THIS OLD TIPPER was cruising down the Heidelburg road on a quiet weekday evening while its load body silently fell prey to a troublesome PTO and the load body was raised, causing it to catch on an overhead signage gantry. It took emergency services and a cherrypicker to rescue the saucer-eyed driver, reports Netcare 911 spokesman, Nick Doleman. According to Jost SA’s hydraulics expert, Louis Boshoff, the PTO was probably engaged and because the load bin was empty, there was sufficient pressure build-up in the return line of the hydraulic system. Or, a faulty control valve may have been the culprit. Operators using telescopic rams should be aware that hoses need to be of sufficient diameter to handle pressure build-ups, preventing the ram from extending without manual activation of the PTO. Boshoff also warns that only the best quality valves should be used in hydraulic systems. Remember, cheaper is quite often, very costly.