tow professional

2 Tow Professional | Volume 2 Issue 3 | www.towprofessional.com

IN EVERY ISSUE

4 | Publisher Letter 40| HOOKED UP

6| Dynamic Towing Equipment and Manufacturing

6|PWOF Tow Show Special - ScoutDispatchTM - from Ranger SST

8| Agero to Highlight New Technology and Training at Orlando Show

10| Custom Aerodyne Toolboxes from ZACKLIFT

14 | Your Hydraulic System and You

16 | High Sulfur Diesel Applications

17 | Secure Loads to Avoid Citations

18 | Don’t Crush Your Cash! IAA Can Help You See How at a Free Seminar

12| International Towing & Recovery Hall of Fame and Museum

20 | Growing Your Business

CONTENTSVolume 2 • Issue 3 2013

www.towprofessional.com

T O W P R O F E S S I O N A L

Cargo Control30 | TO TWIST OR KNOT?

Safety and Training26 | Training Can Be One Piece of the Profit Puzzle

IndustryNEWS

TOW TIPST O W I N G & R E C O V E R Y

37 |Towbook

38 | S & J Manufacturing

38 |Detroit Wrecker

39 |Heavy Duty Towing Equipment

39 |RuggedTow.com

Cover Image Courtesy ofWeil Wrecker

Jump Starter34 | Anatomy of a Jump Starter

company spotlight


PUBLISHERS

Darian WeaverPresident & [email protected]

Jack HartsfieldVice President & [email protected]

__________________________

PRODUCTION

Clint W. CabinessArt Director

Hal K. HuberGraphic Designer

Jill HastyManaging Editor

__________________________

CONTRIBUTING WRITERSFritz DahlinRichard FarrellDan MessinaJim O’HareWes Wilburn

Executive and Advertising Offices

P.O. Box 26308Birmingham, AL 35260Toll free: 888-802-8544Fax: 205-978-1550


Tow Professional is published nine times a year by Over TheMountain Media, Inc., P.O. Box 26308, Birmingham, Alabama,35260, USA. Tow Professional is distributed free to qualified sub-scribers. Non-qualified subscription rates are $57.00 per year inthe U.S. and Canada and $84.00 per year for foreign subscribers(surface mail). U.S. Postage paid at Birmingham, Alabama and ad-ditional mailing offices.

Tow Professional is distributed to qualified Towing & Re-covery's Top Decision Makers. Publisher is not liable for all con-tent (including editorial and illustrations provided by advertisers)of advertisements published and does not accept responsibilityfor any claims made against the publisher. It is the advertiser’sor agency’s responsibility to obtain appropriate releases on anyitem or individuals pictured in an advertisement. Reproductionof this magazine in whole or in part is prohibited without priorwritten permission from the publisher.

ProfessionalYour Resource for Towing & Recovery

TMLETTER

For a new free subscription, address changes or corrections,

please visit www.towprofessional.comand click on the “subscribe” tab.

P U B L I S H E R S

It’s hard to believe that the first quarter of 2013 is behind us. Ihope that your first three months were up from last year. Most ofthe people that I have talked with have seen a positive trend for2013 thus far.

April brings the first Trade Show for the year in our market. We will travel to Orlando forthe Florida Tow Show April 11-14, 2013, and will exhibit in Booth #278. This year, theshow has expanded to include the Repo Expo, which should be beneficial for everyone;the attendees have more to see and learn, and the vendors have a larger captive audi-ence. We encourage anyone capable of attending to do so; the trade shows are whereyou can put your hands on and compare all of the new equipment and technology in themarket. Bring your walking shoes and wallet…you will be glad you did.

Recently, Darian and I attended a light duty training course by Wes Wilburn hosted atWeil Wrecker in Birmingham, Alabama. Though the majority of the people attending hadplenty of experience, most were there to improve their knowledge - all who were theredid exactly that. Knowledge is power; never stop learning. Even if you are qualified toteach the class, new ideas, information, technology and techniques are continually evolv-ing. Hats off to Wes! His approach to training is extremely effective, and, if you are seriousabout your business, it is an absolute must to have your people trained and qualified.Great job, Wes, we will be back!

In this issue, Dan Messina covers “Growing Your Business,” and we also include featureson Training, Cargo Control, and Jump Packs. Once again, there’s plenty of “IndustryNews” and “Hooked UP” to round it out.

We hope to see you in BOOTH #278 at the Florida Show!

Darian Weaver and Jack Hartsfield Co-Publishers

Volume 2 • Issue 3 2013


IndustryNEWST O W I N G & R E C O V E R Y

• AVL tracking/mapping -- pinpoint where driv-

ers are and where they need to go

• Motor Club Digital Dispatch -- Agero, Allstate,

USAC

• Two-way messaging with drivers -- send job

details, receive status updates

• In-truck navigation for drivers -- faster service,

more calls

Only $19.85 per month per truck!!

Bring your own Android and/or use our black

box.

Ranger SST provides integrated, end-to-end

solutions for dispatching, GPS tracking/mapping,

messaging, storage lot management, accounting

(link to QuickBooks), and in-truck picture-taking,

credit card processing, signature capture, VIN

scanning, and invoice printing. .

Visit Ranger at the Florida PWOF Tow Show

-- Booth #158

www.RangerSST.com •440.498.1495

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

6 Tow Professional | Volume 2 • Issue 3 | www.towprofessional.com

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .PWOF Tow Show Special.. ScoutDispatchTM... from Ranger SST > > >

Dynamic Towing Equipment and Manufacturing is excited

about the upcoming Florida Tow Show. This provides us with an

opportunity to connect with our customers, hearing their feed-

back and showcasing our hard work over the past year.

This past year has been an exciting time with Dynamic; we have

added several new distributors. Dynamic has introduced the re-de-

signed Service Truck and improved upon the Fusion.

The Service Truck is equipped with 2 storage compartments, to-

taling 80 cubic feet of usable space.

The compartments can be delivered

with an optional rack system for vehicle

batteries, capable of providing safe

stowing of up to 36 batteries! Accom-

panying deck space measuring 54” x

85” allows for additional storage op-

tions.

The Fusion has a 5500 lb wheel lift

fully extended 80” of reach. With the

option of negative & power tilt of 25

degrees. There are 8 storage compart-

ments, totaling 45 cubic feet of avail-

able storage. The truck was designed with increased “Hook Up”

visibility. With a 4-year warranty, this truck fits the name, FUSION.

Dynamic Towing Equipment has built a reputation on trust, provid-

ing personal service and developing solid products for the industry.

We are looking forward to seeing everyone in Florida.

To request a quote or learn about other towing solutions Dy-

namic Towing Eqt & MFG has to offer, call 800.831.9299.

Dynamic Towing Equipment and Manufacturing > > >


Agero recently announced its event schedule and exhibit con-

tent for this year’s Florida Tow Show, which will be held Friday, April

12 through Sunday, April 14 at the Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista

hotel in the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida.

“I think you’ll see at the show that, more than ever, we’re about

innovation,” said Dave Sunkenberg, VP Network Services with

Agero. “This means new service provider technology, as well as new

online training offerings. We’ll have other things at the Florida show,

as well, but our main goal is to help service providers stay on the cut-

ting edge in ways that help them work even smarter. So we’ll high-

light innovations and new features and options that allow them to

increase their revenue while providing even better service.”

Timely training topics and instant certificationOne highlight will be the debut of Agero’s new training program,

which will be conducted at the show three times each day on Friday

and Saturday. Agero plans to make the events ongoing, with each

training session designed to provide a brief and efficient mini-semi-

nar on specific topics. These topics will include a wide range of tow-

ing and roadside service protocols that increasingly require OEM or

vehicle specific training.

Developed as a response to growing industry demand, these

OEM and vehicle specific certified training events will be provided at

no charge and will occur in most regions. They will be open to all

tow professionals, whether they are Agero-affiliated service

providers or not.

Given the design advances many vehicle manufactures are mak-

ing, such as Jaguar and Land Rover, product level training is becom-

ing even more critical in order to set service providers up for

success.

The best service providers are looking for resources and tools

they can incorporate into their own training programs, such as how

to manually release a vehicle from Park when the battery is dead

and the transmission shifter is not responding. Agero is committed

to providing those tools and best practices.

In keeping with the emphasis on innovative training resources,

the company will also use the show to highlight special offers devel-

oped in partnership with Motor Club Roadside Training, www.mo-

torclubtraining.com, an interactive online site that provides certified

roadside service training. The site allows employees of tow compa-

nies to receive comprehensive online training and certification from

industry leaders in all areas of the business, from customer service

and dispatching to road safety, fuel delivery and tire changes.

Practical technological innovationAnother area of emphasis at this year’s Florida show will be new

technology. One exhibit will feature Agero’s new IVR Dispatch serv-

ice, which the company says will allow for faster and easier accept-

ance or rejection of dispatches using a phone. Although access to a

live call center agent is still available just by pressing a button,

Agero’s automated dispatch capability eliminates the need to ac-

cess an agent or to wait on hold, lessening the chance of communi-

cation errors. Service providers simply choose the amount of detail

needed at that moment. After the initial dispatch, detailed info is

provided via a choice of email, text, or fax.

Using technology to develop new income streams for service

providers will also be an important part of Agero’s show content.

Launching in 2013, Agero Field Information Services is a group of

service offerings designed to allow service providers to earn incre-

mental revenue by providing asset inspections, verification, and

documentation services using smart phones or tablets running

Agero’s new PRISM mobile app.

Also on the technology front, New England Wireless will be on

hand with Agero to answer questions about their exclusive dis-

counts on tablets, smart phones and select plans along with re-

duced monthly service costs with Agero's wireless discount

program.

Agero will also be hosting a Provider Perks booth where show at-

tendees can learn more about the company’s new partnership with

Progressive Platforms, a firm specializing in fleet management and

dispatch management software.

Rounding out the schedule will be a seminar entitled “Agero

Truck Financing Programs,” sponsored by Beacon Funding, which

will take place Saturday, April 13 at 1 p.m. in the Narcissus room. In

addition, attendees will also be able to have their photos taken

alongside a NASCARK race car with noted Richard Petty look-a-like

Charles West. Giveaways from Worldwide Equipment will also be

featured.

Florida Tow ShowDate: April 12, 13, and 14

Location: Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista Hotelin the Walt Disney World Resort, Orlando, Florida

Agero Booth Locations: Inside: Booth #207Outside: Booth #854.

For more information, call 413-575-9333 or email [email protected].

Agero to Highlight New Technology and Training at Orlando Show >>>


. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .



The popular FIFTHWHEELER™, the removable underlift from Za-

cklift International, Inc., has some eye-catching options. The sleek,

professional looking Aerodyne Toolboxes make the underlift

package truly complete. This economical option has been spe-

cially engineered for mounting on the Zacklift FIFTHWHEELER

beam. With the mounting always pre-engineered into every

FIFTHWHEELER, the custom toolboxes can be added when the

Zacklift leaves the factory or at any time down the road.

As with all elements of the Zacklift FIFTHWHEELER, the boxes com-

pletely remove during the simple drive-off procedure. As easy as cou-

pling and uncoupling from a tractor trailer, the FIFTHWEHELER removes

completely for full unobstructed tractor use. Other Zacklift options can

also be outfitted on the Zacklift FIFTHWHEELER at time of purchase or

can be added later, always driving off with the underlift. These include a

choice of planetary winches and anchor legs. All mount to the Zacklift

FIFTHWHEELER beam.

Inside the toolboxes, you’ll find racks for all standard forks and space

for accessories, such as the Heavy Duty Wheel Lifting Assembly, keep-

ing equipment safe and organized. Stop, tail and turn lights are also

wired and ready.

Zacklift has knocked themselves out on good looks with this product.

The doors are polished aluminum and open in gull-wing style, helping to

keep operator safe at roadside and protecting doors from tires. The look

is completed with powder coated high gloss black tool box housing. At-

tention to detail is exceptional on the Zacklift FIFTHWHEELER, and the

Toolboxes definitely are in keeping with Zacklift’s high standards for qual-

ity workmanship and innovative engineering.

To find out more about the Zacklift FIFTHWHEELER andCustom Toolboxes, take a look at www.zacklift.com orcall 509 674-4426.

CUSTOM AERODYNE TOOLBOXES FROM ZACKLIFT > > >

www.towprofessional.com | Volume 2 • Issue 3 | Tow Professional 11



I FOUND OVER THE YEARS that one of the mostpopular and ignored services I could suggest to a cus-tomer were to change the hydraulic oil and filter. No oneseems to do this very simple maintenance. I would tell allmy service people, “Make sure you check the hydraulicoil when you write up someone for service." I'll bet 75 %or more had milky or contaminated oil. When the

By Richard Far re l l

YOURHYDRAULICSYSTEMAND YOU


weather got really cold (we’re in Michigan), we could getseveral trucks in all at once with frozen hydraulic tanks. I'mtalking ice cubes! Some would have cracks in cylinders,others busted valves or pumps. Gets real expensive, realquick. All of which, with simple preventive maintenance,could have been avoided. By changing your hydraulic oiland filter annually, you can save a lot of dough and downtime. Not to mention the premature wear on pumps, mo-tors and cylinder packing’s.

This is something that you can perform in-house. Most all hy-

draulic tanks have a drain plug and a spin on filter. Most any good

repair facility will be happy to point out these things and answer

your questions. Yes, we're in the service biz, but I know that by

helping my customers save money, they remember that and come

back for the repairs they can't do themselves. This can save you

thousands of dollars in repair costs, not to mention losses due to

downtime. It's always when you’re the busiest.

I’ve been asked over the years what is the best hydraulic oil to

use. This will depend on the climate where you operate. In very

cold locations, where you can get into negative temps regularly, I

would use "Dextron" (red automatic Tran’s fluid); this is about 5w

oil and will not stiffen up in very cold temps. In most parts of the

country, I would use 20w oil. In very hot climates, you should use

30w hydraulic oil. On an exceptionally cold day, I would turn on

my PTO and let the pump run for 10 or 15 minutes first thing in

the morning. This tends to warm up the oil and saves wear and

tear on the pump. Just at an idle, do not rev up the engine.

Over-revving your engine can damage your pump by causing a

condition known as "cavitation." Letting the pto/pump run for a

few moments in really cold mornings can save you costly pump re-

pairs down the road. As always, feel free to call our service depart-

ment at Detroit Wrecker Sales. The staff will be more than happy

to give whatever advice they can to help you solve all of your parts

or service needs. TOW

Detroit Wrecker Sales19630 Fitzpatrick, Detroit, MI 48228Local: 313-835-8700National: 877-TOW-0030www.DetroitWrecker.com

Email: [email protected]

High Sulfur

Outside the U.S., Canada, Europe and Aus-

tralia, high sulfur diesel is usually the only

diesel fuel available. High sulfur diesel is ab-

solute poison to a DPF equipped vehicle. It

will clog a DPF filter faster than a diet of

bacon-chili triple cheeseburgers. What is an

end user to do if they operate a Cummins

Diesel DPF equipped engine in the rest of

the world?

An exporter had a customer waiting for

three new 2012 model trucks with Cum-

mins Diesel DPF equipped engines. How-

ever, the customer already had several 2011

Cummins Diesel DPF equipped trucks that

were having constant problems, like clogged

DPF’s, shutting down, red stop & yellow

check engine lights. Local service in

Venezuela confirmed that the fault codes

and issues were caused by high sulfur diesel

fouling the DPF after treatment.

ECM Performance in Florida was able to

solve the problem with their unique ECM re-

programming service. Since the three trucks

were local, ECM Performance repro-

grammed the vehicles onsite for DPF re-

moval. The exporter then had the DPF filter

and urea injection removed. After several

months and more than 1,500 hours running

on high sulfur diesel, the customer reported

excellent performance and no engine prob-

lems.

Jim Comack at ECM Performance says,

“Around the world, high sulfur diesel is a

huge issue for DPF after treatment systems.

ECM Performance provides a quick, perma-

nent solution that allows the customer to

simply remove the DPF and urea injection. In

addition, we increase the power, reliability,

and long-term engine life, while decreasing

the total cost of ownership for their fleet. For

export customers, this is a home run. By the

way, this exporter is now having the ECM’s

from the 2011 vehicles overnighted in this

week for reprogramming.” TOW

ECM PERFORMANCEFort Lauderdale, Florida 33326 888-768-2447954-748-1840



Diesel Applications

CSA 2010 standards, adopted by the De-

partment of Transportation’s Federal Motor

Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), are

designed to keep unsafe drivers – and un-

safe loads – off the road.

FMCSA regulation 393.132 was devel-

oped jointly by U.S. and Canadian authorities

to regulate containment of crushed or flat-

tened automobiles during transportation.

Synthetic materials such as plastic netting

were deemed acceptable, provided no open-

ings were large enough to allow loose parts

to fall from the vehicle during transit.

Aggressive enforcement of those regula-

tions has forced Tow professionals to seek

out alternatives to contain loose parts on

damaged vehicles. Reusable tarps are ex-

pensive and require maintenance. Knitted

Hay bale netting shreds in the cross-direc-

tion, so many users feel compelled to double

or triple wrap their loads. Disposable CAR-

GO-NET8 provides low-cost compliance – it’s

designed for a single use.

Industrial Netting offers CAR-GO-NET8 in

small rolls configurations for Tow operators

that can be easily used by one person. Their �”

mesh in 56” wide x 1000’ long rolls weigh

just 21 lbs. Single rolls are light enough to

ship by UPS and small enough to easily fit in

most rigs.

Scrap recyclers have used CAR-GO-NET8

for more than a decade to comply with trans-

portation regulations. Now Tow operators are

using CAR-GO-NET8 to help contain small

parts and loose debris while transporting

wrecked autos or salvaged vehicles. TOW

Industrial Netting7681 Setzler Pkwy. N.Minneapolis, MN 55445800-328-8456 (in USA and Canada)Phone: 763-496-6355Fax: 763-496-6356E-mail: [email protected]


Secure Loads T O A V O I D C I T A T I O N S

Insurance Auto Auctions (IAA) is hosting afree educational seminar on Friday, April12, at the Florida Tow Show: from 2 p.m.– 3 p.m. in the Gardenia Room. This gen-eral session will teach attendees whatauctions are all about. Guests attendingalso will learn how to turn their unclaimedcars into cash by selling lightly-damaged,high-mileage, repossessed and aban-doned vehicles at auction.

Who’s buying?Regardless of the vehicle type or condition,

we have licensed buyers for them fromaround the world.

IAA’s registered and qualified buyertypes include:

• Auto body repair• Resellers• Dealers• Dismantlers• Recyclers• Exporters

Who is IAA anyway?We’re more than an auction company. Overthe past three decades, IAA has sold millionsof vehicles to buyers around the globe. IAA’s2,000 talented team members located inover 160 locations in North America are

ready to assist you today. Our national presence and local flavor

benefits you. IAA’s local expertise matterswhen it comes to promoting your vehicle. Byproviding high-quality promotional materialand additional vehicle details to capturehigher returns on these unique units helps toincrease exposure and ultimately bidding ac-tivity which drives the sale price. TOW

Come visit us at booth #150/151throughout the show!

Who can you call?For more information, contact RayRodecker of IAA at [email protected],or 919-901-9323.



Don’t Crush Your Cash! IAA Can Help You See How at aFree Seminar


By Dan Mess ina

When running a business, you make money by increasing your

revenue or lowering your expenses. We are going to take a look at

several different ways you might want to consider for growing

your business. I will be able to help you get through all that’s about

to happen and make sure 2013 will be a good year for you.

Adding new customers will be a necessity for your business’s sur-

vival. What can you do to grow your business? Here are a few

things you can do to get started:

GROWINGYOUR BUSINESS2013is going to be a defining year for your business. With the price of gas out of control and having a major

impact on your business, along with tax increases that hit us in January, we are going to be facing

many challenges. From what I’m hearing, there are more taxes to come. In addition to the gas and taxes, the Obama

health care will soon be implemented. I don’t know if you have looked at how that is going to impact your business, but

there will be a big expense added to your business. I recently interviewed an insurance agent who explained how the

new healthcare bill will affect us. You can view this interview on www.danmessina.com. This new bill will not only af-

fect the business, but the employee will also be impacted by the bill. Employees will be demanding increases in pay or

they will go somewhere else. As business owners, we have to look at 2013 and see what can be done to offset these

new expenses and allow us to keep our doors open in 2014.


1. PENETRATE YOUR EXISTINGMARKET.

The first thing that comes to mind when thinking of growing

your business is getting new customers, but it’s easier getting

additional business from your existing customer base. It’s cost-

effective to get people who are already using your service to use

it more than to find new customers and persuade them to use

your service. Identify your top 10 customers and see if there are

any additional services you can provide for them. This will re-

quire you to know what their business is and what they offer

their customers. Find out what their future plans are and if they

plan to grow or open up at other locations. It’s good that you

show interest in what they are doing. It helps create a better rela-

tionship.

2. ASK FOR REFERRALS.Getting new customers is another approach to growing your

business. One of the easiest ways to do this is to ask your current

customers for referrals. Doing a great job and just assuming that

your customers are passing the word about your business isn’t

going to do much to increase your customer base; you have to

actively seek referrals. During or after every job or sale, ask your

satisfied customer if he knows anyone else who would be inter-

ested in your services. Every service call should be a sales call.

You should have a brochure of some type that you hand to cus-

tomers describing your services. Ask your customers to pass

them out for you, and you do the same for them. You will be sur-

prised how you can help each other. If you need material, I can

help you create it.

3. INNOVATE YOUR SERVICE.Discovering and promoting new services is a great way to both

get existing customers to use you more and attract new cus-

tomers. Look at your trucks and storage lot; what new services

“You can’t be the leader if you don’t get creative.”


can you offer by utilizing your trucks

and lot in different ways? An exam-

ple would be for you to haul equip-

ment on your flatbed for companies

that rent out equipment. Turn your

lot into a paid storage lot for boats,

RVs and other vehicles. You have

lights, insurance and security of

some type, so take advantage of it.

Drive around your neighborhood

and see what other people are

doing, or ones that might have a

need for that you can offer. Look at

your competition and see what they

are doing that you are not. Attend a

trade show and talk to other towers

and see what they are doing in differ-

ent parts of the country. Think out-

side the box. You have a new

business look and towing is just a

part of it. Think duct tape – and how

few of these would actually be sold if

they only had one use!

4. EXTEND YOUR MARKET REACH.There are several ways of growing your business by making your

services available to a new pool of customers. The most obvious is

to open offices in new locations, on a different side of town. This

could increase your rotations with the city and save on gas by hav-

ing trucks on that side of town. Opening an office in another city

could also be an option if you can cover the expense to get

started. (Here is where motor clubs can be of help). New locations

can also be set up through the Internet, such as a website with on-

line services. Learn how to take advantage of the Internet. I can

definitely help you in this area. If you plan on turning your business

over to a family, you better be automated with computers and

websites. That’s what today’s generation understands. Another

approach is to extend your reach through advertising. Once

you’ve identified a new market, you might advertise in select

media that targets that market.

5. PARTICIPATE IN TRADE SHOWS.Trade shows can be a great way of growing your business, be-

cause trade shows draw people who

are already interested in the type of

services you offer. The trick is to care-

fully select the trade shows you partici-

pate in, seeking the right match for

your service. When I had my business,

my biggest market was the apartment

industry. I would have a booth at two

different shows each year. This is

where I reached 40% of my business.

Once I had them as a customer, I still

attended to make sure they saw me

supporting their industry and keeping

my name in front of them. Trade

shows will help you get the best return

on your investment. The more your

name can be seen by potential cus-

tomers, the better off you are.

6. CONQUER A NICHE MARKET.

Remember the analogy of the big fish

in the small pond? That’s essentially

how this strategy for growing your business works. The niche mar-

ket is the pond, a narrowly defined group of customers. Think of

them as a subset whose needs are not being met and concentrate

on meeting those unmet needs. Most towers go after companies

that have fleets. Think of places that have groups of people

(churches, schools, chain stores, apartments, small companies

that have 50 to 60 employees). Go in and offer them a towing

service for their people. I could go into any city, big or small, and

find at least three new markets that no one is servicing. When

you’re the leader in the area, you will have the majority of the busi-

ness. But I’m telling you right now, you can’t be the leader if you

don’t get creative.

7. CONTAIN YOUR CO$TS.Surprised? Bear in mind that when we’re talking about growing

your business, we’re actually talking about growing your busi-

ness’s bottom line. And the difference between pre-tax and post-

tax money can make this a very effective growth strategy. There

“Trade shows can be agreat way of growing yourbusiness, because tradeshows draw people whoare already interested inthe type of services youoffer. The trick is to care-

fully select the tradeshows you participate in,seeking the right match for

your service.”

GROWINGYOUR BUSINESS


are two main approaches to cutting costs: stop providing services

that cost the most money (Heavy duty Towing) and improve your

service that utilizes your trucks in the best way. Here comes the

motor club approach again, or one of those new customers you

added. You have to know what it

costs for each tow and how much are

you making for that tow. A lot of tow-

ers don’t have the answer to that

question. It’s difficult working the

business side of the business when

you are on the road 16 hours a day.

Once again, here is where I can help

you. I had a friend here in Texas who

increased his profits by 30% when he

stopped doing heavy duty towing.

Just by eliminating the expense of

keeping his heavies on the road made

him more money. It was his account-

ant who suggested he stopped heavy

duty towing. You have to restructure

your business so you can make more money.

8. DIVERSIFY YOURSERVICES.

The key to successfully growing your busi-

ness through diversification is easy. Look at

your existing customers and see if there are

other businesses that might have similar

needs. If you tow for fleets, they will have a

need for additional services you provide. It

might be transporting equipment from one

location to another or picking up new equip-

ment when they make a purchase. Look hard

at each customer and ask them what else

you can do for them to solve their problems.

You may tow landscaper equipment when it

breaks down, but where does he store his

equipment in the winter? There’s another use

for your storage lot.

9. FRANCHISINGThe stories of entrepreneurs who have be-

come both well-known and wealthy due to

franchising their small businesses are legion – and not just stories.

If you have a successful business and can develop a system that

ensures that others can duplicate your success, franchising may

be the fast track for growing your business. You may think that you

are getting too old or you don’t have

the time to expand your business;

that’s okay. You may want to find a

friend or a family member that wants

to get into the business, and you can

help them get a truck and teach them

the types of service you provide and

let them get started. You can be a

silent partner, or have them just pay

you so much per month. There are

different ways of starting something

like this. Think about it; you can be in

10 different locations and not do a

tow and still make money. It might be

worth taking a look at.

“If you have a successfulbusiness and can developa system that ensures thatothers can duplicate yoursuccess, franchising maybe the fast track for grow-

ing your business.”


10. EXPORTINGExpanding into international markets can also be a powerful boost

to your business’s bottom line. I

know it might sound crazy, but I

know of towers that have buyers

come to their location from other

countries and buy their junk cars, or

parts from their junk. Foreign buyers

pay a lot of money for parts. I was

talking to one of my salvage auction

buyers, and he told me he ships

doors and hoods and other parts to

other countries because some coun-

tries don’t have access to things we

think everyone has. Like franchising,

this is a way of growing your busi-

ness that requires quite a commit-

ment of time and resources, but it can be extremely rewarding.

This should give you plenty to think about over the next few

weeks. I know these are things you don’t have experience with,

but that’s where I can help. Let my

company be a part of your company

and take care of the business side of

towing. I am now offering consulting

services that can help you address

some of these areas listed above. I am

very affordable and I know I can help

your company grow. My services will

pay for itself. TOW

Go to www.danmessina.com to

learn about the Obama Care

health plan.

“The key to successfullygrowing your business

through diversification iseasy. Look at your existingcustomers and see if thereare other businesses thatmight have similar needs.”

GROWINGYOUR BUSINESS


Let’s face facts here…in the day and times

we live in, there is a lot of hype (or drama)

involved in every aspect of life. In my

humble opinion, most of it is just that…hype.

From reality TV to the 24-hour news cycle,

almost everyone is willing and able to pro-

claim how important they are, or how impor-

tant what they are doing is, and on and on.

Well, I am here to tell you that training in the

towing industry is not a godsend or the most

important thing you can do to succeed in the

towing business, but I do believe it is one of

the things that can help. There are many fac-

tors to being successful, including a good

business plan, understanding the needs of

your marketplace, having proper and well-

maintained equipment, and a little luck, just

to name a few.

So, where does training fit in? Training in

the towing business takes many forms, in-

cluding professional seminar style, like we

provide, along with many other originations;

formal and informal sessions inside of com-

panies and towing associations is another.

Information exchange on Internet message

boards, such as www.tow411.net and many

others, can be training sometimes, although

one must be sure to be able to think for

themselves and decipher tall tales from

facts. I hate to be the one to bring this up, but

on many towing-related Internet sites, some-

times there are some really incredible fishing

stories of some very large fish being caught

in heroic fashion. The only problem is that no

one got a picture of that fish. Don’t get me

wrong; I do believe message boards have

greatly improved the communication be-

tween towing operators worldwide.

I believe training is more of a mindset

than an action. It is an ongoing process. It

starts with the belief that you can never

know it all about any one subject and also to

be willing to listen to another viewpoint, an-

other person’s life experience, and to hear

the point whether you think it applies to you

right this minute or not. Many times, I have

talked with a towing operator who has told

me about a recovery and what it took to

By Wes Wi lburn

make it happen, and then found that infor-

mation useful years later.

Training is an ongoing process. Kind of

like bathing, it needs to happen on a regular

basis to be effective. Some operators learn

everything they can in the first year or two of

their careers and then get set in their ways of

doing things and never change over a 30-

year career. They might believe they have

30 years of experience, but, in reality, they

have 2 years of experience repeated 15

times over. This might work in a factory job

where things do not change, but when the

vehicles change every year and the towing

equipment evolves into better and safer

methods, this can limit one’s safety and, ulti-

mately, profitability.

Here is a statement from Fred Scheler,

President and CEO of Henry’s Wrecker Serv-

ice, the nation’s largest privately owned tow-

ing company, with over 200 trucks servicing

Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, DC:

“Most owners in our industry look at

training as an expense. When, in reality, it

should be considered an investment into

your company. It gives your employee a

morale boost by showing them you believe

in them and want them to be the best at

their job. Most companies look at purchas-

ing equipment as an investment and never

realize that the best investment one can

make in their business is by training their em-

ployees.”

One of the greatest athletes of all time

once said, “If you have practiced a technique

for years and it is incorrect, all you have ac-

complished is getting very good at perform-

ing an incorrect method.”Michael Jordan

used this message when trying to teach all-

star level teenagers correct methods for his

sport, basketball. Could this apply to Towing

& Recovery?

I have heard the quote “can’t teach an old

dog new tricks” many times. ”I am not going

to change” is another quote I have heard, as

well as, “I can see the method you are de-

scribing is better, but I am not going to take

the time or effort to change. Why should I?

What I have been doing has worked for all

these years and look at how successful I am.”

This is especially true of one lane up-righting,

whether it be a tractor trailer or a car: “The

police-DOT will shut the road down for me to

do whatever I want.”

Well, in my opinion, that is a very selfish

www.towprofessional.com | Volume 2 Issue 3 | Tow Professional 27

mindset that is saying to YOUR COMMU-

NITY I could care less about exposing you

and your loved ones to the chance of a sec-

ondary accident and your time has no value.

Now, please do not misunderstand; there are

many times the road needs to be shut down

(like during the upright itself) but BILLIONS

of dollars in fuel and time are lost because

many towers REFUSE to adopt new meth-

ods that would allow some movement of

traffic during the setup and rigging process. I

have and always will believe during the ac-

tual upright itself no traffic should be flowing

by the scene. If we were able (as an industry)

to help all Americans save fuel and time, the

entire nation would be better off. Remem-

ber that the oil companies raise prices when

there is more usage of their product. Am I

suggesting we can change the world? No, I

am not. Could we make a small impact? I say,

yes, we can.

Here is a quote from Steven Weil Sr., sec-

retary and treasurer of Weil Wrecker Service,

Alabama’s largest towing and recovery com-

pany:

“It has been beneficial to teach new em-

ployees, as well as veteran operators, new

and better methods of recovery and towing,

including a respect for the limits of their

equipment.”

Removing all the money issues and just

focusing on the chance of reducing second-

ary accidents caused by traffic congestion is

a large factor for my beliefs. Here is a statistic

to consider. In my home state of North Car-

olina, 69% of all fatalities in 2011 were the

result of a secondary accident. Am I suggest-

ing every one of those accidents would not

have happened if a different recovery

method was chosen? Heck no. Do I know in

my heart that many peoples’ lives could

have been affected in a positive manner if

everyone, starting with Police-Fire-DOT-EMS

and, yes, Towing, was more in-tune with the

harsh effects of sitting traffic, and they need

to be willing to step outside of their comfort

zone and see the big picture. Now let me be

clear the No. 1 rule of everything is still

safety, so by no means am I suggesting we

take any risk for personnel or equipment.

I do understand that getting folks to stop

texting while driving would have a much

larger impact, but that is something we can-

not control. We can help any accident we

work by trying to be more efficient.

Maybe one of the issues is that the art of

one lane up righting is just that; it is an art

that takes study, and practice. There use to

be time to practice in the towing industry,

which is no more. I attribute that to the

motor clubs and insurance industry, which

has strangled any real profit margin out this


Training can be One Piece of the Profit Puzzle


business (which does not allow time for any-

thing else than running calls) by their some-

time less than ethical tactics, all done in the

name of saving money, which they keep.,

Every motor club member would be ap-

palled to learn the substandard rates which

are paid to vendors.

Here is a perspective from Steven Weil,

Jr., a towing association training director:

“The relationship between the Alabama

Towing and Recovery Association has been

very good for many reasons:”

• He brings a nationwide perspective to ourstate.

• The training seminars have allowed us aproductive method to bring associationbenefits to members in all corners of ourstate.

• We have gained new members from host-ing these seminars, which allows towingoperators to see firsthand what the asso-ciation is all about.

• It did not cost us any money; we have ac-tually made money, which helped us fundour association and its activities. TOW

Wes Wilburn is a towing consultantwith 30 years experience in thetowing industry, with the last 20years devoted entirely to educationas a full-time instructor. He is the founder of the AmericanTowing and Recovery Institute. Theinstitute was formed to promotesafety, education, positive publicrelations and networking within theprofessional and business mindedtowing and recovery industry. The institute will provide andpromote live hands on traditionaltowing and recovery, providecertification on different levels asrequested by our members, developand distribute a series of PublicService announcement promotingissues of common concern andproviding cost benefits to ourmembers on common items thatthey use along with many otherbenefits.He can be reached by phone

910-486-8928 or by [email protected].


When my kids were younger, oneof their favorite TV shows was“Mythbusters.” I loved watching

it, also. How cool to get to smash, crash, andblow stuff up! One of my jobs at B/A Prod-ucts is testing. We do routine testing of ourwelded links. We test inbound material likechain, wire rope, and hooks. And, sometimes,we test to prove an idea or urban legend trueor false.

Several towers have asked me about twist-

ing or knotting a web strap. “What will happen?”

they ask. “I’ve heard it will break sooner,” they

say. So, we decided to find out. Before you read

any further, take a little test. It’s a true/false test,

so don’t get nervous. Question one: Tying a knot

in a web strap tie down will reduce its strength,

true or false? Question two: Twisting a web strap

will reduce its strength, true or false?

Before the testing started, I set up my con-

trols. The strap used for this testing was a 27’

cargo tie down with double J hooks in the ends,

a 10,000 LB minimum break strength, and a

3300 LB Work Load Limit. It is easily adjustable

and has enough length if needed, and I have a

history of testing for it. To get a control break (a

break against which the tests would be com-

pared), three assemblies were tested in a

straight line configuration, and the average

break was 10,833 LB. In two of the controls, the

web failed at the ratchet winder, one failed

when the hook opened. Length of assembly

was 80 �” from hook to hook, and the ratchets

were wound so between two and two and a

half wraps of web were on the ratchet mandrel.

All assemblies were pulled in our Crosby Na-

tional CN-22 flatbed tester. I also need to throw

in a disclaimer: All testing was done with new,

unused assemblies in a controlled environment.

Now that we have our baseline and disclaimer,

let’s do some testing.

Let’s look at the knot question first. Why

would you tie a knot in a web tie down? I can

think of three reasons, and there are probably

more. First, the strap has broken or been cut and

you need it to finish your job. Second, the strap

is too long and you need to shorten it. Last, it

may be unintentional. If you’re like me, when

you’re done using the tie down, you toss it in the

bed of your pickup or into your tool box, it gets

tangled, and a knot forms. (Yes, this has actually

happened to me.)

I set up four tests with knots. In two, the web

was severed and tied back together, and in two,

an overhand knot was used to shorten the strap

(this is the kind I end up with in my tangled

strap). Three tests would be done for each con-

figuration, and the results averaged.

Up first, a single overhand knot to shorten

the strap or simulate the result of a tangle. Aver-

age break was 3846 LB, all at the knot. High

break was 4336 LB, less than half of the mini-

mum break of our control sample. Test number

two was two overhand knots. Average break

was 3840 LB, and all broke at the knot. High

break was 3880 LB, slightly over the Work Load

Limit for the assembly. By the way, one knot

shortened the strap 5 �”, two knots 10”.

Next up is tying a strap back together. Two

different knots were tested, a square knot (yes, I

was a Boy Scout and know how to tie a proper

square knot) and an overhand knot. Once again,

TO TWISTOR KNOT?TO TWISTOR KNOT?

By Fr i tz Dahl in


three samples of each were tested. The results

were interesting. In all three tests of the square

knot, the knot pulled out and would not hold.

Maximum load seen was 4037 LB, but the av-

erage was 2773 LB, below the Work Load

Limit. The failure for the overhand knot was also

below the assemblies Work Load Limit, with an

average of 2722 LB and a high of 2947 LB,

but the failure was a break at the knot, after slip-

ping.

The overhand knot differed from the square

knot in both the failure type and amount of slip-

ping. The square knot tightened and started

slipping, and the load stayed near the maxi-

mum load. The overhand knot hit its maximum

load, and then the load dropped to between

1800 and 1900 LB as it started slipping. One

sample was pulled to the maximum stroke of

the tester, then reset and pulled again for a total

length of pull of 48 inches. In other words, it

slipped a lot! While both knots generated heat

while being pulled due to friction, the overhand

was warmer, to the point that some of the fibers

melted.

I think everyone will agree that the knot, re-

gardless of which kind, reduced the webs

strength. So, if you circled true on question one,

you got it right.

Let’s move on to the twist testing. To do this

test, we twisted the long strap between the

ratchet and the hook five revolutions, 10 revolu-

tions, and 25 revolutions, 3 samples of each.

The 5 turn test samples all broke above min-

imum, with an average of 10,614 LB. Failure of

one sample was where the web enters the

ratchet, and two samples the webbing shred-


ded where the hook is sewn on the long strap.

The 10 turn sample failed the same way,

one at the ratchet and two where the hook is

sewn on, but the average dropped to 8667 LB,

and none of the three pulls were over the

10,000 LB minimum Break Strength.

The 25 turn samples all failed where the

web enters the winder mechanism of the

ratchet with an average of 7050 LB, with 288

LB separating the high and low break.

One thing that popped up in the twist test-

ing is that all the breaks at the ratchet (five of

them) were remarkably similar. It looks like one

edge failed first, the web then ripped diagonally

across the web to the other edge. Take a look at

the photos. In addition, as the twist count in-

creased, the stretch decreased, and the sud-

denness of the break in-

creased.

So, what’s the verdict

on twisting? While it

could be argued that the

strap that was twisted 5

times failed above the

minimum break

strength, the 10 and 25 twist samples did not.

If you circled true on question two, you got it

correct.

I reviewed the Web Sling Tie Down Associa-

tion’s Recommended Operating Practices for

Synthetic Web Tie Downs. While they WSTDA

does specify web tie downs should not be knot-

ted, twisting is not addressed. My helper noted

that to get 25 twists in an assembly, you’d really

have to work at it, and I’d agree that even 10

would be tough. Also consider that we were

doing straight line testing; the web was not in

contact with any surfaces or corners. What ef-

fect would a square corner like on a sea con-

tainer or box truck have on a twisted strap?

Sounds like another test is in order.

In looking at the test samples, it seems that

failure occurred because the knot or twist con-

centrated the applied load to one edge or part

of the web, and once the failure started, the re-

maining web was unable to support the load.

Loads should always be applied evenly across

the width of the web. While the photos show

the results, I think the graphs show the results

best. In the twist graph, the more twists, the

greater the reduction in strength. In the knot

graph, no strap came anywhere near the mini-

mum break strength, and the majority either did

not make it to the Work Load Limit or barely

made it past the WLL.

So, how did you score on the test? While I

hope you got an A, that really was not the

point. My intention was to show what will hap-

pen when twists or knots are introduced to web

tie downs.

Now that you know the results, twist or

knot? No, thank you. TOW

B/A Products Co.8925 Mc Gaw CtColumbia, MD 21045410-381-1700

TO TWIST OR KNOT?


IN THIS NEW SERIES, WE TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT MAKES A SPECIFIC PRODUCT TICK. IN THISCASE, WE LOOK AT JUMP STARTERS AND HOW THE SPECIFIC PARTS OF A JUMP STARTER WORKTOGETHER TO SOLVE PROBLEMS FOR TECHNICIANS AND VEHICLE OWNERS. AT CLORE AUTO-MOTIVE, WE MANUFACTURE THREE SEPARATE BRANDS OF JUMP STARTERS: BOOSTER PAC,JUMP-N-CARRY AND CARSTART. EACH HAS SPECIFIC FEATURES THAT DIFFERENTIATE THEM,BUT THEY SHARE AN ARRAY OF COMPONENTS AND PERFORMANCE DRIVERS THAT ARE COM-MON AMONG ALL JUMP STARTERS.

The Heart of the Jump StarterThe battery is the most important contributor to jump starter

performance. It impacts everything from the jump starter’s max

boosting capacity, the number of jumps that can be performed

per charge, the amount of time that the jump starter can sit be-

tween charges, its ability to withstand abuse and the overall

service life of the unit.

Our ES Series (Booster PAC) and Clore PROFORMER (Jump-

N-Carry) batteries are specifically developed to perform vehicle

jump starting applications. They are designed to deliver excep-

tional power in a quick, concentrated burst. Numerous factors

contribute to the power derived from the battery, including the

number of lead plates contained, the physical composition of

those lead plates, the specific construction of the battery cells,

the purity of the electrolyte solution and more.

In our case, we utilize a high quantity of thin lead plates to in-

crease total lead plate surface area, which increases the power


of the battery. In addition, our plates contain few impurities, which

can sap power and accelerate depletion of the jump starter be-

tween charges. Our battery cell construction features enhanced

structure to better flow the power through the battery to the vehi-

cle. The electrolytic paste in our batteries is a high quality compo-

sition that enables more efficient recombination for better

discharging (jump starting) and recharging. All of these enhance-

ments serve a single purpose: deliver the power you need, even in

extreme conditions, over and over again.

Follow the Power PathSo, we’ve invested extensive research and development efforts

into the battery itself, but that investment is diminished if we can’t

get all of that energy to the vehicle. That’s where the Power Path

components come into play. These consist primarily of the output

cables and battery clamps.

Output cables must be sufficiently conductive to deliver the

battery’s energy without introducing excessive resistance, which

would result in a voltage drop, diminishing the jump starter’s ca-

pacity to start the vehicle. The more powerful the battery, the

greater the requirement on the output cables. Our output cables

are specifically mated to the battery capacity of each jump starter

to ensure optimal results. They are extremely durable, flexible in

cold temperatures and resistant to vehicle fluids and chemicals.

Like the output cables, battery clamps must facilitate an effi-

cient transfer of power from the jump starter to the vehicle. This

comes down to two factors: their conductive capability and their

ability to create a proper physical connection to the vehicle, be

that a battery post (positive cable) or the vehicle chassis (negative

cable). Our jump starters feature industrial grade clamps with

high tension springs to penetrate battery corrosion.

Many units feature our Hot Jaw™ clamps, which are wired on

both sides of the clamp jaw, for maximum power transmission to

the vehicle.

Recharge ConvenienceAnother aspect of importance comes when it is time to recharge

your jump starter. How can this be done? When should it be

done? How easy is it to accomplish this task? All of these issues

are related and can impact the longevity of your jump starter.

Most Clore Automotive jump starters feature automatic charging,

which allows the unit to be connected to an AC power source in-

definitely, without concern for overcharging the battery.


Designed for Jump StartingIt sounds redundant, but at Clore Automotive, our jump starters

are designed for jump starting. There are competitive products

around that perform more functions, whether through lights, USB

connections, built-in radios or other ancillary features. Our focus is

on repeatable, reliable, lasting power. Hundreds of discussions

with professional technicians, tool dealers, counter staff and oth-

ers have boiled down to one common theme: give me the power I

need to get the job done! So, we have invested most in those as-

pects of the jump starter that support extreme power delivery, as

noted above. When it absolutely has to start, you can rest assured

that your Clore Automotive jump starter has what it takes to get

the job done. TOW

CLORE AUTOMOTIVEwww.cloreautomotive.com800-328-2921


Before you can answer that question, we first have

to explore what web-based software really is.

Web-based software refers to software you

run over the Internet. With true web-based ap-

plications, you don’t install a CD on your com-

puter and you don’t download any software.

There are popular examples of web-based

applications in most industries, including ac-

counting, human resources, and financial plan-

ning, to name a few. People who manage their

retirement accounts or online banking are

using web-based software for important business and personal

purposes.

The growth in popularity of web-based software is driven by

several factors:

SimplicityWhen you use web-based software, you can be up and running

in just a few minutes. With no software to install and no hard-

ware compatibility issues, the process is quick and simple. An-

other factor with web-based software is you don’t need a

license for every computer. Plus, you never have to upgrade –

with web-based software, you’re always running the latest ver-

sion.

AccessibilityWeb-based software means you can use the system from any-

where you have Internet service. So, when a customer or insur-

ance company requests information, you can get it even if

you’re away from the office. There’s no such thing as leaving

something on the wrong computer.

Mobile AppsThe towing industry is a great example of where mobile applica-

tions can be very helpful. Real-time dispatch updates and the

ability for drivers to do more on the road means less to do in the

office and better customer service. Whether it’s sending an in-

voice directly to a customer or updating towing records, putting

that ability on the road with drivers is powerful. For a mobile ap-

plication to be truly effective, the data must always be real-time

and current. This can really only happen if you have web-based

software powering your mobile application.

Safe, Secure, ReliableMost web-based applications are very dependable, safe, and re-

liable. Your data is backed up constantly on modern servers in a

highly secure environment. Plus, reliable web-based software

companies make it so you can export your data as needed.

PriceUsually, there is little or no upfront cost with web-based soft-

ware. Much like your mobile phone or Internet service, you have

the system for a monthly fee. Many companies won’t even ask

you to sign a contract; you’re free to leave with your data any

time you aren’t happy.

There are many things to consider when you add a new soft-

ware tool to your business. Increasingly, web-based tools are be-

coming the standard, and the capabilities and benefits simply

cannot be ignored. TOW

About TowbookTowbook Management Software is headquartered in Michigan

and has provided web-based towing management software for

over 5 years. Recent updates to Towbook include the addition

of mobile apps for iPhone and Android, integration with Auto

Data Direct and the introduction of a QuickBooks connector.

Towbook takes great pride in having the industry’s best cus-

tomer support service. Support is free and available 24/7/365

– even on holidays.

www.towbook.com855-869-2665 (855-TOWBOOK)

No Setup Fees. No Contracts. No Worries.

company spotlight

Is Web-based Towing Software Right for You?


company spotlight

company spotlight

S & J Manufacturing, Inc. is a manufacturerof towing & truck transportation accessories. Wehave been in business for 20 years. S & J is afamily owned and operated company with over60 years of experience in the industry.

S & J Manufacturing was founded in Cuba,Missouri, in 1993 by Lonnie Smith after leaving amajor manufacturer of similar products after 30years. He started with a one-room, 2,500-square-foot building and just one employee. After thefirst six months, he quickly realized that he hadoutgrown the space and needed to relocate. Hepurchased property in Cuba and built a 6,000-quare-foot facility and has been there ever since.Over the next 15 years, we have added anadditional 24,000 square feet of manufacturingspace and 54,000 square feet of storage space.

Our facility has over 100 pieces of metalworking equipment. We can produce small orlarge volumes and offer a wide variety ofcapabilities to meet your needs. S & J is a full linefabrication shop with press breaks, shears, saws,milling machines, punch presses and bar and rodbending. We also have the capabilities to providemig welding, chain welding, plating, heat treating,CNC machining and tool and die making. We alsohave chain testing equipment to ensure a qualityproduct.

S & J is also a member of the Web Sling andTie Down Association. We have several differentsewing machines to produce Nylon and Polywebbing slings, bridles, wheel straps, tow strapsand auto tie down straps. We also offer tow dollystraps, cargo control, ratchets, car carrier straps

and more. We produce thousands of chain assemblies

each year and offer chain in several differentgrades, including G43, G70, G80, G100 & G120. Wecarry a wide range of accessories, as well,including, tie down hooks, shackles, snatchblocks, lever binders, winch binders and ratchetbinders, not to mention special products for theDepartment of Transportation, utility companiesand the coal mining industry.

Here at S & J, we are always looking to giveour customers the best service possible. Our goalis to provide a high-quality product at competitiveprices in a quick and timely manner. We takepride in providing a safe and reliable producteach and every time. We would like to thank ourloyal customers and look forward to 20 moreyears of serving the towing and truckingindustrial markets. TOW

S & J Manufacturing, Inc.

203 Commerce Drive • Cuba, MO 65453

Phone: 573-885-4460

Fax: 573-885-3351

[email protected]

S & J Manufacturing

In keeping with its ongoing tradition of com-mitment, superior products and support,

DWS has released its new underbody lineof wheel lifts. Offering the most advanced con-cept and design available today, the "LIL HER-CULES" product line is the strongest, mostdurable light duty wheel lift built by anyonetoday, period! Available in both standard "L" armwheel grid and self-loading style, you will findnothing stronger or more durable anywhere.Manufactured with grease-able, replaceableheavy bronze bushings on all pivot points andthe massive two piece crossbar pivot pins, thisis the strongest light duty wheel lift on the mar-ket. Its 3500lb extended capacity and 65"reach will outlast the competition, hands down!

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retrofitted to the HERC-A-MATIC with ease! Amassive two piece pivot pin gives more bearingsurface and keeps the pivot plates from spread-ing apart. All designed to keep your equipmenton the road making profit, not in the shop for re-pairs!

The "LIL HURCULES" can be shipped toyour facility or super-fast factory installation inDWS's manufacturing and customer serviceplant. Come in and visit our large showroom.See how we design, machine and manufactureall of the DWS product lines. For over 20 years,our LOW LOADER still has the lowest loadangle of any flatbed sold in America today! Forany and all of your towing equipment needs,call or email us. We stock one of the largest in-ventories of repair parts in the industry. From

our online catalog to our massive showroom,we're here to assist. If you need technical help,you can always feel free to call our service de-partment. We have the know-how to get youthe correct information to make your own re-pairs easier. Being one of the oldest and largestgives DWS an edge. Check out our website,give us a call, or stop on by. You'll be glad youdid! TOW

Detroit Wrecker19630 Fitzpatrick Street • Detroit, MI 48228(313) 835-8700 • www.detroitwrecker.com

LIL'HERCULES & HERC-A-MATIC WHEEL LIFTS


When owners Kim and Charlie Jaquesdecided to enter the Towing and Car Haulingmarket, the transition has fit hand-in-glove.

“Our original experience came in from theHeavy Lifting market, providing customfabricated slings, chains, wire ropes and nylonstraps to markets like mining, logging,commercial fishing, construction,manufacturing, drilling, agriculture and manyother industries. We found that many of theproducts we were already fabricating andselling were used in the Towing market, so wethought it was a perfect fit,” said Charlie.

Many of the high-profile jobs that theyhave worked on include providing materials tothe new World Trade Center, the scaffolding ofboth the Washington Monument and theGeorge Washington Bridge (NYC), 9/11 andHurricane Katrina cleanup efforts, theQuecreek Mine Rescue, Sales to Disney andthe Big Three Auto companies, riggingmaterials to the Marcellus Shale drillingcompanies and much, much more.

Since those days, RUGGEDTOW.COM hasblossomed into a company with four locations

in Pennsylvania, 40 employees, and acombined 50,000 square feet of manufacturingand warehousing space.

RUGGEDTOW.COM offers the towingindustry’s easiest-to-use website, using apicture-based approach.

“All of our prices listed have the freightincluded.” stated Kim. “We sew our own towdolly and over the wheel tie down systems.We sew our own axle straps and tie downstraps. We stock every V-Bridle known toman, whether its chain or nylon. We spliceand press our own winchlines and wire ropeassemblies. On top of that, we keep thevarious hardware like shackles, ratchethandles, load binders, hooks, etc, to completethe line.”

If you are in the market for after-market tie

down, recovery strap or chain, V-Chain, winchcable or related products, RUGGEDTOW.COMis a great place to find top quality, fastshipping, and great prices. TOW

RUGGEDTOW.COM

Tel: 724-586-2900

Fax: 724-586-2200

Toll Free: 888-244-3290

RUGGEDTOW.COM OFFERS AFTER-MARKET TOWING PRODUCTS

company spotlight

A new company has been founded to bringprice relief to our industry. Heavy Duty TowingEquipment is that company. It is owned andmanaged by Tony Strehle, who owned and op-erated a towing company himself. It was this ex-perience that led him to found Heavy DutyTowing Equipment. He was frustrated at ever-in-creasing prices and fewer purchasing options.So, he decided to do something about it.

Heavy Duty Towing Equipment concen-trates simply on heavy duty units including rota-tors. There are three integral boom/underliftsand three rotators. These units comprise 95% ofall heavy duty towing needs out there. What'smore...these are very well-built units carrying awarranty you can count on. And parts availabilityis excellent. This is extremely important. HeavyDuty Towing Equipment takes care of warrantyquickly. The last thing they want is a disgruntledcustomer.

All units are imported, but all imported unitsare not alike. Heavy Duty units conform to pub-lished SAE standards. Heavy Duty publishes allcapacities and guarantees these capacities. Thatis because all metal qualities and tolerances aretested and certified by the manufacturer. Heavy

Duty units will do exactly what they are adver-tised to do.

A popular tactic is to offer a bare bones unitof improper length as a price leader. Then it'seasy to tack on a tunnel box or a tri-axle cut forseveral thousand dollars. All of Heavy Duty'sunits come custom cut to your specifications, in-cluding tri-axles if specified. They all come fullyloaded with radio remotes and forks. They evencome with LED light bars and switch panels withloudspeakers, work lights and bus lifts. Comparethat to the standard equipment of the competi-tion.

And now for the best part. This equipment isoffered at a fraction of the cost of the big boys.Each sale is handled as if it were the only sale.The warranty (if any) is a smooth process. Theparts are prompt. So, all things being equal, why

pay more ? That's Heavy Duty TowingEquipment's stand.

In the beginning of this industry, the aim wasto provide a service that people were willing topay for and to do so profitably. The skyrocketingcost of equipment has pushed the boundariesand made it increasingly difficult to make a profit.The goal is to return to profitability and restorebalance to equipment prices. This equipment issupposed to make money. It is the backbone ofour industry.

The good people at Heavy Duty TowingEquipment are always ready to furtherdiscuss their equipment and its capacities.A simple look at their website,www.hdtowingequipment.com, or a callto 1-888-824-2002 can answer most ques-tions. A quote is always a good idea. Theprices will amaze you. TOW

Heavy Duty Towing Equipmentcompany spotlight

Our 10,000 lb. hy-

draulic planetary

winch has a new

design offering su-

perior features in-

cluding 100% braking, SAE J706 rating, and line pull of

46 fpm. Pull with 100 feet of 3/8” cable at a rate of

15.9 gpm. This workhorse winch mounts easily with a

4.5” x 10” mounting pattern. Tell us what you think of

our improved winch by posting your comments at

www.facebook.com/piercesalestexas.

Pierce Arrow Inc. dba Pierce Sales

549 U.S. HWY 287 S.

Henrietta, Texas 76365

800-658-6301 toll free

www.piercearrow.us

www.youtube.com/piercearrowinc

www.piercesales.com

PSHV10000

Hanscom K has been in business since 1992. We manufacture mobilecamera solutions mainly for the Tow/Repo, Emergency, and Refuse In-dustries. However, our roots started from working with the Tow Industry.We were able to build our business and brand from working with individ-ual tow truck drivers, then expanding to dealers and manufacturers.We've customized anything from your average back up camera systemto a rearview mirror back up camera system with GPS navigation inte-grating a DVR recording system with up to 4 cameras inside and out. What separates Hanscom K from other companies is that our team

develops personal relationships with each customer to ensure satisfac-tion and quality. We listen to our customers on suggestions to improveand enhance our products and then integrate these ideas into our prod-ucts. We offer the widest range of mobile solutions on the market, with avariety of LED/LCD monitor choices, cameras, mobile recording devices,and GPS products. All of our products come with a standard 2-year war-ranty, which shows how confident we are in our products to withstandday all conditions. We guarantee that we will provide our customers thebest and most competitive pricing on the market. Our mission is to sat-isfy clients with supplying high-quality products, unmatched service, andfast delivery to meet everyday needs.

Hanscom K • (847)756-4808 • www.hanscomk.com

[email protected]

Hanscom K


TM


HOOKEDUPProfessionalYour Resource for Towing & Recovery

TM

Manufactured with grease able, re-placeable heavy bronze bushings on allpivot points and the massive two piececrossbar pivot pins, this is the strongestlight duty wheel lift on the market. Hasa 3500lb extended capacity and 65"reach.• Available in both standard "L" arm wheel grid and self-loading style• Standard features include 12volt pump and valves with a 15' hand held control, adjustable mounting brackets for all types of pick ups.• A massive two piece pivot pin gives more bearing surface and keeps the pivot plates from spreading apart.

Check out our website, give us a call or stop on bye. You'll be glad you did!

19630 Fitzpatrick StreetDetroit, MI 48228(313) 835-8700detroitwrecker.com�

LIL'HERCULES & HERC-A-MATIC WHEEL LIFTS


TXI Systems, Inc.TXI Systems, Inc., dba towXchange, a leading

provider of software solutions for the towing indus-

try, has announced the launch of new updates to

its TOPS Business Analyzer. TOPS Business Ana-

lyzer is a metrics portal allowing business owners,

who utilize TOPS for the management of their tow-

ing operation or impound lot, to view live statistics

associated with their daily operation. This tool also

offers the ability for users to view summary data

over daily and monthly time periods.

“TXI Systems is pleased to announce the new

updates to TOPS Business Analyzer,” said Jeff Pesnell, COO of TXI Systems. “Having business metrics available is essential for

today’s business owners and managers.”

TOPS Business Analyzer offers live metrics, which include Total Daily Call Counts, Hourly Call Counts, Calls Taken by Call

Taker, Calls Taken by Tow Type, Calls Taken by Customer Type, and Total Calls Released Today. This information is presented

in table format and with chart diagrams. In addition, TOPS Business Analyzer offers daily and monthly statistics. A daily rollup

offers detailed totals for the prior day, month-to-date totals, and 30 day average totals.

Mike Bartolotti with Lincoln Towing Enterprises in Washington has managed his business using TOPS systems for 10 years

and said, “TOPS Business Analyzer is the perfect tool for reviewing the current state of our business. This tool offers live stats

and point in time snapshots for prior days. It’s easy to spot trends using this comprehensive tool.”

The TOPS Business Analyzer works in conjunction with the TOPS towing operations software. TOPS is a web-enabled soft-

ware system designed to help municipalities and towing companies better manage their business. Users can access the sys-

tem from any web-enabled computer. The software supports call taking, dispatching, driver communications, record keeping,

tow ticket management, inventory management, lien processing, auction management, and business reporting.

To learn more about TOPS and TOPS Business Analyzer, visit www.txisystems.com

UNIVERSAL V CHAINDESCRIPTION: S & J MANUFACTURINGS PATENTED J HOOKS

WITH OVAL EYE. THEY CAN BE ATTACHED TO THE T HOOK ON A CLUSTER BRI-

DLE TO MAKE A UNIVERSAL V CHAIN. WE CARRY 8” & 15” J HOOKS.

WE AT S & J ARE ALWAYS CREATING NEW & SPECIAL PRODUCTS FOR THE

CARGO & TRANSPORTATION INDUSTRIES.

For more information on any products, please call 1-573-885-4460 or check out our Web-site www.sjmetalmfg.com

HOOKEDUPProfessionalYour Resource for Towing & Recovery

TM


The quickest and safest way to lift a vehicle. This kit of 4 straps, Part# 38-LL8450KIT, was created by B/A Products Co. (with distributor and user input) tohelp you professionally lift a vehicle up to 13,320 lbs. carefully and securely froman accident scene using a spreader bar. There are multiple ways to attach to thecasualty using terminal connections. The straps have 36” of 1/4” grade 80 chainon one end to pass through the small holes of import vehicles and connect back toour Exclusive Twist Lock™ Grab Hook. Each strap has 4 loops to quickly adjustlength for varying weights and is rated for a WLL of 3,300 lbs. On the other end,you can purchase a round sling kit Part# 38-LLRK, (4) 4’ Green Round Slings, (4)Cordura Sleeves, and (4) Round Sling Hooks, to pass through rims of largervehicles creating a terminal connection.

AW Direct offers the Rescue 1800, portable power pack from Quick

Cable that’s built for use by tow truck, roadside assistance and rescue ve-

hicle operators. It jumpstarts all vehicles that operate on a 12-volt electri-

cal system. It features two heavy-duty internal 20 amp-hour batteries,

long 62-inch cables and a built-in work light with flasher, plus a 12 VDC

power source outlet for powering cell phones, tools and more during

emergencies. For more information, call AW Direct at 1-800-243-3194

or visit awdirect.com.

QuickCable Rescue 1800 PortableJump-Start Pack

WreckMaster LibraryPackage

AW Direct offers the Wreckmaster Library

Package, featuring training DVDs, books

and testing materials for becoming a

Wreckmaster certified towing operator.

Training is clear and effective with the Car

Carrier and Light Duty Recovery DVDs, plus

a Winching computer program and Special

Interests and

World of Recov-

ery books. Test-

ing materials

include two

Level 2/3 and

one Level 4/5 towing & recovery tests, all

in a convenient storage case. For more in-

formation, call AW Direct at 1-800-243-

3194 or visit awdirect.com.

New Product Introduction From B/A Products

Spreader Bar Vehicle Lifting Straps fromB/A Products

4 Hook Cluster with Chain Part # 11-74C

Great for added reach when

you need it. There are multiple

ways to connect chains to the

cluster. Has full assortment of

hooks for any situation.


DealerPlace


MarketPlace



TM

Agero . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17

Alexander Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32

American Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24

AmeriDeck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46

Associated Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

Atlanta Wrecker Sales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44

Austin Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36

AW Direct . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28

B/A Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19, 46

Beacon Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46

Bowers Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48

Collins Dollies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27

Custer Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28

CW Mill Equipment Co. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32

Dacotah Walsh Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47

Dan Messina . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23

Dangelo's Custom Built Mfg, LLC . . . . . . .16

Detroit Wrecker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

Direct Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46

Dual Tech . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45

Dynamic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .IBC

ECM Performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27

Flash Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

Fleet Sales West . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44

Florida Wrecker Sales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44

Ford . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .IFC, 1

Hal Kresser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47

Hanscom K . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31

Heartland Truck Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . .36

Heavy Duty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35

IAA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19

Industrial Netting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46

International Towing &

Recovery Museum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12, 13

KBK Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47

Lift and Tow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

Lodar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47

Marking Pen Depot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47

Mfr. Express . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

Midwest Regional Tow Show . . . . . . . . . . .33

NABancard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

National Traffic Signs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48

Nussbaum Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44

Olsen & Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47

Pierce Sales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25

Pillow Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47

Progressive Platforms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .BC

Ratler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47

Recovery Billing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29

ROI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47

Rugged Tow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25

RV Wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47

S&J Metal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31

Saftlite (General Mfg) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46

Specialty Vehicle & Equipment Funding . . . .5

Steck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29

Tiger Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

ToolTopia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46

Tow Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47

TowBook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

Towmate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

Twin State Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43

VTS Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47

Weiss Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48

Zacklift . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46

COMPANY PG COMPANY PG COMPANY PGADVERTISERINDEX

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