Snorkel AB38N
Series: Snorkel Boom Lift
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The Snorkel AB38N is an Aerial work platforms from the Snorkel Boom Lift series.
It will not go faster than 4 km/h — a working pace, not a travelling one. Unladen, it tips the scales at 3,850 kg.
Snorkel boom lifts AB, TB, M and SP – from Elwood, Kansas: AB for articulating, TB for telescopic, the number as working height in feet, J for the jib, up to the TB126J, 2.6 to 19 t
Snorkel goes back to the fire service: in 1958 the Pitman company in Kansas built the first articulated-boom firefighting unit, which became known as the 'Snorkel', and from it grew the maker of aerial work platforms that today manufactures in Elwood, Kansas, and Vigo in Spain and has belonged to the Ahern group since 2013. The type logic of the boom lifts: AB stands for Articulating Boom, the articulated telescopic lift that reaches over obstacles, TB for Telescopic Boom, the straight boom with long reach, M for the compact electric articulating lifts for indoor use, SP for the mast lifts; the number gives the working height in feet – AB38 about 38 ft, TB60 60 ft, TB126J 126 ft, i.e. a good 40 m – J marks the jib at the boom end, RT and 4x4 the rough-terrain version with all-wheel drive, E and N electric drive and the narrow layout respectively, W the wide one.
Read on 3 more paragraphs
The register lists 27 versions with service weights from 2,570 to 18,978 kg, lengths from 930 to 8,900 mm and widths from 810 to 2,603 mm – the 810 mm wide M models drive through doors, the TB120 and TB126J are the lifts for shipyards, stadiums and industrial construction.
Boom lifts are the machines for work over obstacles – façades, hall roofs, bridge undersides – where scissor lifts cannot reach; Snorkel serves above all the rental market and is strong in North America and Britain.
On used lifts, operating hours, play in boom and slew-ring bearings, the condition of hydraulic cylinders and hoses, the function of tilt and load sensors and a valid periodic inspection, without which no lift may be operated, are what count.
Sources: Kennwerte der Modelle Snorkel Auslegerbühnen, Snorkel (Hersteller)
Technical data
Dimensions and weights
| Length | 4,040 mmcorrect |
|---|---|
| Width | 1,500 mmcorrect |
| Ground clearance | 150.1 mmcorrect |
| Unladen weight | 3,850 kgcorrect |
| Platform length | 1,200.1 mmcorrect |
| Platform width | 600.2 mmcorrect |
Drivetrain and chassis
| Tyre type | non-markingcorrect |
|---|---|
| Top speed | 4 km/hcorrect |
| Turning radius | 2,400 mmcorrect |
Working data
| Platform capacity | 215 kgcorrect |
|---|
Electrical data
| Battery capacity | 220 Ahcorrect |
|---|---|
| Number of batteries | 8correct |
Other data
| System voltage | 48 Vcorrect |
|---|
Frequently asked questions
How much does the Snorkel AB38N weigh?
The unladen weight is 3,850 kg.
What are the dimensions of the Snorkel AB38N?
4,040 mm × 1,500 mm.
What to check before buying
- Check the hour meter against the service records — a replaced instrument is the most common gap.
- Compare the data plate and chassis number with the papers.
- Check the weights in the papers against the figures here — attachments change them.
- Ask about parts availability for this build year — the running costs hang on it.
A general list for this type of machine — no substitute for an inspection or an appraiser.
We do not sell machines. We ask the dealers who carry this model and come back with price and lead time.
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This page carries 13 individual figures for this model. They come from 1 recorded source; every figure can be traced there. What we cannot document is not here — we leave gaps open rather than estimate them.
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Other models in this series
Sources: [1]
Telescopic platform in 3D section
Turn the model, look inside and click an assembly — each one is explained.