MID-MOUNT vs. REAR MOUNT

[Chemrad]

I would like to find out your thoughts for Mid-Mount tower aerials vs. Rear-Mount tower aerials, the pro's and con's of each and if your department has switched to or from and your reasoning behind it.

[11927]

Mid Mounts have a lower travel height than a rearmount, however, the rear mounts are usually shorter.

[Squad 18]

This should be a good discussion!

You need to look at the district you have to see what access you have to operate in. Mid-Mounts can pull right in and operate off the front, but you loose low level operation off the front. You also loose a lot of compartment space, but your overall height in lower. Midmounts should have a better ride since the weight is pretty much centered over the rear axles instead of being hung over the front of the cab.

Rear-mounts give you more compartment space, but you loose a lot of reach off the front, so you almost have to back in to optimize your reach. You also have to worry about front and rear overhang, even though the rear overhang is not as much as the mid-mount.

My department stays with the rear-mount platform, mainly because of compartment space.

I'm sure people can think of more pros and cons. Personally, I prefer those Aerialscopes, but you know what they say about opinions.