Enlarge Image Image 1. JLG 2632E Slim scissor lift.

Subject: JLG Model 2632 E2 electric scissor lift, manufactured by JLG Industries, McConnellsburg, Pa.

Serial number: 0200107802

Date in service: July 2002

Hours in service: 173

Equipment owner: With more than 1,200 units in its fleet, Midwest Aerial is one of the largest independent lift rental operations in the Midwest. With headquarters in St. Louis, it has branches in both Kansas City and Springfield, Mo., and owns hundreds of the JLG E-2 series. Other types of machines include: Genie, MEC, Custom, and Snorkel scissors; JLG, Genie, and Snorkel booms; and Skytrak, Lull, Gradall, and Terex/Genie telehandlers. This particular test unit has seen primarily drywall and electrical construction applications.

Service location: Missouri

Date of review: 4/12/06

 

April 19, 2006 • JLG developed the 26-foot platform height narrow scissor lift to allow the maximum amount of working height while still allowing access through a standard 3-foot door opening. First came the E2 Series, introduced at ARA in 1998. Then the line was replaced by the ProFit™ series 2630ES in 2003. I recently put one of the company's JLG 2632E Slim scissor lifts (Image 1) to the test in the Midwest.

 

Overall appearance

Don't let the low number of hours on the meter fool you. As with any electric scissor lift you can multiply the number of hours on the meter by something close to 10 to get a comparative number to that of an IC powered machine. This unit has been utilized a lot during its four years on the job. Considering the demanding Missouri weather and humidity, I have to say that this unit has stood up to the elements quite well. The straightness of the guardrails says a lot about a machine. If the rails look straight, then the unit looks better maintained.

 

Enlarge Image Image 2. The robust guardrail system is a real plus.

This unit is fitted with a slide-out deck system. The top part for the rail extension is comprised of an inverted U-shaped steel channel. This rides along the top rail and bridges the area between the main deck when it is fully rolled out. In Image 2,

Enlarge Image Image 3. Hose and cable routing is excellent.

you can see that the strength of this channel and its location have eliminated any sagging or drooping. I was also very impressed with the way the routing of the hoses and control cables has performed. JLG has taken great care to keep all hoses and cables secure in the scissor stack. Image 3 shows just one example of the overall attention that was paid to this often overlooked design feature. Here you see that everything is nicely bundled up inside the scissor stack.

 

Service and maintenance issues

Enlarge Image Image 4. Watch for loose cord plugs.

JLG uses swing-out component trays. In one tray, you'll find four deep cycle 6V batteries and the battery charger. Take a look at Image 4, and you can see that it is not hard wired. For easy installation and removal, it is fitted with a charger cord that has a plug socket on the charger. This plug can back out of its position, and its location in 

Enlarge Image Image 5. Exposed diode connections can fail due to rust.

the swing-out tray shields it from view by the operator, which means it can easily be overlooked. If you own one of these machines, always check to see that this plug is pushed all the way back into the socket to avoid charging problems.

 

On the opposite side you will find the unit's main circuit board. Please note in Image 5 that there are a set of diodes. According to Will George, Midwest's KC branch service manager, these diodes are exposed and are susceptible to rust and failure at their connection points.

Enlarge Image 6 Image 6. High-speed cutout in wrong position. Enlarge Image 7 Image 7. High-speed cutout in correct position.

Although minor, Midwest has also experienced some problems with the high-speed cut-out switch, located in the scissor stack. It rides on a cam and as the scissor stack raises it cuts out high-speed drive at a prescribed level. If you refer to Images 6 and 7, you will see that this limit switch can pivot out of position. This is due to the fact that the two screws that hold it in place are both slotted. It is almost impossible to torque these enough to prevent their movement without cracking them. It really isn't a big deal though as it just lowers the cut-out height by a foot or so.

 

My impressions

Latch releases for swing-out component boxes are tucked under the side of the chassis, providing excellent protection. I found them to be easy to release. Additionally, the hinges that support these very heavy boxes remain strong and secure. The solid-steel deck diamond plate deck is in good condition and should hold up well for many more years. The deck rides on internal (Image 7) and external rollers as well. Deploying the deck extension was a smooth operation. This is very good considering the amount of drywall dust and humidity this unit has been exposed to.

 

Enlarge Image Image 8. Deck extension rollers have performed superbly.

Spring-loaded pins used for keeping telescopic end rails  in place were stiff, which I think had more to do with lack of use than anything else. Once released, they worked just fine and as intended. The telescopic rails are used for loading 4-foot-wide material. As mentioned earlier, the guardrail system has performed exceptionally well.

 

Enlarge Image Image 9. Upper control box has been pretty much bulletproof.

As shown in Image 8, there are a pair bars fitted on the control box (Image 9) to protect the joystick and controls from large items that inevitably get dropped on them. These have worked well as service records indicate there have been no repair or replacement work orders logged on these. As you can see, they have done their job. All controls were still very legible, and operation was as easy and precise as when the machine was new.

 

Owner's impressions

Service records indicate that this has been a very dependable machine. Only one breakdown service call that was noted had to do with the battery charger cord coming lose. Midwest's diligent service department has caught all other minor problems mentioned during normal service inspections. One call in nearly four years of service is incredible! That is a tribute to not only the machine but also to Midwest's service staff. It goes without saying that Midwest has been very pleased with the return on investment this product has delivered across the board. How could they not?