Outrigger Switches for Utility Trucks and Boom Loaders

Outrigger supports are a critical part of the safety proposition on all kinds of commercial vehicles. A short list of trucks and vehicles that employ outriggers includes:
  • Bucket Loader trucks that carry servicemen to the top of the telephone pole with an extensible boom.
  • Backhoe/Loaders that must deploy the outriggers for stability during digging operations.
  • Fire Engines deploy outriggers to stabilize the truck when ladders are deployed.
  • Cranes deploy outriggers for platform stabilization during loading operations.
  • All kinds of construction vehicles like diggers, hoe’s, and mining shovels

In all these applications, the usage proposition is similar: Put the outrigger down before you deploy the bucket/ crane/ backhoe/ ladder, or you will almost certainly tip over. To make sure of this, you need a reliable, robust, waterproof safety limit switch.

One Customer’s Story – Versalift Outrigger Switch Solution


Last year we spoke with Versalift East (http://versalifteast.com ) who is the largest east coast distributor for Versalift Utility trucks, in particular their bucket loader trucks. Versalift East provides the trucks primarily to utility company’s and acts as an integrator of the various major parts of the final vehicle. For instance after installing the Boom / Bucket kits on the trucks, Versalift East then personalizes each truck for the specific customer with such things as paint schemes, logos, and any specialized equipment that the customer may require for their fleet.

The Boom /Bucket kits are supplied with outriggers to fit to the trucks as well as outrigger safety limit switches. The original switches used in these kits were not made by CPI and Versalift East had excessive warranty replacement issues on the non-cpi switches mainly due to weather resistance as well as physical damage to the switches during operation. This is because they were forced to mount the stock outrigger limit switches in a vulnerable area that is exposed to the elements because of their fairly large size. Additionally, the stock outrigger switches were overly labor intensive for Versalift East to install. They also were not robust in typical utility truck usage scenarios


CPI’s Solution to the Outrigger Switch Challenge


Versalift East approached CPI to see what alternatives we could offer them. Versalift East settled on CPI's E1127 for some applications and E1092 for others. The CPI switches have a number of characteristics that made them perfect for this application.
  1. CPI switches were small enough to be mounted inside the outrigger tube there by protecting them from outside damage.
  2. CPI switches are truly waterproof thereby protecting the switch from a harsh and potentially wet outdoor environment.
  3. CPI switches are pre-wired and available with a waterproof connector thereby greatly reducing assembly time and failure modes and further increasing durability.

Can CPI solve Your Outrigger switch problem?


In addition to these qualities, CPI limit switches present one of the most robust switch designs in the world, surviving repeated operation in harsh conditions and over a very wide temperature range, with models available that are guaranteed to operate down to -40F without freezing up.


Flexible stock mounting brackets and compact size complete the value proposition.

Can we solve your outrigger switch problem?

We’re pretty darn sure we can. Call us today, lets talk. For more information, visit www.cpi-nj.com.




This content was originally posted at https://www.cpi-nj.com/blog/outrigger-switches-for-utility-trucks-and-boom-loaders/

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