Our old Mack and W-45

[Ed Barker]

Topic Originally Created on Tow411 in December of 2006:

 

 

I ran across these pictures of the first heavy Dad started me in ,it was a Mack with a w-45 unit and a big drag winch,,,,,,

it was very capable back then and I must say those Mack trucks are practically bullet proof,it was a great pleasure starting

with this truck back then,it was like it was part of the family. ,,,also if you note in the pictures all three photos had different

paint schemes,,,,,we had this old bulldog for several years..."

 

Da Wash Boss said:

sweet,,,, would love to see more pics like that.
Danny Cassello - TRPC - East Hartford, CT

 

Ed said:

I had an old W35 on a KW K100, didn't use it much. I was told that you had to watch winching hard with them because the winch drum would push away from the drive gear since it wasn't supported on the outside of the shaft? Don't know if there is any merit to that. Looks like a good work horse for you.
Thanks for posting.

 

Ed Barker said:

I remember we did bust this unit several times over the years, you had to know it to use it and get its capabilities,but even today after it is long gone,,,

 

Dad still says that is what was the backbone that are heavy business was built upon, we had several others over the years but this old truck was tough, if it was a super hard job we would stabilize with the boom winch's and do the bulk winching with the drag,,,,,,

 

I can remember as a kid seeing Dad lift a loaded trailer that was sunk by running a snatch block off the boom and using the drag winch, more than once he set the booms down on the bed, but it always got the job done, if you wanted to be a true operator this was an educational piece of equipment to learn on, I often see us get a fairly tough job today and I think how would we have done this with the old Mack,,,but I know some how we would have,it always came through.

Thanks,Ed

 

Gaylock1 said:

thats a great combo, Mack/Holmes....I cut my heavy teeth w/ a 750.. We had a w-35 & a w-45,, but never got the pleasure to operate them............I just junked the w-45 a couple of years ago.....I know,,,, what was I thinking,,,, can't keep'em forever though.. I run out of room........Paul

 

Ed Barker said:

I can't say much Paul,a couple years ago we had a 650 unit that we junked,we had bought another tower out of the heavy business in our area and the old truck was junk. So I advertised the bed for $800 and could not sell it. I sent it on to the junkyard ,it is sad to have to junk them. But, like you said you can't let them sit forever.

 

captradiator said:

That's the only W-45 I've ever seen with square booms. Is that something that y'all did?
Johnny

 

Ed Barker said:

We bought the old Mack from a truck dealer that my Dad knew. He had built it himself for his own towing,,,, He had put the square booms on it,,,,

 

I remember Dad said he priced it to him without thinking and Dad told him he would take it, when Dad took the money down to get it he told my Dad if you will walk away from buying it I will give you $1000 cash money,,, But if your hearts set on buying it, I will let you buy it,,,,,

 

Dad payed him and brought it home. it was quite a truck in its day and it was the first heavy that my Dad built a set of hydraulic stiff legs for,,, boy were those stiff legs quite an option back then.

 

aatowinginc said:

Ed,
Thanks, those are some pretty cool pictures. And some really neat memories to share.

 

I think this site is so awesome. It allows us a forum to really see many different sides to the individuals that make up this industry.
Dennis