Utility Truck Hydraulics

We were looking at activity on our website and discovered that lots of you are looking for information about hydraulics. Since hydraulic power is key to a number of pieces of utility equipment work:

• Tiiger Pole Pullers and Cubes
• Bucket Truck Booms
• Digger Derricks

Read on to learn more about utility equipment hydraulics, parts, and maintenance.

Bucket Trucks

Bucket trucks have an extendable boom and a bucket (large enough to hold a person) attached at the end. The boom is raised and lowered and/or extended using hydraulics. The unique characteristics of hydraulic fluid allow it to flow through a valve, the valve moves a piston, which in turn either lower or extends the bucket truck’s boom. Hydraulics are needed on modern trucks because these arms are stronger, heavier, and often longer than the truck mounted platforms, aka cherry pickers, which they evolved from.

What makes the system even easier is that the boom or arm of a bucket truck is controlled by moving a joystick. All the hard work is done by the hydraulics which can provide tens of thousands of lbs. of force to move the boom and bucket.

Hydraulic Fluid 101

Bucket truck manufacturers recommend fluids that comply with Mil spec 5606. It’s all about the viscosity, and bucket truck hydraulic fluid is actually low-viscosity aviation hydraulic fluid. of all the requirements, the most important thing is that the fluid needs to be able to flow in very cold weather, and not get too thin in very hot conditions.

Nylaflow Tubing

Utility Equipment Parts offers Nylaflow(r) Type H tubing. Our Nylaflow tubing is high quality, high performance pressure tubing for hydraulic lines (1/4″) and air lines (1/8″) for bucket trucks and digger derricks.

Why Utility Vehicle Manuals Are Vital

Bucket Truck manuals serve as our main troubleshooting guide. They can provide information about the type of hydraulic fluid your boom trucks needs and they provide trouble-shooting guides for issues such as raising/lowering booms, upper control valves operation, and regular maintenance.

Control Valve Rebuilds

Is you upper control assembly is malfunctioning? Have you noticed any of the following issues?

• Leaking, sluggish response
• Certain functions of the control not working at all.

Sometimes control valves need to be resealed or have worn out/damaged parts replaced. We can also rebuild your upper control valve if necessary.