Tow Trucks, Wreckers and Car Hauler Discussion

[HotRodPC]

Sweatin' Bullets right now. Got home from my PD Impound about 12:30am. Just as I walked in the door, got a text from the last company I worked for, that another company down the street from them, just rolled their new Medium Duty Conventional. Other than, Kenny is alive and does not remember anything is all we know so far. I seen Kenny in this truck just before 5p, today, as I pulled out of my Cul De Sac to pick one up, and he was coming up the main street in the center lane, so I pulled out into the slow lane and picked up a little speed and we had a little tiny Medium Duty wrecker race up to about 45mph. Of course I won, and he was also turning left so we both ended up in the left hand turn lane at a long light, so I jumped out and went back and talked to him til the light turned green and then ran and got in my truck and took off. He had someone with him then, so I asked if he still had his passenger and was told Yes and no idea how that dude is at all. Going to be a sleepless night. Apparently the truck it totalled and 2 news stations were on the scene, so it must have been a pretty big wreck for the news to come out. I guess I'll have to be up in 2 hours to watch the 5am Late Breaking News. Really sucks.

 

[bluex]

Sorry to hear about your friend. Hope him an his passenger are ok.

 

[HotRodPC]

Sorry to hear about your friend. Hope him an his passenger are ok.

Good News is, they're going to be fine. A few cuts, lots of bruises a few broken bones but they're going to be fine. Seen pics of the truck. Doesn't even look like it rolled. Makes me wonder if they didn't just flip on it's side. of course that headache support works like a roll bar, but you'd think the rotator/strobe light bar would be broke up pretty bad.

 

[HotRodPC]

This isn't the first truck this guy has knocked the front axle of either BTW. The Black C6500 I used to drive had a New/Used axle under it cuz he wrecked that truck before when he for the same company I used to.

It's kinda funny, so of the Tow Truckies in the city get along and some don't, but when it comes to working like a big accident scence everyone put all the hates alike and take care of biz and save a fight and few dirty words for when its all over and everyone is leaving during the handshake and goodbye sesssion. Lots of hands don't get shook and just dirty looks given. Same goes when one gets hurt. Now that everyone knows he's alive and going to recover, all the mumbiling and **** talking starts, and then of course the **** talking in fun too starts. But now it's everyone is back to work and all returns to normal. Tow Truck world in the community is just one big family really. Got the ones you love and the ones you hate, along with the ones you'll tolerate.

 

[towjoe]

How's come your picking that up to pull axle on out of instead of chaining axle under? I've always jus run chains under the axle to a center point and truck bar or front picked them?

 

[HotRodPC]

I didn't do this recovery. The axle was quite a distance from the truck from what was said. It appears he wheel lifted the axle and chained the chassis.

Edit, And I do mean truck bar/wheel lift. The guy who did the recovery is the only company in Moore who has a heavy. And that heavy is an older than dirt truck. Doesn't get used alot but it does get the job done. He picked up quite a few Semi's in the tornado. There there are only a few Medium Duty Conventionals. Roudy's having one of them...until he wrecked it. So I think that leaves 3 Medium Duty Conventionals in the City between all 6 companies.

 

[towjoe]

sounds like you need buy a medium duty hotrod. everyone in my town has one or 2 of them atleast. we PPI with a 95 international 4700 and it's about perfect for it

 

[HotRodPC]

You're right. I'd love too. Everyone has Medium Duty roll backs sticking out their ass, but very few Medium Duty Conventionals. So When one of the Medium Duty roll backs need towed, then there is not a big selection to choose from and some of the tow companies in Moore are pricks, so then you pay an OKC company that you get along with good with and they'll usually cut you a big break and charge same rate as a car or something of that nature.

 

[towjoe]

I'm down to just one medium duty rollback now. It's just a 5500 chevy duramax with a 21' century steel bed. I've towed it a few times with one of my K30's, but now that I'm working part time for my competion they have the 95 international and it is available any time I need it. There was a 06 chevy 5500 swans ice cream truck in sale today that I wish I had had funds for, I think one of them would make a sweet wrecker. I'd even run it on propane

 

[HotRodPC]

There's a guy here who bought one of the 26ft retired U Hauls and made a rollback out of it. Happens to be a good running truck. I figured it would be all wore out, but it appears U haul may have maintained it pretty good. Ryder is much better at maintaining vehicles then U Haul.

 

[towjoe]

I figured a swan ice cream truck be as good as maintained or better. plus it runs on propane which is a cleaner cheaper fuel. I had a gas company 87 C30 years ago that was on propane I had stretched and put a 17' steel rollback bed on. gas was $3.50 a gallon and propane was $1.25. I got to a point it was hard to get fuel why I replaced it. I wish I had it today tho, I have a propane fueling station at home now

 

[HotRodPC]

Sorry to hear about your friend. Hope him an his passenger are ok.

They're going to be fine. They are still bruised up pretty bad and still whining about the pain they're in, but they are going to be fine and make full recovery.

Appararently what happened, they were doing 65mph on the way back from dropping one off, thankfully nothing on the hook, and I think it was the left wheel he said, lost steering at the knuckle, turned almost 90 degrees sideways at 65 then something broke almost instantly and the tire folded up under the truck and dropped the left side then laid it on it's side. He's thinking he lost the steering arm from the steer box to the steer knuckle that carries the long tie rod to the right wheel. Not sure who that can happen. I could see part of that going over some rough road but going smooth down the freeway at 65, I dunno. And then even if the steering arm dropped out, the left and right wheels should have still been in sink together so both wheels would have had to have turned the same direction together, and that maybe what happened. Regardless of what or how it happened, he lost his steering completely. I prefer to hear the passengers story. This happens to be the 3rd truck this driver has lost the front axle out of and he's done the first 2 going to fast into curves and climbing guardrails and the guardrail rips the axle out.

 

[Lee93]

I know this is a little of topic but figured you guys might have experience with light bars. I bought this same style as originally used for my 93 Indy truck from Craigslist. Guy told me it was on his back up rescue truck. Any one have some Amber lenses and need the red or blue. I also need a controller.

 

[Lee93]

Back to tow trucks here is a photo of what I would like to find. This was taken by a guy that drove one at the 93 500.

 

[HotRodPC]

I know this is a little of topic but figured you guys might have experience with light bars. I bought this same style as originally used for my 93 Indy truck from Craigslist. Guy told me it was on his back up rescue truck. Any one have some Amber lenses and need the red or blue. I also need a controller.

Actually, light bars do fit this topic pretty well. All of our light bars are now are Strobes and/or LED other then the Work Up lights.

They're expensive but AW Direct prolly has the lenses you're looking for.