummins engine, there is a retrofit kit available from your Cummins engine distributor. The kit doesn't eliminate the problem, but it does extend the time between failures. The Spicer transmission and axles have held up well with only one axle failure occurring among all of the units in the fleet.
Observation highlights
It is highly unusual for five-year-old tires to still have this much tread on them. I estimate as much as 80 percent tread life remained on the Firestone Super Rock Grip Deep Tread 14.00-24, 12 ply tires. Cracks in the treads were the only serious degradation due to the powerful UV rays associated with this climate.
According to Ross Equipment, the boom's UHMW nylon slide pads have required minimal adjustment over the years. I noted only slight wear on the boom side walls. In addition, the massive dual roller extension/retraction chains have proved their worth. Ross Equipment reports no failures or premature wear on either the chains or rollers.
Although the headache rack (or, carriage back stop) on this unit was really beaten up, the original fork bars were intact, never having been replaced because they are so robust.
I learned from Ross Equipment that they have experienced an ongoing problem with the brake systems accumulator, which provides back-up braking pressure in case the engine stalls. The accumulator is filled with nitrogen gas, which over a period of months, permeates through the rubber bladder. After some research, I learned that this is a fairly common problem with all accumulators and they should be checked and re-charged every 6 to 12 months. To minimize the effects of the escaping nitrogen, CareLift has switched to a Hydac-supplied accumulator on all new units, which the company believes to be better performing in this regard.
Owner's opinions
The people at Ross Equipment spoke highly of the CareLift ZB10055. "It is just a good, solid, dependable machine," said Merlyn Richards, service manager.
Developed in Canada for some of the harshest cold-weather environments, it's an interesting contrast to see how well the machine performs in the desert heat. According to the service guys at Ross Equipment, as long as coolant is kept in the radiator, overheating has never been a problem.
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
