Andy

Was just up in the snow zone near Mt Adams on a Volvo tow total sheet of ice where the roads have been plowed four to six inches of fluffy white stuff where it hasn’t. Glad no elk wanted to play tag.

You cant make them longer later on. Id go 24 or 26 as well. Just from being able to tie down longer loads easier and safer. I just bought a 22 foot international was worried about being to long for a lot of the places I hae to navigate now that I have it I wish I had a 23 or 24 foot deck. Not complaining happy to have it just what I know know.

True tree hugger.

Gives me wrecker envy.

Sure saves a lot of time and effort like that. Ugh.

With all the dangers in this line of work at least theres the good that is not mentioned very often. I towed a Prius off the highway last night about 10 pm. Dark blind corner. Enough that a trooper stopped and put out four cones. Loaded them and left them in there car. Flat tire so they were able to remain warm and buckled up. Dropped them at a motel then delivered the car to the tire shop. Woman and her two young daughters 120 miles from home twenty miles from nowhere. They were all so excited and happy they wanted a picture of all of us at the truck. Doesn't happen every day but it happens enough to be worth mentioning. Ive been in the repair side of cars since 1981 it’s so rare anyone is happy to be in my shops usually just a traveller that we managed to find parts and get them rolling with minimal delays. Don’t ever recall anyone being so happy in the shop they wanted a picture.

The standard J hooks will not fit most newer 3/4 and heavier gvw truck axles. Washington state does not allow fabric straps on metal so those are now out. Im looking for something fast. Loading these larger trucks on a busy highway with minimal or no shoulder is risky. Being able to put a hook on a rear diff is the quickest way to get loaded and off the side of the road.

State of Washington it’s illegal to have fabric straps on a metal component. No more straps through the wheels over axles etc. tensioner required on four points as well.

Any of you have this chain hook set up. I want to know if the hooks large enough to work on 3/4 and 1 ton axle tubes for securing a truck to a roll back deck. There descriptions kind of vague in this area and is there opening even large enough to go around those larger axles. And then lastly are they strong enough for this task. There working load limit is high enough but there just isn’t enough information out there on them hers a picture of the item I’m looking at.

I think it was over the summer I took a call on a tire change. The company sated they were partnered with AAA I thought it was odd but I am not contracted with AAA and out here often AAA cannot find in network providers and I get calls from them in weird ways at times. The company sent me an email with CC and all dispatch information. Also not how AAA typically works. Which looked very legit. I did the job. But the customer told me how the call went on her end. They told her that AAA was backlogged and that to get the service done she would have to pay them and then AAA would reimburse her but they charged her a huge amount for an in town tire change at her house. I performed the service then tried to run the CC which it ran but for like $5 or $6 dollars. It was really weird because my CC machine showed approved and then printed out this much longer receipt from and out of country point of origin and then only processed for the amount I put above. Just strange. I then tried to call the company. I got the run around for several days but I did finally get ahold of someone who issued a new payment over the phone and it ran. After which I talked with the actual customer and she had found out that she had misdialed when calling AAA and it was a company that probably has phone numbers that are close to AAA numbers and scam people like this. I did tell AAA about it but who knows what actually occurred. I cannot remember the name of this company but I did post about this event on here shortly after it happened.

Outfitting the new rollback. Need ideas on organizing my boxes. I have the ability to weld, bend and machine aluminum or steel for shelves, dividers and pockets. But really just don’t know what I want. How to build better storage on the top of the boxes for things as well. I would like to incorporate a draw from a tool cart in a couple boxes if I can find the time. I have a roll cart to steel parts from. some pictures would be great The passenger side will have three boxes total of seven feet the drivers will have two boxes totaling five feet in front of the rear wheels. Behind the rear wheels im hanging a 24”wide by 14” H 14” Deep box that will house rear tie down stuff that will make for quicker access. My thinking is a lot of jobs I will know what I need before I land on some busy highway. I’ll load that box with them making my loading faster and get me off the road quicker. I expect this box to get hammered with road spray but I’ll move gear in and out of it as the job requires , I was thinking I would drill a couple holes in the bottom and rinse it regularly. But maybe it wont be that bad. We have a lot of dirt roads. Dirt rain snow and ice roads. Everything behind the rear tires is subject to a hard life.

long event getting the new truck home but it’s here. Rolled in about five pm. It was my own version of planes trains and automobiles getting it home. if i could change anything I would have a 23 foot deck but that’s just me rambling. got it measured for logo’s yesterday tried to register it but forgot about Oregons luxury tax which has to be done on line. now I have to figure out tool boxes I want more boxes and drawers.

I have an update to my update. After getting the new wheels and tires road force balanced the overall feel of them was decent. I took it to a truck shop to have it aligned and they rejected it becasue it had play in ball joints tie rod ends etc. None of it was really waht you call worn out but combined there probably was 1/4 of play. Replaced all ball joints tie rod ends front shocks and steering shock. I picked it up tonight and man my truck is like new. I think it’s needed the front end overhauled for 20,000 miles. Kind of helped me feel better about the time and also money I put into the larger tires.

Tough if anything breaks here getting them fixed regardless of brand. It’s like living on the dark side of the moon. It’s even harder trying to order something. I found a 2024 international Navistar MV 607 with a 22 foot dual tech roll back price was decent a lot less than something I would have special ordered. I head to Georgia next week to pick it up. It will ad a new Dimension to my life like I needed more. It must work out right financially because the wife was more excited about it than me which means the money it represents must be ok. I think anything that keeps me working makes her happy. I should retire sell some of my land and live the dream. Which would probably last about two months and I would go stir crazy. I don’t do nothing very well. Heres a picture

I tried to order the same truck you want theres a builder in Portland but gave up. What I want in a truck doesnt really exist so it’s a matter of how to set myself up for the work that I see paying the most. Im afraid of sued equipment I also want to be done with the physical side of wrenching. New doesnt mean things wont break but someone else can fix them. I think I can live with a truck in the 26,000 pound class. It will be different than the F550s I currently own. Between them Im covered for the type of work I see the most of. And there are a lot more of them being made. Some of it’s kind of stupid on my part. I have low overhead in reality. When the shop closes I could go any number of directions including just using that property for impounds and a staging place. But long term I have ten more years to work probably so I might as well bite the bullet and set it in motion.

The short version is mediums duty rollbacks 26,000 v 33,000 pound class and what make model powetrain and brand of rollback is the best bang for the buck. Or just best. long version. Lifes exciting isnt it. Ive been in the repair end of this business since 1981 Shops been open since 2001. Opened my second shop in 2010. Bought my first F550 rollback in 2015. Covid hit closed one shop and started doing more towing. Found out I hated running owning and being in an auto shop and loved towing within 6 months. Mainly because I do unique challenging tow work most of the time then change some tire at 2 AM in the morning and am a hero. I fix cars that have been in a dozen shops customers who have spent thousands of dollars to no avail and then after solving some unsolvable issue all I get is paid and usually not enough or I get complaints about my charges after I’ve fixed something thousands of dollars elsewhere produced nothing. I go do some simple tow or roadside service people are jumping up and down throwing tips at me. And I changed a tire or tightened a battery cable. Funny stuff. Let alone when I get to drag something up a mountain and over a guard rail. Wednesday I fired my top auto tech of 15 years after listening to him cuss and complain for the last two weeks. Have another tech retiring in February and my managers wife wants to move closer to her kids any way so im closing the shop in the next 6 months to a year. Ive been trying to get a custom built F600 4WD but cant find anyone with one coming willing to do what I want. Maybe for good reason. Now im thinking I need to change directions and buy a medium duty truck. Im not CDL licensed but will take a class and become one most likely. If needed any way. My target here is Sprinter vans or similar length and weight rigs and there’s lots of one ton Duallies. Im not moving into heavy towing. Im old enough to want the easy life of rollback work and recovering crashed cars not big delivery trucks or semis. Ive started looking at 26,000 GVW medium duty trucks but wonder if I shouldnt move into the 33,000 pound class which has always been on my mind. None of this is a new thought for me except I am soon to be free to act on these thoughts. So the question is buy a 33,000 pound class truck or is the jump into a 33,000 pound class truck really a huge jump in headaches and costs. Keep in mind im 58 could just retire but I like to work Im to much of a busy body to not work. Dont mind strapping down an overloaded Spinter van though. What truck would you recommend. It will be new or very low mileage. And what brand truck and rollback would you advise. Im not on a tight budget but I also dont want to spend an extra $50K or more on something if it’s not the right choice. Thanks Andy

The stretched frame adds a lot to the weight distribution and with the EV trucks which are in my area and growing in popularity it’s a plus. I do a lot of work in the mountains and quite a few trucks that are loaded and often in bad road conditions. My current F550 has an extended frame and in comparison to these that have not been extended theres quite a bit of an advantage in steering handling and braking when loaded in these conditions. Crew cab LWB trucks in the mountains is a common tow for me. Our mountain ranges are different than most. We go from sea level to 14,000 feet quickly lots of steep winding roads there also the dirt and gravel roads the people that live on at the base of the mountains live on. I suffer from the experience of owning an extended frame truck and really don't want to buy a new one thats not. I also am not in a rush and do think this will be the last truck I buy. Adding the truck I want to my line up now puts me through my working days. Probably why no one I have found wants to build one for me.

Looks like your breaking a hand full of child labor laws and OSHA rules:) My kids who are now adults think I abused them by making them work as children. One was in my house last night saw my left over fried rice and asked me if he could eat it. I let him. It was supposed to be my lunch today.

Any tips on who might be able to build the truck I want. I need 4WD puts me in a Ford or Dodge truck unless there’s something heavier I don’t know about. My current trucks are late model Fords so I lean towards Ford. More to the point an F600 4wD. I have not seen a standard cab Gm 6500 4wd to date so I don’t think that’s possible. Needs to be a standard cab so I can put as much deck behind it as possible. It will be a custom build frame extended, bigger springs would like front locking diff if it’s even possible. Probably $40k in add ons maybe more. But I want a 20 foot or longer rollback. it seems my quest is headed the wrong direction post covid the shortage of something truck or rollback or labor but I'm not any closer to filling this order. Most builders are not interested in builds like this right now. At one point I decided to give up the search. Now the strike will complicate this. But I think I need to get on someone’s list. Any tips in a builder that is willing to do a frame extended longer than normal roll back on this class truck.

Road force balance and a tire guy that is going to get a big tip next time Im in Portland fixed my issues. He broke them down and spun the tires on the rims two of them a couple times to get the best possible roundness is the word Im going to use. The aluminum wheels took quite a bit of weight which is visible in the center of the rear drivers but Im not hung up on that. I had it up to 75 tonight and it’s good at all speeds. I believe a less aggressive tire would not be near as big an issue these tires have quite a bit of tread depth a softer rubber there the most aggressive AP or steering tire I can find in a 19.5. I work the mountain roads in winter and run in 4WD a lot and often at higher speeds in 4WD running in and out of ice, snow and pavement. Mismatched tires present bigger issues for me than the cost of these tires. Otherwise I might choose a different drive tire and steering tire. I ran these in a 225 70 19,5 and loved them from day one until the fronts were thin. Hope to do the same with these. Thanks for your input. For those thinking about switching from the 225s to 245s I can tell you the stability with heavy load is greatly improved. Im running a 16 ply mainly to reduce risk of sidewall damage in areas a lot of people wont go. So a 14 ply might be a better option for those who stay on paved roads.

These are on a 2015 F550 245 70 19.5 New wheels that are true no run out and the correct wheel for the larger tire. I have not spun the tires in the air yet to see if any of them are eggs. I installed Firestone 225 70 19.5 Transforce AT2 16 ply tires started with 6.5 ounces of balancing beads. There was an imbalance that started about 40 MPH varies from road conditions but it’s bad when it occurs. Like fillings falling out of your teeth bad. It’s not the truck last set of tires were fine. Added to a total of 12.5 ounces per tire in the rear and 10.5 in the front it helped but its still enough it isnt right. I think the window is a little higher speed and quite a bit less though. Thinking about trying 2 or 3 more ounces all the way around but thought maybe you might have some other ideas for me. My last set of tires were the same exact tire in a 225 70 19.5 and I loved those tires. It looks like Firestone or Bridgestone as it is has zero tech support for me to talk with. Thanks in advance

Thanks ive seen the tool in use on videos. Im inclined to attempt the fix myself. Im putting the cart before the horse here but several videos ive watched the collar or retaining nut required some serious force to come loose any tips on that if I have issues here. Was thinking dry ice instead of heat?

Any advice on overhauling a Chevron deck slide cylinder. The R@R looks simple on this model, it’s a steel deck 10 series if that matters. I have help and a wrecker and tractor to assist in the R@R.

I havent seen this before. Got a call from a tow dispatch company barely spoke English which isn’t uncommon. They ok my rate for a tire change on the spot and sent me an email. It had no Job number or ticket number but did have CC information and the customers name and number. I performed the service. Then tried to run the credit card. It would not process. I call the three numbers on the email a couple days in a row sometimes the prompt was calll failed or call incomplete there of course international numbers. Called the customer and found out she was dialing into AAA for this service and thinks she miss dialed ( ok she now knew she missed one digit) this company took her payment which was 120% more than what I quoted but she was frazzled from life and paid them of course with a debit card. She also said they told her something to the affect that AAA was not able to handle the volume of calls in the area and they were forwarding calls to them and that she was to pay them and then seek reimbursement from AAA. I finally got through to someone yesterday and they made the card number work or so I thought. It processed for .43 cents. Called and called again today and finally got through they did get me a new card number and it ran. But I wonder if they were not operating in hopes that a percentage of us just give up. Looking over the email I received on this job there is no company name theres an agents name three different. Ways to contact them by phone but only one works. Looking at the full circle of this no one was actually scammed they did pay me the customer did agree to there terms but its pretty flaky in my opinion.

In case any one else is interested I went with the Viair unit and tank works fine for my needs I mounted the tank on the back side of my tool box and the compressor in the top rear corner this gained me a great deal of storage space.