how to convince the boss

[Commissar0617]

that our upcoming rollback should have a sidepuller. he somehow has it in his head that it's a repo tool, and usually a later addon to the truck..

we don't have a real wrecker, just a lil herc with a straight pull winch on an f350, so my thoughts are that we need a swiss army knife of a truck.

 

those that have sidepullers on your rollbacks, how often do you use it? and what for?

[goodmichael]

You need to show the boss how he or she will enjoy a return on investment on the expense. I have a 6x6 wooden block that I have had for over ten years. It cost me nothing, but that wooden block has been, and continues to be one of the most versatile tools that I have. I use it as a stool, as I am short and fat, I use it as a chock to block wheels, I use it as a support when pulling and or installing engines and transmissions, and I use it to sit and rest when I am in need of respite.

I have never used a side puller, I have used a chain attached to a side puller. It worked out really good for me. It made me a lot of money, even before I ventured out on my own.

There is a saying that one should not become , "tool poor." Tool poor is when you step into the Snap On truck and the chemical imbalance caused by all of the chrome and polish wants you to buy things before you have considered if it will even pay for itself, let alone make you a return on the investment. A wrecker is just another tool, with many more zeroes on the price tag. Would your boss be considered prudent if he bought a rotator at a tow show when he mainly did tows for breakdowns that a sixteen ton could handle? Hopefully, no. If he had a recovery accident twice a year he would be much further ahead just calling someone nearby who had the equipment, who would hopefully buy him a great lunch or dinner for the referral.

[Commissar0617]

9 hours ago, goodmichael said:

You need to show the boss how he or she will enjoy a return on investment on the expense. I have a 6x6 wooden block that I have had for over ten years. It cost me nothing, but that wooden block has been, and continues to be one of the most versatile tools that I have. I use it as a stool, as I am short and fat, I use it as a chock to block wheels, I use it as a support when pulling and or installing engines and transmissions, and I use it to sit and rest when I am in need of respite. 

I have never used a side puller, I have used a chain attached to a side puller. It worked out really good for me. It made me a lot of money, even before I ventured out on my own. 

There is a saying that one should not become , "tool poor." Tool poor is when you step into the Snap On truck and the chemical imbalance caused by all of the chrome and polish wants you to buy things before you have considered if it will even pay for itself, let alone make you a return on the investment. A wrecker is just another tool, with many more zeroes on the price tag. Would your boss be considered prudent if he bought a rotator at a tow show when he mainly did tows for breakdowns that a sixteen ton could handle? Hopefully, no. If he had a recovery accident twice a year he would be much further ahead just calling someone nearby who had the equipment, who would hopefully buy him a great lunch or dinner for the referral. 

by chain attached to a sidepuller... do you mean a snatchblock on chain? personally, we get sooo many cars in the ditch every snowstorm, i think the sidepuller would pay for itself within 5-6 years, depending on the volume of ditch winchout calls we get. and especially if we get on police rotation.

[goodmichael]

When you are selling something, and I sold equipment for a Miller franchisee, you have to back your logic up with data. If I was the owner, I would have to be sold on the return on investment. I can see the ease of accomplishing the task in a safer, more efficient manner as being a huge point. And I would definitely want my people to be safe. Also, how would the investment pay for itself? If you can more efficiently clear a call, and demonstrate that you can run an extra net call a day during snow episodes, you are talking hard cash ROI, and I would be listening.

I did mean a snatch block attached to a chain. My mind does not fire on all cylinders sometimes at 0300.

[mooresbp]

A side puller is a wonderful tool, I have one and I use it a lot, and I like it. I also have an adapter on the other bed that I can pull off of. It works really well too, only cost about $400. The side puller came with the truck I bought but the guy showed me the invoice of $10,000. I have priced new ones and they are more now. My $400 pull will pay for itself in one snow storm. The other will take longer. Don't misunderstand me I love my side puller and it will do a lot more than my $400 one, but it should. But it is not an end all solution. I still use a snatch block off the deck on that truck for winch outs that are not complicated or real steep.

[Louwo]

I was thinking one year as the miles went by before side pullers were popular of some kind of lift system. Now with side pullers if you can pivot the arm on a side puller to use it to assist people into the truck. One year had a few elderly and some who had double hip replacements trying to get up in the truck. Many were twice my weight. Could add that to wait time on the call or extra labor somehow instead of hailing a cab possibly?

[Canadiantowman]

If he bought a NRC you wouldn't need to buy one.

 

 

[Canadiantowman]

 

 

[TowZone]

When posting youtube video links. Click return after adding the link to set the video, otherwise it is just a link. Thanks

[BlackAutoload]

I am with your boss.   Snatch block has the best ROI.

For me to buy a sidepuller, I need an extendable boom like the Trebron unit has.

[Commissar0617]

boss is onboard. most of the tow companies that do roadside (as opposed to junk haulers), have side pullers on most of their rollbacks now. not just snatchblocks, mind you. and there's a reason for it.

[goodmichael]

As long as he is content, then all is well. I have never used a side puller. I can see that they are a viable option if they can generate revenue above their cost. Just because every one else has drank the kool aid is no reason to take the plunge. Do they make life easier? I am sure they do. Are they safer? I can see where they enhance the safety aspect of a roadside recovery. I would put my orange, made in USA block, a pile of cribbing, and my five foot piece of aluminum pipe up against a sidepuller any day of the week. My most versatile tools are my 6x6 as well as 4x6 wooden blocks.  They have made me thousands of dollars over the years.

[Commissar0617]

23 hours ago, goodmichael said:

As long as he is content, then all is well. I have never used a side puller. I can see that they are a viable option if they can generate revenue above their cost. Just because every one else has drank the kool aid is no reason to take the plunge. Do they make life easier? I am sure they do. Are they safer? I can see where they enhance the safety aspect of a roadside recovery. I would put my orange, made in USA block, a pile of cribbing, and my five foot piece of aluminum pipe up against a sidepuller any day of the week. My most versatile tools are my 6x6 as well as 4x6 wooden blocks.  They have made me thousands of dollars over the years.

i mean, we used em at tow shool. id like to see a snatchblock off the rear right a school bus. or a camper trailer.

[mooresbp]

One big advantage of the side puller are the stiff legs, they might be more valuable than the side puller at times. We all know that getting the truck to sit still on the side of a slick road isn't easy.

[goodmichael]

23 hours ago, Commissar0617 said:

i mean, we used em at tow shool. id like to see a snatchblock off the rear right a school bus. or a camper trailer.

I understand that they are useful in some instances. You are never going to be prepared for every single scenario you encounter. Your company has tens of thousands of dollars invested in equipment, and it has to yield a return. It Is easy for someone to dream big with other people's money, just look at the government. After all the expenses are paid, then your employer hopefully has something to take home to pay him or her self.

If you want to see a camper trailer or a school bus uprighted with minimal equipment, find someone who is a tenured operator who can sling a vehicle.  Operators today have it easy, they are spoiled on many fronts. An old timer who is slick with a Holmes 440 can do just about anything.

[Commissar0617]

45 minutes ago, goodmichael said:

I understand that they are useful in some instances. You are never going to be prepared for every single scenario you encounter. Your company has tens of thousands of dollars invested in equipment, and it has to yield a return. It Is easy for someone to dream big with other people's money, just look at the government. After all the expenses are paid, then your employer hopefully has something to take home to pay him or her self.

If you want to see a camper trailer or a school bus uprighted with minimal equipment, find someone who is a tenured operator who can sling a vehicle.  Operators today have it easy, they are spoiled on many fronts. An old timer who is slick with a Holmes 440 can do just about anything.

im sure you can do that, but all we got right now is one sneakerlift equipped f350. being as this is Minneapolis, we regularly get hundreds of cars in the ditch when it snows,

for example.

[goodmichael]

If the side puller will pay for itself, that is great. Operators have been recovering vehicles from the side of the roads for decades with snatch blocks and chains. I have used round bale twine to assist in recovering a vehicle in the past. I had to use what I had in the situation that was present.

Hope you have a busy season this winter! 

[Minchar]

I think this is the same reason I've never seen a Dynamic Radius or T-180 flatbed (The rotating ones) outside of a tow show. They're awesome pieces of equipment but purchasers are wary of buying them because they pose potential maintenance nightmares that a regular old straight back flatbed wont have. As a driver I'd love to have one, but its just not economical for my boss to buy.

There are constantly new developments in the towing world, and they always seem slow to be adopted because, as others have said, it's all about Return on Investment. If you spend more money on equipment than you make on calls, having all the equipment in the world does you no good (unless the bank starts accepting snatch blocks as payment).

[goodmichael]

I look at people who have the nicest, brightest, newest equipment often and ask myself if the tradeoff of having new equipment that generally is more reliable than vintage iron. New trucks break down more frequently today it seems. The operation is then at the mercy of the dealership to get the vehicle, and sometimes the entire operation back on line. Vintage iron of course needs constant TLC. If it breaks, you are generally not paying a huge truck note that could potentially cost hundreds of dollars a day.

I sold Miller equipment. It is good equipment, but to be in business, you have to move iron. That is your angle. When I go to a tow show today, I am amazed at the number of people/vendors, who are out trying to get a taste of everyone's revenue. There is a saying in the auto technician that a tech is tool poor. They buy tools from the trucks and become heavily in debt, FAST. When one is in the tool truck it seems that they become possessed, and buy items that they think they might need rather than what they know they need. Not really a want versus a need, but a think I need rather than I know I need. Tow shows are the tool truck for this industry. When you go to one, you need to know what you need rather than what you think you need. Because when the new wears off it is too late for you realize that you made a hasty decision.

[Commissar0617]

19 hours ago, goodmichael said:

I look at people who have the nicest, brightest, newest equipment often and ask myself if the tradeoff of having new equipment that generally is more reliable than vintage iron. New trucks break down more frequently today it seems. The operation is then at the mercy of the dealership to get the vehicle, and sometimes the entire operation back on line. Vintage iron of course needs constant TLC. If it breaks, you are generally not paying a huge truck note that could potentially cost hundreds of dollars a day.

I sold Miller equipment. It is good equipment, but to be in business, you have to move iron. That is your angle. When I go to a tow show today, I am amazed at the number of people/vendors, who are out trying to get a taste of everyone's revenue. There is a saying in the auto technician that a tech is tool poor. They buy tools from the trucks and become heavily in debt, FAST. When one is in the tool truck it seems that they become possessed, and buy items that they think they might need rather than what they know they need. Not really a want versus a need, but a think I need rather than I know I need. Tow shows are the tool truck for this industry. When you go to one, you need to know what you need rather than what you think you need. Because when the new wears off it is too late for you realize that you made a hasty decision.

yup. i get what you are saying. we could even be getting a low loader, and we thought about it, but can't justify the extra 40k, we don't do enough low clearance cars to be worth it, when i can just carry ramps for the little i do.  bed already ahs a 9 degree load angle. as for the sidepuller, one snowstorm in 15 minutes, caused about 25 crashes just on state and interstates. as for hard call volume, I can't really give you hard numbers, but we get many many cars in the ditch in our service area every time it snows.

[goodmichael]

Please be extra careful this winter. Your number one priority is to go home safe after every workday. Hope you have a safe and busy winter.