Tuesday 29 March 2011

The Best Trucks for Bucket Trucks

Bucket truck brands like Altec, Terex, and ETI all sit on different vehicles. Some of the most popular trucks are Ford, Freightliner, International, and Chevrolet. In this article, we will look at these brands and compare their specs. With trucks in particular, consumers are very brand loyal and probably won't want to hear the real differences between the brands. For those of you that are afraid, turn away now.

To keep a level playing field, we will look at the same class of trucks. We will also compare similar diesel engines.

The International 4700 has 210 hp with a fuller 6 speed transmission. The motor is a DT466E diesel. These internationals check in at a heavy 34,000 GVW. The 4700 provides plenty of torque for operators that need such. However, the International is somewhat lacking in power. With the 34,000 GVW 210 hp seems a little light when compared to the competition. Seemingly, most users get power upgrades from their nearby dealer. Overall, the International holds value well and is one of the most reliable and long lasting vehicles for utility trucks.

Ford's Cherry Pickers use the 7.3L Powerstroke Diesel to power it with 275 hp. It is worth mentioning that International uses the exact same engine but is called the T444E. These 7.3L engines are available in applications above 60,000 lb GVWR. Strong engines that power slightly lighter trucks than International. The main difference between these and the Internationals is the components that Ford did make. So you look at the strength of axels and the transmission. Ford does come away with the better transmission (that is by a non-biased review and from actual road tests) in that it lasts longer.

The last comparison we'll make is with the Chevrolet medium duty trucks, the kodiak C5500 comes with 6.6L Diesel as well as an Allison 5-speed automatic transmission. These motors put out 242 hp and have an inbetween amount of torque. While the Kodiak C5500's are not as popular as the two previous, they still hold a solid market share in the bucket truck business. The availability of cheap parts keeps these trucks in high demand.

Now that you have read the un-biased and fast guide to the trucks that move buckets, which bucket truck is right for you? The simple answer is, the one that gets you to the job site safely and reliably.

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