25.02.2020

Snorkel breaks boom lift record

Snorkel will launch the world’s largest self-propelled boom lift at Conexpo next month – the 210ft 2100SJ, topping JLG’s 185ft 1850SJ boom lift by 7.5 metres.

The new Snorkel ‘Mega Boom’ offers a working height of almost 66 metres with a maximum outreach up to 33.5 metres. It features a five section boom, topped by a 9.1 metre two section telescopic articulated jib, with a 128 degrees of articulation - 55 degrees below horizontal to 73 degrees above. Maximum drive height is 64 metres.

The unrestricted platform capacity is 300kg, while the maximum capacity is 454kg which only applies when the telescopic jib is retracted. The 2.4 metre wide by 900mm deep tri-entry platform has 150 degrees of platform rotation.
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The chassis uses a similar X style design to that employed by Genie and JLG in their big booms. When stowed the new 2100SJ has a 2.5 metre overall transport width, and weighs 36 tonnes, although this is subject to change. In comparison the JLG 1850SJ weighs 27.5 tonnes.

Features include five steering modes - including the four usual ones - front only, crab, co-ordinated, and rear only, plus lateral - allowing the machine to move sideways. The company is keeping a number of other innovations close to its chest until the unveiling on March 10th, so you will just have to wait to read about it next month or head to the show. Deliveries of the new lift are due to begin in early 2021.


The company also says that it will unveil four new ultra high capacity scissor lifts at the show, topped by a 63ft model.

Vertikal Comment

This is a surprising and interesting move by Snorkel, but owner Don Ahern is always pulling off the exceptional so it really should not be surprising. The benefits of such a big machine compared to a truck mounted lift include the more compact working footprint, the self-propelled feature and possibly cost, or more particularly running costs.

There has long been talk about the prospect of a building a larger self-propelled boom lift, and while companies like JLG and Genie have maintained that it is now possible, assuming there was sufficient demand, the challenge has always been transporting such a beast.

While the overall width of the new Snorkel is fine at 2.5 metres, moving a 36 tonne (80,000lbs) load can be a challenge, and will require special transport and permits in some states, so not a machine for a quick ‘in and out’ job. It will be very interesting to see though how many companies buy into such a big boom, certainly you can expect the big wholesale rental companies to be interested from day one, while others possibly following on later as end users become aware if its existence and factor it into their jobs.