Haulotte’s 55 XA articulating boom lift is an effective way to work at height for anyone who needs a quiet, easy-to-use lift that can set up in 30 seconds and deliver 500 lbs. of platform capacity at up to 55 ft. of platform height or 33 ft. of horizontal reach.
Haulotte presented the machine at the Lift and Access Showcase in Las Vegas, Nev., last October, with Haulotte’s general manager for Canada, Tom Bell, handling the demonstration and commentary.
The 55 XA is a self-propelled hybrid lift that can work indoors or outdoors and is easy to transport between jobs, easy to maneuver on site, easy to set up, and easy to run. Bell said that those characteristics make machine especially good for small to medium rental companies and for contractors.
Stowed for travel, it measures 21’2” long, 5’8” wide, and 6’9” high. It can fit through a double door, and its four-wheel steering (standard) gives the machine an inside turning radius of just 6’10”. The 55 XA weighs just 6,000 lbs., so it can be transported on a trailer pulled by a ¾-ton pickup truck, so no commercial driver’s license is needed to haul it from job to job. The 6,000-lb. weight also lets the machine work on soft ground, like parks or golf courses, and enables it to work on finished surfaces, like mall floors. High-flotation pneumatic tires come standard, but foam-filled tires are available.
For operation, the machine is supported by four outriggers that provide a 13’11” x 12’9” footprint. The outriggers are completely automatic and self leveling. All four deploy simultaneously when the user holds two buttons. In just 30 seconds, the outriggers deploy and automatically level the machine. “The operator just holds the buttons and when the outriggers stop moving, the machine is level,” says Bell. They can level the machine on slopes of up to 12°.
The stability of the outrigger footprint lets the 55 XA deliver excellent reach and capacity for its size. It has an unrestricted platform capacity of 500 lbs., a maximum platform height of 55 ft., a maximum horizontal reach of 33’5”, and 23’1” of up-and-over clearance. Swing is 700°, non-continuous.
The boom consists of an articulating lower section, telescoping upper section, and 4’3” jib that articulates from 80° below the centerline of the boom to 70° above. Platform rotation around the end of the jib is optional. All controls on the machine are proportional, so the user has can get to the work area quickly and also precision-place the platform. The boom rise from stowed position to full height in about 60 to 70 seconds, Bell says.
Both high-pressure water and 110V AC electric power to the platform come standard, eliminating the need to have hoses and electric cords dangling from platform to ground.
The 24V hybrid power system combines four 6V 245-amp-hour batteries with a 24-hp. Kubota diesel engine. Hybridization lets the machine work effectively indoors or out. The diesel engine runs a 4,500W generator for power to the platform (though when the machine is used inside, the batteries can provide that power). The diesel also runs a 40A charger that replenishes battery charge and can recharge the batteries even while the lift is being used. In addition, the 55 XA is equipped with a 110V plug in that can recharge the batteries from wall power while the machine is working.
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