I was curious how does every one set their machines up?? Do you like it to be perfectly level? or do you like to "lean it away from the work side??..I my self like to lean the machine about a degree and a half away from the Work side..Then when I get her Stretched out full of mud and double check all of my out riggers!!...What is every one elses preference on setting up??...Just curious and wanting a decent topic to to discuss

Depends on if you plan on pumping on both sides if only pumping on your right side then raise it higher than the left.

I always try to get it level if im all the way out over one side i will jack that side up a little higher but as long as your within 3% your golden

Yeah thats what I am talkin about when I say "lean it away from the work side" even when I am pumping ..say off of the Pasenger side and the front I do my best to lean the truck away from the pour just a little bit...Then like I said I like to go back and double check/tighten up the outriggers...Like in this photo..I had set the truck up,Kind of leaning back on the Drivers side rear out rigger...I was just curious if I am over thinking it or if any one else has a preferred method of setting up

If I'm no the street, then I'm level. I just jack the tires almost all the way off the ground. If I'm on dirt, then I'll lift the pumping side a little higher.

level always,less stress on slewing gears and drive.

For me anyways, it totally depends on ground conditions.  I like my truck level (within .5 dergree).  If I'm at all concerned about pushing rigger blocks into the soil I'll start out of level so I "settle" into the spot I like.  I live on an island in northwest washington, so I get good hardpan, or crappy mucky topsoil (winter sucks).  If you're level, you spend very little time re-adjusting you height above the forms. One less thing to worry about.

I have tried the "Level" thing but what I have noticed is,When I get set up "Boom in the cradle" and have her all leveled up.when I get the boom stretched out the pump leans the direction of the boom.You have to remember that the out riggers will have some "Flex" to them and when you get them loaded they have more weight on them,Also when I have her dead nuts level and stretch out over one side the "Off Side" riggers are floating a little bit,And by leaning the truck a little bit (in my mind)it sort of "Pre loads" the off side and the whole truck seems more solidly set....Like I said I might be over thinking stuff..

I always go a little higher on the side I am pumping off of on initial setup and usually it levels out when you stretch out , but I always do my best to keep it level it just operates smoother and less strain on everything.

Yeah pudg Thats what I am talking about not WAY out of level,Just enough so that it seems the machine (when stretched out) levels its self up not like I am twisting it so hard it way out of wack...Just leaned slightly away from the pour.....

Mud,

You guys ready for another pump yet.? All the work this spring.

yup abit high on the working side about 1 degree

tebequip- we're thinking about it not sure if we wanna go bigger or stay in the 30 series if anything we're thinkin a 36m or a 43m i would like to see a 47m but I ain't the boss so time will tell. Also when we do get another pump we gotta get another operator but a good one is hard to find probably gonna train a decent mixer driver so he wont have any bad habits like some operators,and we can train him the way we want him to operate but who knows like i said time will tell.

I always like to be level, unless I am shot-rigged then I will setup a couple degrees towards the fully-rigged side of the pump.

You are all hitting around the correct theory.

When A Putzmeister is stability tested it is set up 0° with the Truck tires breaking the ground.

Weight’s are installed to simulate a full concrete load from hopper to end of regulation tip hose + a safety %.

The boom is slewed full rotation, they measure the mm of distance that the opposite outrigger from the boom floats, a factory spec is applied for the pedestal and boom including the chassis.

If it is out of tolerance then the outrigger settings and or counter weight is engineered into the unit.

2 Key points to consider. The pump operates on the principle of Center of gravity to remain stable. To do this it relies on counterweight. Pump, Concrete, Chassis, ° of level the unit is set at, if any one of these are off the unit will become Less Stable.

Point 2 It is perfectly acceptable to have a little float on the opposing outrigger IF all is set up correctly including correct Timber for dunnage.

Tightening the light outrigger will help with boom performance, IE boom bounce.

Different booms react differently, I cannot speak for other brands but I believe this is close to Industry standard, check with your Mfg for details.

You all see rubber tire cranes set up on sites look close at them, Jacked level, Tires OFF the ground, Added counterweight for the load they are planning to lift. On a pump you don’t have a truck with concrete blocks following you to add to the chassis. Your load is relatively constant, Not so for a crane. So the Engineers are able to build a unit utilizing ALL of the truck to accomplish stability, Tires on the ground gives the same effect as removing some of the counter weight.

I do not want to get into a discussion about how you get concrete into the hopper, or keeping the hopper from moving side to side. I do want you to have the facts for how they are built to be used.  I used to run a pump that needed Ramps to feed the hopper fast on dry bridge jobs, so I know where you are at.

As always I love to talk about this stuff.

Woodsa@putzam.com

360-600-5695.

Alan

My Bad I forgot to apply Units are designed to operate within 3* of level

I do the same thing WHO. I call it "preloading" the outriggers. 

Man I just wish I was still pumpin!!

Traveltek,

I agree with you but I had a job I posted about where I was on a 45m schwing,this happened twice, one day they shut the pour down in a petro chem plant because my offside was floating a bit when I was stretched, another job in a gas plant, was told if I missed my setup and when I stretched out the off outriggers came off the ground I would be asked to leave, after schwing engineers and safety sent a letter saying this was normal and within operation guidelines they still didnt budge, luckily this was next to the last pour of the job and we finished before it came up again.

Pudg; I am aware of this issue on a couple site’s. I have had other customers experience the same thing, their on site safety personnel accepted the letter from the Mfg. If it comes up again I would ask the Mfg for support with the issue, Most time the safety personnel are just not completely informed as to the engineering for the unit.