A tow behind boom is a trailer mounted articulating lift that sets down on four outriggers and reaches up and over obstacles. Day rates commonly land between $200 and $400 for platform heights of 34 to 50 feet. It is the cheapest way to reach height on a site with no room for a self propelled machine, provided you can tow it and level it.
Reach up, over, and the space the outriggers want
The value of a towable boom is horizontal outreach: getting a platform over a hedge, a conservatory roof or a parked line of cars from a standing position. What people forget is the footprint the legs need to be safe, which is wider than the trailer and must be on firm, level ground. Measure the setup area, not just the target.
What the tow vehicle has to be rated for
These units are heavier than they look once the boom and counterweight are counted. The truck, the hitch, the ball rating and the brakes all have to carry the loaded weight, and many need a braked connection. Ask the yard for the gross weight and coupling type before you assume your truck will do it, or take delivery instead.
Set it level or it will not lift
Every towable boom has an interlock that refuses to raise the boom until the outriggers are down and the machine is level within tolerance. On soft ground you will be adding pads under the feet, and on a slope you may be repositioning entirely. Bring pads, and treat a refusal to raise as the machine doing its job.
Harness and lanyard in the basket, every time
OSHA treats these as aerial lifts, and the rules for boom supported platforms require fall protection attached to the anchor inside the basket, not to the structure you are working on. The yard hires harnesses and lanyards beside the machine. Anyone in the platform wears one, including on a residential job that only takes ten minutes.
Questions people ask about tow behind boom lift
What can I reach with a towable boom lift?
Rental fleets commonly hold units with platform heights around 34, 40 and 50 feet, giving working heights roughly six feet above that. Horizontal outreach is usually about half the height, less at full lift. Give the yard the height and the obstacle you are reaching over, and they will match a model.
Do I need a licence to use one?
There is no consumer licence, but a workplace operator has to be trained and authorised by their employer, and the yard gives a familiarisation on that specific machine at handover. A homeowner working on their own property should read the manual in the basket and stay off it in wind.
Can it be towed with a normal ball hitch?
Some smaller units tow on a standard ball; larger ones use a pintle or lunette eye and may need a braked connection. It depends entirely on the model, so confirm the coupling and the weight when you reserve. Getting this wrong at the counter costs you the day.