Wow!  Well let me just say that as long as you have your machine level once set up there's no problem in the least of having it off the ground.  The machine was designed to operate this way.  If you are on a steep incline set up then of course you want your rear wheels on the ground just a touch to give you a lil more balist.  Actually i have in my posession a letter that putz sent out that states that they had a few issues with the 40m becoming very unstable pumping high volumes of mud.  There solution was to make sure that the pump was completly off the ground and as level as you could possibly get it.  I myself in the three years that i've had the machine have never had a problem with it @ all, but just to make sure i when i'm pushing it hard i do take it off the ground.  Hell if you wanna hear the same thing just go to putzs link and watch the set-up and pump placment of the 70m.  It's designed to have all the axles off the ground, and they tell you so.  Any who that's jus my 2 cents.  Have a fine day.

To be honest I raised the chassis enough for a stable set up.Sometimes an adjustment was needed for stabilizaion but not often.I do believe your right about the tractor/trailor being off the ground.I guess it's more about operator preference.

The small pumps (16,22,24) over here on 2 axle chassis, tend to have axle locks/chains  to hold the rear axle up off the ground so that the weight of the chassis is totally hung from the legs of the pump. If you dont use the chains you find that the pump has a little more rock and roll when you are using it, but its not life threatening!  On the other hand, i find that if you have the wheels too far off the ground on the front and the boom out over the front then the pump will rock, so always take up the empty space under the front wheels with dunnage or whats available.

We are told to lift it enough so you take the tension of the springs but still keep the wheels on the ground. That is coming from Putz..
And if you look at your truck, how many of those small bolts keep the pumpframe attached to the trucks? Not many.
But sometimes you have to do what you have to do as long as it can be done someswhat safely.
And for the setting up on ice? WTF? Use your hammer if you don't have a shovel and put some sand under your pads. Same for snow, snow compresses...

Think about it, if the "small bolts" that hold the pump to the chassis were to break, then the truck should fall away and the legs will take care of the the pump and boom. Just a thought

It needs the weight of the truck attached to stabilise, without the truck it will fall over.

NxGenPumper,what I've found works for me in the icy conditions is with the pumps that you are currently running, I used to crib up the outrigger pad so that the rigger foot was articulated, so to try and prevent the foot from sliding. Depending on how big of a pour the job was, I would also block rear tires as well as shoring the front axles if front of truck needed to be lifted higher than what i would feel comfortable with, based on length of pour, ground condition, and temp. change through out the day. Another thing I used to do was nail a 2x4 on outrigger pad in front of rigger foot to help from slippage. I know this practice does not help longevity for outrigger pad, but I would look at it as the lesser of two evils. It never hurts to due a visual on the pump mounting bolts prior to jacking machine for piece of mind, when they brake, depending on how high machine is jacked,and how long your hydraulic hoses are, then there is another, not so good scenario. In regards to pumping at temps of -40? where bouts was that, if you don't mind me asking.

Why do they lift the pump off the ground?I can see lifting the front axle   off the ground to level out or when facing down hill or to lower your hopper.You can put dunage under the tires to stabalize the pump.

NxtGenPumper 

You sound like the oldest 21 year old i have heard of

PERSONALLY, I HAVE BEEN RUNNING A BOOM DAY IN AND DAY OUT FOR ABOUT 8 YEARS, AND TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH I HAVE NEVER ROCKED OFF OF A PAD. THE ONLY TIME I HAVE EVER EVEN SCOOTED ON A PAD WAS WHEN THE MIXER DRIVER BACKED INTO THE PUMP. I BELIEVE OF YOU PROPERLY SET YOUR PUMP UP, THERE ARE NO WORRIES OF ROCKING, SCOOTING OR, FALLING OFF OF YOUR PADS.

CDS,

"You sound like the oldest 21 year old i have heard of"

I laughed my ass off on that comment . LOL

 Well this debate has gone on in this forum for quite awhile and, comes up every once in a while. If you have your outrigger setup fully stable, then lifting the axels off the ground is no problem. This can change though depending on the manufacture of the pump and, the size. As an example I was operating a 42H Putz and, if the rears were off the ground the rearend would sway side to side due to the loading forces of the boom being slewed as, where when I had to do the same with a Schwing and, did not have the same problem. I believe that is due to the fact the Schwing roll and, folds were beefier than the Putz outriggers.

 Here in N.Az the majority of my pours do not allow me to keep my wheels fully on the ground. In which case this is where experience counts and, adusting how you operate your equipment to compensate for it. Pump slower when stretched out and, faster when you are moved in far enough. My cutomers trust me enough to live with the pour going slightly slower. The big thing as always is having the footing level and shored up for the given soil you are set on. If you just throw pads on soft soil you will have problems reguardless of wether the wheels are on the ground or , not.

 For ice I carry a mini-pick and chip it away. Depending on where the setup is and, wether it is level ground of not. Common sense is ofcourse what dictates your actions. If you are on a grade you will naturally get rid of the ice and, level out the area if, it is relatively flat then it isnt a problem.

YOU JUST NEED TO DOWNSHIFT A LITTLE BIT AND CHILL MAN. TAKE IT EASY. IM ONLY 27, BUT I DO REMEMBER I WAS JUST AS COCKY AS YOU WHEN I WAS 21, WE'LL MAYBE NOT QUITE AS COCKY, BUT DAMN JUST CHILL OUT. YOU WILL GROW OUT OF IT, SAME AS I DID AND PROBALLY ALL OF US DID. AND WHATS UP WITH THE HIGH SCHOOL DROP OUT THING. YEA, MANY PUMP OPERATORS WERE DROP OUTS, SAME AS I WAS, BUT YOU DONT NEED TO START TALKIN LIKE THAT MAN. CANT WE ALL JUST GET ALONG.

Mike read what you posted.You sound like a know it all.Relax & do what you do.The more you brag the more made up it sounds. When I was 21 I had been all over the world with the Army.Why would you limit yourself   to one thing like pumping?Thought you wanted to do something else after all the problems you had in Canada(accidents) the first time.I was told they let you come back to Canada because  you changed.From your post it does't sound like it.Do yourself a favor & stick close to your dad up there because your know it all attitude is dangerous.

Looks like NxtGenPumper  got upset  and deleted all his content here ?

I was just thinking the same thing.  I was trying to keep the peace, but man i kept wondering for such a young dood this guy sure seems to think he's done it all.  Hell maybe he has for all i know but to come across so cocky and head strong on a forum with so many eperianced people is well.....not smart.  (i'm sure i'll catch hell for this...Oh well) 

No one said nor have I said I know it all. I have done a lot yes. As for that 52m accident... 3 people been in an accident sense I have... Theirs a problem with the rear end and everyone for some reason has a problem driving with that piece of equipment.

A great topic went to heck in a handbasket.

nxtgen- dont worry about previous $hit- it happens to us all somewhere along the line , the main thing is that you learn from it, a great posting and dont be deleting what you post, its your own opinion and good on you.

Nxtgen, being in the same boat your are in I know your situation. I too have a father that has owned his own concrete pumps for over 20 years now. I too started at a young age pumping concrete and was pretty cocky. I am now 23 years old and have been pumping concrete for almost 6 years full time not including all the play time I had growing up. If there is any advice I can give you at all it is to take anything these guys tell you and learn from it. Don't take it as them looking down on you or thinking you are an idiot. I was very cocky when I first started and probably still am to an extent but that gets you nowhere. A lot of the men on this site have been pumping concrete longer than we have been alive and have forgot more about it than we have learned so far. Just sit back and take in anything and everything these experienced operators have to say who knows one day it might come in handy.

In all reality we have it made. We run cadillacs everyday and usually don't have to worry about whether we are going to be wrenching on it at the end of the day just to do it all over again the next. We have a long way to go before we can even begin to compare ourselves to some of these men. Men that started on the elbas, whitemans, hercs and all those other dinosaurs you rarely see anymore. The men that made it work and got the job done knowing that tomorrow was usually gonna be the same hell. You will realize it one day and just kick back and learn anything you can, then maybe one day you too can consider yourself a true operator like those men. I hope to be able to do the same. I get the job done day in and day out but never have to deal with the conditions these men had do just as you don't.

  MANY and FUNNYBOOM, very well said gentalmen.  Cheers!

FunnyBoom 

I couldn't help but notice Baker,wished I could remember those 2 crusty old souls who worked on the new stadium here in Denver.They got a new 45m while here.

Those would most likely have been guys out of the houston yard. I don't know any of those boys.most of the people I know are from Bakers northern operations. Its a huge company!

Thanks FunnyBoom... Ya the pumping industry is a pretty tough industry for us young folks. Glad to see im not the only one faced with the same "learning experiences" everyday... Sucks bc it dont matter how many times you did this and that nor how good you are at doing it, if your under 30 it seems to be not good enough.

It does appear your in the minority of young operators,a rarety.If you can take a moment and reflect on those that couldn't make the grade.Never forget the young operator is the future of tomorrow,way past my time.

Keep in mind you don't have to be told your a star,your contractors are already doing this by operator requests.There are way to many "ricky racers" for one to worry about.These are the new blood I worry about,taking chances that are mind shattering.

Do I worry about what people think of me? Absolutely not!! They sure aren't feeding me,sleeping with me,signing my paychecks.Your actions speak for itself,both on and off the job.

Good Luck

Some good things to meditate on Many...

I meditate with whiskey.......

Since a friend of mine is from Denver and has probaly pumped more concrete than all of us combined.  Many it was most likely Clarence, he has worked for Baker concrete at least 25 years.

I have worked with him on several occasions, and is a first rate, good as it gets guy.

Hopefully this will jog your memory.

Yer right,Clarence is it.Thanks stick,need all the help I can get these daze.