ESC

It always gets interesting with the police towing.  Everyone always thinks we are too expensive and making a billion dollars off of their junk.  We have a Chevy Avalanche here in about the same shape as what you have.... same deal, tow into the police garage for a search, then towed to our lot when they were done.  Owner in jail on multiple drug charges, truck is junk with no insurance.    Just towed another in today.... and Old F700 thats seen better days... not on Police hold for a DOT inspection later today..... its clearly going to fail in a lot of ways and odds are good it will be a scrapper in the end.

Sometime chaining the axle up tight while its on the ground before you pic will give you a couple extra inches as well.

1 minute ago, GRUMPS The Towman said:

I always felt that it was an unwritten rule or a "code of conduct" if you will That we tow operators do not record or post pics / videos of recoveries involving a fatality.. 

Anyone else feel this way? Am I right or wrong??

I usually take pictures, usually minimal, and nothing that would show any bodies, etc.  But they are kept for internal use, and sometimes for billing purposes, etc.

 

Recently we have had someone complain that we posted a picture of their crash on our facebook page.  There was nothing graphic posted at all, at it was NOT a fatality.   They politely asked that we remove the picture, so I did. 

It blows my mind that the fees are so low, most of those rates would have to be at about double to make things work in our area.

How did the load handle going down the road?  I did it years back with one of our Chevy 6500 beds towing an accord that was stuck in park with no keys.... The truck didnt like it one bit and felt all over the road.  I never did it again.  Our newer trucks are built much better, so im sure it wouldnt be as bad, just not something I want to do if I can avoid it.

On 9/29/2021 at 8:15 PM, Stubborn66 said:

The one I am having an issue with is still here.  The comical part of this is I went to High School with the guy who wrecked it.  I know where he lives,, have called his house and they told me he no longer lives there...........but that is the address on the registration card in the truck.  I am waiting until I run in to him, it is a small community, eventually I will see him.

 

In the future, if I call the State Police to get a car abandoned, will they call a salvor that I recommend?  I know a few of the junk yard guys around here who would work with me on those scenarios if the police will allow it.  

 PSP in our area has a rotation... so it should go to the next up on rotation for abandon vehicles..... however they cant seem to keep track of the so called rotation on a good day... so anything is possible.

Pretty sure we have all made that bad judgment call before.... I know I had to call dad to get me out before.  Now I have learned from it, and I charge accordingly if I have to get muddy.

I have had multiple stolen vehicle and fatal investigation tows for state and local police.  Personally, I prefer to use wheel lift and dollies as I don't need to touch anything.  In the past, I have had investigators insist on a flatbed, but normally it is due to them being uneducated on the way a wheel lift and dollies work.  But, ultimately, the choice is theirs.  Now many of our locals have no issue with wheel lift and dollies used as its usually a much better option.  How many times have we all been asked to back a car into a tight police garage with no access for a flatbed, cars stuck in park with no keys and not being allowed to shift into neutral or move the steering.  I saw the video of the Mustang being towed with a police escort and I think it was done in the same manor that I would go about it too.

His process wasn't terrible.... but he left some room for improvement.   If i did it his way, he could at least have a safety vest or some sort of reflective uniform on.  I also don't like to leave the car down low and bend down to strap it.... I pick it up higher so i can have more viability of oncoming traffic as well as be in a position to run out of harms way quick.  Taking all that time to strap both sides on a busy highway at night isn't for me.

 

 

If it was me running my MPL40, typically I would have been putting my wheel lift down a heck of a lot faster in a more fluid motion as i was pulling in and backing up quick.  I would have scooped it up without leaving the cab and slowly headed off the next exit ramp where I would have installed straps and Towmate light bar.  I would take the risk to get off the highway with no straps on a front wheel drive car. 

17 hours ago, Andy said:

I have found and ordered a new wrecker. Its like the song you cant always get what you want but I did get what I needed. And its enough of what I wanted to be ok all the way around. 

 

Its a 2021 XLT F550 extended cab with and MPL40 twin line Jerr Dan wrecker no tunnel box.  In reality I would have changed two things if it was possible. I would have liked a Lariet but thats superficial and the chevron wrecker body. 

 

It will be done by the end of Sept I imagine and in reality I was hoping for delivery by the end of October so I’m pretty sure its in time. Weather here is a little odd some falls. We might not see snow till January so who knows. 

 

Its of coarse about as far away as one might imagine. I’m trying to find a wrecker training class between there and here in the time frame and maybe I can hit that on my way home and look like a fool driving up in my new wrecker. But I will get over it. I dont know if I mentioned this but I havent even sat in a wrecker since the mid 80s let alone operated one. But I’m a quick study and there ain’t no turning back now. Its funny my wifes more excited about it than me however all she does is make sure I get paid for my work hell shes even making my son do that. I guess I’d be happy to if she landed a new job with the potential for more money and all I had to do was spend it. 

 

Maybe I will be more excited about it when I sit in it:) I do know that i was unsure about buying the roll back in 2015 but it has turned out to have worth while. In the beginning it helped me enough in just keeping cars moving between the two shops enough that I didnt even really need to see a profit from customer and insurance tows. Now that ive backed out of running the shops the towing is something I like to do and it is also something I hope to be able to do much longer than physically working the shops and for sure its less stress than running two of them. 

 

Thanks for your help Andy 

 

 

I'm glad you made the jump!  You will be happy.  I can't say I am a Ford fan, mainly because of the way the local dealers have done us wrong in the past.  But, That extended cab really will be nice.  It will also be a good wheel base as a happy medium.... you can still get around tight areas ok, and still haul some weight.... not that you'll ever over load it i am sure.   I really wouldnt want to be without my tunnel box, and would love it if Dodge would add an extended cab on my next one.

 

Add some heavier springs on the rear and it will be perfect.  Dont forget all of the added attachments they offer for the MPL40.  They can set it up with an ice spade that can go on the boom.  And we have the gooseneck, motorcycle and standard trailer adapters on ours as well.

 

I just ran 145 miles to NY for this Diesel F350 crew cab work truck last week...... never would have wanted to do that trip with a shorter wheel base.

I run a 2015 Dodge 5000 standard cab 4x4 84" CA with a tunnel tool box.  The long wheel base is a must.  I also have two leafs added to the rear springs.   It has an MPL40 on the back.   Its about as perfect of an all around truck as I can get.  I have the sling, which is a pain and in the way of your view, but when you need it, you really need it, so I wouldnt be caught without it.   I hate Ford... sorry guys... but I really wish Dodge would do like Ford and I would go with an extended cab with the 84" CA... I dont want 4 door.... just a little more wheelbase would be nice at times..... although I would just be overloading it anyway... so its prolly best I dont have it.   Check out the Renegade that Eds built... its about as perfect of an all around truck that I could think of too.  Here is a picture of my 2011 Dodge 5500 towing a 3500 Dodge.  Both our 2011 and 2015 are still in service.  My 2015 is the same spec.

23 hours ago, Mike Penn said:

We have been unsuccessfully trying to get some issues resolved with Agero/Swoop. As an industry, do we need to say NO TO AGERO/SWOOP for a week to bring attention to our problems? 4th of July week would be a good time. What are your thoughts? 

 

HappyHaulin....................DragNTow

 

Why just a weeklong???   haha  I blocked Agero and most other clubs from my cell, so when calls are forwarded to me, my phone doesnt even ring and bother me.    When I do take a club call, its a $375.00 min, credit card up front with a $375 GOA rate.   Eliminates alot of hassles.

Always trust your gut!  Good call!

Here is a link to some more good Tesla info:

 

Tesla Emergency Responder Info

 

Their 24 Hour emergency helpline is 510-249-4082

We have had a rash of the same.... junkers with no insurance or liability only... then the owners come in acting like we are the bad guy when we tell them they are responsible for covering the bill.  People blow my mind.  Luckily we had two nice full covered jobs last night.... makes it all not seem so bad.

1 hour ago, MA Rob said:

Don't block their number, request a credit card up front at your retail rates. Run the credit card before sending a truck.

 

Rob

I was doing a ton of that for a while... and even at a $375 minimum for them.... it got so old dealing with their hassles and headaches.  The more we did on credit card, the worse it got.   We got all the problem calls that their cheap guy screwed up.

I am about 2 hours or so south... check with @EdsTowing  He has helped me up that way with customers in the past.

lucky your HD dealer lets you tow in that way . the one dealer near me are A$$HOLES and require all bikes towed in to be in a enclosed trailer so people dont see them showing up .
 
there such a-holes they have refused tows for this fact .
 
yep karma can bite you some times . but glad you got a saving grace tow close .

Hmmmm. That would be fine by me. Another tow to my shop, indoor storage, then come pick it up from me in your enclosed trailer is what I would tell them. It sure would make a lot of customers unhappy with Harley.

We were lucky I guess. Had a harley dealer across the street. They got tired of dealing with picking up customer bikes in their trailer and referred all their customers to us for towing. Funny how guys have a $30,000 bike and get angry that we charge $125 hookup fee for a bike.


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Pretty sure we have all been there a time or two.  Years back I took a car to NY and brought the keys home with me!!... I wasnt driving back.  Had to call and apologize like crazy.  Paid to overnight the keys to the dealer.  I felt bad, but it was an easy mistake.   And over the years too many have locked keys in due to alarms or whatever that I usually take the key out, or at least roll the window down. 

Here is one I did a few years ago where I left the sling folded up.  Had to go about 150 miles with this one.  It was a recovered theft that was involved in a police chase.  We ended up delivering it to Chambersburg.  This was also before we upgraded rear springs so the rear end of my truck was sagging bad.

Looks good!  Nice to see the sling used.

 

I have one on my MPL40 as well, but only used it a handful of times, but it sure comes in handy when i need it.  It is a bit hard to see, but Id be a little cautious about that "step" that you are against, but as long as its solid, you are good.  I too would pull the arms all the way in.  And in many cases, I leave the wheel lift folded down when possible, as it is a real pain to manhandle that sling around everything.   But there is plenty of room to suck those arms in and it would ride even better.    My truck has a longer wheel base with the tunnel box, and an added 4,000 lbs capacity springs in the rear, so it will handle the heavy loads well.

6 minutes ago, someotherplace said:

 

Nice.  Haven't seen one in that color before!  Only black (dark gray?), and white.  I loaded a white one a couple weeks ago, but since it was parked head-in, I loaded from the rear and dollied the front.  A little trickier since if the tire sits too low in the bars, the rearmost bar will contact the rockers when you pop up the dollies.  I extended the boom a couple inches to roll the tires up onto my skates so I could pinch the bars a little closer to each other; no biggie.  Same (in reverse) to unload at the lot.

 

Richard

 

 

 

 

Perfect!!   Thats a great way to do it!

 

I only know a bit about the one we towed, but apparently it was purchased after an accident and the buyer had it fixed and painted this color.  After the repairs it still needed to go to the dealer for electrical issue and programming, so thats where we came in.  For whatever reason, whoever the body shop normally used was afraid to touch it.  Worked out well for us, as the body shop didnt flinch when I gave them a price.

5 hours ago, Steve W said:

Are the rear wheels strapped somehow in the dollies??  Do you do that or just let them sit in the dollies without straps?

The straps aren't on in the picture, but we do use a 1" motorcycle strap to secure the dollies.

Just after 5pm we were called to Route 100 north of Route 113 for two vehicles after an accident with one overturned. Chris cleared the SUV out of the roadway to open things up for traffic, while Bill and Paul Jr uprighted the overturned vehicle and cleaned up the mess in the hotel entrance.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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A few weeks ago just after 9 am we were called to Route 113 and Gordon Drive for a pickup truck and trailer that was disabled, blocking the roadway. We arrived to find a Dodge Diesel pickup pulling a loaded 1,000 gal tank on a trailer. With a police escort, Paul Jr was able to tow the combination back to our storage yard. The trailer was loaded with 1,000 gallons of milk. Our speed was kept around 35 mph on the ride back, and we took advantage of our engine brake and tow mode in our Dodge 5500 MPL40. Luckily we have a tunnel box for some added wheel base and heavier rear springs that made the load manageable.

 

The customer was able to replace a broken fuel line and get back on the road later in the day.

 

 

 

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