While avoiding obstacles on the jobsite should always be in the forefront of an operator’s mind, the task gets trickier as the jobsite gets smaller. With maneuverability around structures such as parking garages and multi-story construction in mind, JLG has introduced the G5-18A compact telehandler, a machine that offers a 5,500-pound lifting capacity with a 126-inch turning radius, 18 feet of maximum lift height and an 1,850-pound capacity at a 10-foot, 10-inch extended reach. Weighing less than 11,000 pounds, the telehandler can be lifted by crane to reach upper level floors.
The compact telehandler market is one of the fastest growing segments in construction, says Brian Boeckman, product parent, JLG. He says the G5-18A begins to approach the price point of the largest skid steers, making the compact telehandler, at 146 inches long by 71 inches wide by 75.6 inches high, an attractive alternative for individuals seeking greater reach capability, not more maneuverability. The telehandler’s ability to perform ground engaging work increases the machine’s usefulness. “Skid steers are not designed for excessive force,” Boeckman says. “You can use a JLG coupler with the G5-18A and do a lot more bucket work.”
The telehandler has a two-piece boom with reinforcement that transfers force back to the boom. For non-ground engaging work, Boeckman says a universal coupler performs well. “The universal coupler found on skid steers was not designed to handle the forces imposed on it by telehandler bucket work,” he says. “Therefore JLG recommends the universal coupler option only in applications that do not include a great deal of bucket work.” Available attachments for the G5-18A include a general purpose bucket, grapple bucket, light material bucket, lifting hook and forks.
Boeckman says the compact telehandler has features addressing both comfort and performance. “We wanted to give the operator a little more than he’s expecting,” he says. Those features include an ergonomic cab, easy accessibility to fluids and electrical systems and simple controls designed for veteran and novice operators alike. The G5-18A also has a Tier 3, 84-horsepower Perkins engine, a Rexroth hydrostatic transmission and operator-selectable four-wheel circle, four-wheel crab and two-wheel front steering.
