The Ford is much better truck that will be more reliable and be able to support a wide variety of booms. Their transmissions are durable as are their engines, gas or diesel.
The Chevy HD3500 is good for an electrician or painters truck, but to put a boom on it, espically a boom with an extra section (example a TA-35), the transmission and suspension are weak and have had problems throughout the years.
I personally owned a 1995 HD3500 with an Altec TA-35. The boom was extended out fully and the automatic transmission gave out while it was in PARK and the emergency brake on with the wheels chocked. The truck was destroyed and I was almost killed just before Christmas 2000. The man I was working with on the same job had a Penske rental HD3500 1999 model with the same setup. His truck slipped out of gear while in park but he was stopped by the telephone pole when it rolled only about 2-3 feet. He was lucky.
The HD3500 is a "Death Trap" in my opinion when used as a bucket truck with anything over a 28' boom. If you would like to see pictures of this truck, I would be more than happy to post them when I can get them digitized.
Good luck!
Greg Tobin
(314) 422-4423 cellular
Re: Chevy HD3500 + Boom = Death Trap
Member #: 7190
Registered: 1996-2001
Posted:
483
Name:
Greg Tobin
Name:
Greg Tobin
Company:
Interactive Broadband Technical Services
Occupation:
HFC Engineer/Consultant
Location:
www.interactive-broadband.com
Personal:
Experience:
~45 years
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