Continuing to offer industry-leading versatility in the self-propelled large articulated boom market — 120 ft (36.6 m) to 135 ft (41 m), the Genie ZX-135/70 articulating boom has been updated to offer customers the latest advancements in engineering design and technology. This new generation of the Genie ZX-135/70 includes the new Genie mini XChassis axle design, a platform load sensing system and a simple 2-point calibration process to set up the primary boom, secondary boom and jib bell crank in as little as 15 minutes.
Designed with transportability in mind, the Genie ZX-135/70 boom now features the new Genie mini XChassis axle design, which extends and retracts the axles to and from the stowed position with a more compact footprint — 8 ft 2 in (2.49 m) x 13 ft 6 in (4.11 m) retracted or 12 ft 11 in (3.94 m) x 13 ft 6 in (4.11 m) extended — to provide both stability on the job and a narrow profile for transport. Similar in design to full-size X-Chassis expanding axle on the previous generations of this machine, the mini XChassis system boasts two-thirds the footprint of the full-size version for excellent maneuverability on and around confined jobsites without distributing people or traffic.
This boom has also been engineered to meet the overload restriction guidelines in the proposed ANSI A92 and CSA B354 industry standards in North America, as well as the current European EN280 and Australian AS 1418.10 standards. To comply, all new Genie ZX-135/70 booms come standard with new low-maintenance load sense cell technology — which monitors the weight in the platform and disables drive, steer and certain boom functions if the load exceeds the platform load limit.
And, the updated Genie ZX-135/70 can be customized to meet customers’ jobsite needs with one of three hydraulically driven generator options: A 12 kW welder-ready package, 7.5 kW welder-ready package or 3 kW AC generator for general needs. In addition, the Genie ZX-135/70 boom is updated to reflect the latest Genie design language of an all-black chassis and an updated blue and gray color scheme.
Replacing the previous generation’s 6-point process, the 4.11 software on these newly redesigned Genie ZX-135/70 envelope-controlled machines now only need two calibration points: 1) When the boom is lowered to the stowed position, and 2) when the boom is fully raised, without the use of an inclinometer. Calibrations can now be done in as little as 15 minutes, saving customers up to an hour or more of set-up time each time they are ready to use this articulating boom.
Here’s an example of how it’s done: With the secondary boom fully lowered to the stowed position, the operator will input “secondary boom fully lowered” into the software. Then, the operator will fully raise the secondary boom until it stops at the end of the cylinder stroke, at approximately 76°, and input into the software “secondary boom fully raised.” Pressing and holding the engine start button for approximately five seconds will shut off the engine and save the calibration settings.
To achieve a 2-point calibration process, the 4.11 software works with the boom’s angle sensors to ensure that the boom is fully elevated. The machine’s angle sensors provide input to the control system, and the control system determines the appropriate boom angle for safe operation.
Leading the large articulated boom market, the Genie ZX-135/70 lift still features a maximum platform height of 135 ft (41 m), 69 ft. 9 in (21.3 m) of horizontal outreach and a 75 ft (23.0 m) of up-and-over clearance — all accessible with a 600-lb (272 kg) platform capacity. The Telescoping Jib-Extend jib on this boom continues to be distinctive, providing exceptional access by extending from a retracted length of 12 ft (3.7 m) to an extended length of 20 ft (6.1 m). This design includes 360˚ continuous rotation turntable, 160˚ platform rotation for fast, easy positioning and 110˚ vertical range of motion. This design still provides access to “up, over, and in” applications inaccessible by a traditional jib.
The updated Genie ZX-135/70 boom is engineered with four-wheel drive with full-time positive traction to handle rough ground conditions to enhance the smoothness of the ride. Four-wheel steer with front-wheel, rear-wheel, crab- and coordinated- steer options available to provide additional maneuverability.
This unit’s intuitive control system provides menu-based adjustments for machine and component calibration, as well as on-screen multi-language system diagnostics. Platform controls feature toggle switches and a tactile membrane surface, as well as proportional Hall-effect joysticks for all major functions. Operators will find the control layouts on this model to be consistent and intuitive, making operation of the boom easy and straightforward.
