If you’re a roofer (or any contractor) who just bought a 10-year-old 660SJ at auction, this four-part series will walk you through everything you need to get it safe, legal, and ready for the jobsite. In Part 1 we cover the initial purchase and the big-ticket inspections and parts you’ll need right away.
You’re walking the equipment auction and you score a 10-year-old 60-foot boom lift (660SJ model) with 4,121 hours on the clock. That’s right around the average for machines this age, making it a realistic and common purchase. But before your crew is 60 feet in the air hanging off a roof, this Aerial Work Platform (AWP) still needs to be brought up to current safety standards.
On any 10-year-old unit like the 660SJ, two items almost always need prompt replacement: the boom extend/retract cables (wire rope) and the wear pads. Most manufacturers recommend replacing the cables at 12 years or 7,000 hours. At 10 years old, it’s best practice to renew both — even at average hours — to keep the boom operating smoothly and safely.
The standard AWP inspection checklists cover decals, structural welds, controls, brakes, and hydraulic cylinders. You’ll also run a full cylinder drift test as part of the annual inspection.
Cost Assumptions (OEM Parts from gciron.com)
-
Labor: $75/hr fully loaded
→ Quarterly inspection ≈ 4 hours = $300
→ Annual inspection ≈ 12 hours = $900 - Quarterly materials (grease/lube + top-offs): $130
- Annual materials (filters, oil, grease, fluid top-off): $450
- Full hydraulic fluid change (approx. 34 gal system): $950 every 2 years
-
One-time 10-year catch-up items (OEM from gciron.com):
- Wear Pad Kit (Part #1001238897): $1,450 → Buy the OEM Wear Pad Kit for 660SJ here
- Wire Rope / Cable Kit (Part #2910172): $1,827 → Buy the OEM Wire Rope Service Kit for 660SJ here
- Labor to install both kits: ≈ 18 hours = $1,350
Immediate Post-Purchase Costs + First-Year Ownership
| Time Period (from purchase) | Inspections & Work Completed | Labor Only | Materials Only | Total Estimated Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First 30 days | Full Annual + hyd fluid change + wire rope kit + wear pad kit + cylinder drift test | $2,250 | $450 + $950 + $1,450 + $1,827 | $6,927 |
| First 6 months | 1 additional Quarterly | $300 | $130 | $430 |
| First 12 months | 2 Quarterly + 1 Annual | $1,500 | $710 | $2,210 |
| Year 2 | 4 Quarterly + 1 Annual + hyd fluid change | $2,100 | $1,470 + $950 | $4,520 |
| Year 3 | 4 Quarterly + 1 Annual | $2,100 | $1,470 | $3,570 |
| Year 5 total (cumulative) | Multiple Quarterly + Annuals + 2 hyd fluid changes + initial kits | $11,850 | $4,380 + 2×$950 + $3,277 (kits) | $21,457 |
Bottom Line for Roofers
Plan on investing roughly $6,900–$7,200 in the first 30 days to make your auction 660SJ safe, legal, and ready for the jobsite. After that initial catch-up, expect $3,500–$4,500 per year for routine inspections and consumables.
While it adds to the upfront cost, a properly maintained AWP boom lift on your own truck is almost always cheaper than renting one for every roofing job.
Next week in Part 2: We’ll cover the cylinder drift test in detail — why it matters on a 10-year-old machine and exactly how to check it.
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