Boom Lift Major Inspection
A boom lift lives or dies by its boom. On a telescopic unit the fly sections slide inside one another on wear pads that carry enormous bending loads; on a knuckle boom the articulation points take repeated, high-stress cycles every time the operator repositions the platform. Ten years of that duty is exactly why the major inspection exists, and this page is where you book yours.
A boom lift major inspection is not a walk-around. The telescope is extended and the sections inspected for scoring and distortion, the wear pads are assessed and measured, and every articulation knuckle, pivot pin and slew connection is examined for wear and fatigue. The point is to prove the load path is sound before the machine goes back to lifting people.
Built For
- Owners of telescopic and articulating knuckle boom lifts
- Hire companies extending the working life of boom fleets
- Construction, mining and infrastructure operators
- Asset managers budgeting downtime for ageing booms
- Contractors deciding whether to recertify or replace
Equipment & Coverage
- Telescopic (straight) boom lifts
- Articulating knuckle boom lifts
- Diesel and electric self-propelled booms
- Booms with fly jibs and rotating platforms
- All-terrain and 4WD boom lifts
The Process
Extend & assess the boom
The telescope is run out so each section can be inspected for scoring, distortion and corrosion, and the wear pads are assessed for wear that affects section alignment and load transfer.
Strip the pivots & knuckles
Articulation knuckles, pivot pins, bushes and the slew connection are dismantled and examined — these high-cycle joints are where fatigue and wear concentrate on a boom lift.
NDT the load path
Non-destructive testing is applied to safety-critical boom welds, pin bores and the turret structure to confirm integrity that a visual check cannot verify.
Rebuild & recertify
Wear pads, pins and bushes are replaced as needed, hydraulics and controls proven, and the unit load tested and recertified with full documentation.
Compliance & Standards
Boom lifts are designed to AS/NZS 1418.10 and maintained and inspected under AS 2550.10, and the ten-year major inspection is the recognised deep structural assessment for these machines in Australia. It concentrates on the boom's load path — telescope sections, wear pads, articulation knuckles, pins and the slew ring — because that is where a boom lift's fatigue accumulates. Running a boom past its major inspection due date can void compliance and expose the duty holder, so booking ahead of the date is strongly recommended.
Why EWP Australia
- Telescope sections and wear pads assessed and measured, not just glanced at
- Articulation knuckles, pins and slew connection stripped and examined
- NDT on the boom load path where fatigue actually concentrates
- Worn pads, pins and bushes replaced so alignment and load transfer are restored
- Load tested and recertified with documentation ready for audit
Common Questions
Why do boom lift wear pads matter so much in a major inspection?
On a telescopic boom, the wear pads are what the sliding sections ride on, so they control alignment and transfer huge bending loads. Worn or displaced pads let sections move where they should not, accelerating structural wear. Assessing and replacing them is a core part of a boom lift major inspection that a routine service rarely covers in depth.
What is checked on an articulating knuckle boom specifically?
The articulation knuckles, pivot pins and bushes take high-stress cycles every time the platform is repositioned, so they are dismantled and examined for wear, ovality and fatigue. On a knuckle boom this joint region is the primary focus alongside the slew connection, because that is where movement and stress concentrate.
When is my boom lift due for a major inspection?
At ten years of age, with further major inspections periodically after that under AS 2550.10. It is time-based rather than hours-based, so a lightly used boom is still due once it reaches the ten-year point.
Do you inspect both telescopic and knuckle booms?
Yes. The load path differs — telescopic units emphasise sliding sections and wear pads, knuckle units emphasise articulation joints — so we scope the strip-down to the design in front of us. Both are covered across all makes and models.
What happens if the NDT finds a crack in the boom?
The finding is documented with its location and severity, and we investigate the cause before any repair. Structural boom repairs and re-testing can then be arranged so the machine returns to a certified condition, or we give you an honest view if the damage makes recertification uneconomic.
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