sweetk30

so i have a vintage 1980 k30 4x4 gm truck . the box is showing bad age and the rest is real good yet . i then have a real nice vintage holmes 480 split boom unit with bed and sling . i was thinking make a vintage tow truck from it and swap the rear to a DRW axle i have and the front to some DRW hubs i have . my question is for new york state plates . if i am NOT towing to make money and its just a old tow truck do i need to tow truck specific insurance and plates ? i dont drive far and know lots of the cops from my years when i towed for a job . but i never looked in to the plates and insurance side like this . anyone got good real world feedback for new york state stuff ?

seen those pics and setup but i didn't think it would hold up as long over time as the axle / spindle stubs hanging out in the air . mine i made the whole axle support the weight and design of the unit . but each to there own if it works run it . i also looked a lot for more info on this setup online but kept hitting dead ends and or others asking were to get a setup . the one i based mine off and improved on was from my old boss and he had his a lot longer than that magazine article from 2007 . there can only be so many ideas on how to do a simple job in the world . so we are bound to run in to the same or super close design layout here and there from time to time . thanks for the post up / link to the other setup you guys had made . hope this and mine help some people / operators get the job done faster and safer in the end and make more cash faster and with less hard work .

he just received a TRUSTED TOWERS AWARD DAVE'S towing horseheads , ny he goes above and beyond in helping the fellow man and service providers who keep us all safe . anyone from the little guy to the top pile he helps them any way he can .

O.M.G ......... I HAVE NO WORDS FOR THIS STUPID MOVE . . . .

https://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images;_ylt=AwrE1.DL2eJd2wYATVFXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTE0bWZmNWI0BGNvbG8DYmYxBHBvcwMxBHZ0aWQDQjY4MzNfMQRzZWMDcGl2cw--?p=ramsey+winch&fr2=piv-web&fr=yfp-t#id=3&iurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.northerntool.com%2Fimages%2Fproduct%2F2000x2000%2F144%2F14415_2000x2000.jpg&action=click click this link . look at the right side . next to the drum edge there is a round 25cent size plastic plug on the winch body , notice the silver sticker is cut to go around the plug area also . this needs to be popped out with a small pick or screw driver be easy its plastic . then take a spray can of oil lube NOT just p.b. blaster or wd-40 . spray down in there were the fork moves the lock ring to free wheel the drum on the main shaft . they get dry and full of gunk over time . i use to spray all the winches on the trucks at my old place i worked every few months . the free wheel would not stick or bind up after this lube oil was put on them . this info only is for the ramsey series winches with this plug port . other winches might need other stuff done to them . but were i worked over half the trucks had these winches on them .

my 480 unit is super low hr's so its CLEAN for its age . so if you need pics of what few things make them work just ask .

just went out in the dark and checked my 480 setup and both my links on the winch look ALMOST like yours . . . but mine are both STRAIGHT not bent in a S-shape . got to love some peoples fixes or beat up works of art . hope this hepls you .

a tire cage should be a given item of equipment in a tire shop for these tires . years ago i had a lawn mower tire pop open on me and blew the dust off the shop walls . also old tires always look for weather cracking and dry rot . do not put air in them unless your crazy or life insurance and medical is up to date . guy i use to work with aired up some tires on a old semi trailer that was used for storage use being moved to a new home up the road . good thing it was a inside tire when it blew apart . he did how ever get a messed up hand 25% loss of motion and use and a 30-40% loss of hearing in 1 ear .

blue dawn dish soap and water + good set of bars and you will be faster and money ahead . i did tires for years and when it was med or heavy stuff i skipped the machine and was done in no time . now they have special bar heads that make it even faster . air out / pop bead / jamb unit in / flop 1 time / reset to next bead / flop 2nd time and tire is off . the place i worked did TONS of big truck tires out of many shops in the famialy of shops and even had rim refurb and full tire re-cap or ring tread service and they just used bar's . no machines i ever saw . even the 1 guy in his mid 70's would kick our yung kids butt's by hand .

its not that . i am not use to the hosing site stuff is all then dig threw and find them from there and then link them over . this forums layout and design is WAY different from the stuff i have been use to for years is all . no fellings hurt here . i can type some stories out like nothing but the more tech it gets the more i get lost . hell i am pi$$ed that windows 7 is going bye bye the end of the year . . . . i tried win 10 and hated it . i have a tablet for the efi system on my truck to tune it but i barley get good at it with that .

i have some of both old and new . but i am not use to this forums ways of loading pics much so its hard for me . the few i have posted here for other stuff have taken me some time to figure it all out .

upstate new york . she was a animal for sure . she had to be put to pasture cause the cab was paper thin . the 4x4 guts went under a 1982 with a twin line hydro holmes unit and wheel lift . she is a real animal now . 38" tires and 7.20 gears = real slow but when she gets there she wont stop working for ya .

ya mine was from a real low hr / mileage 1969 c-60 with a napco 4x4 package . the 4x4 stuff was swapped to a newer truck and i got the old 480 setup as part payment . looking at wear points and such its low hr's i would bet . the over 10 years he had it before if not 20 years it sat 98% of the time and got used 3-4 times and that was it . i would love to keep it but my plans changed and have no real use for it now . i have the original holmes bed with small rust but easy to fix / the sling needs rubber but i have some for it / pto shaft and frame brackets . missing lever link arms they were paper thin . but super easy to make new .

even if i knew it was scrap going to the local junk yard it was still 4 corner and hood / truck and doors checked or strapped down .

well today was the big day . i sent her off to here new home out in the mid west via truck freight . this was NOT with out some drama from the shipping company . . . . loooong story but YRC requires all shipments over 90" automatically be fully enclosed . the computer system never once notified me of this on there web site . but he should be seeing the unit mid next week . he was happy with the purchase and asked 1 major question was all . will i help ship it . so it sounds like he knows how it works and has a lot of use for it . looks like he is the big guy around his parts and so he must be making his company very handy with equipment options . hope to be getting some action pics and feedback from him . if someone wants to buy one just hit me up and i can build another in a short window of time . thanks to all who looked / asked questions / provided feedback / helped me on this journey . . . .great site here and i will be hanging around for sure . 🤠