tow professional may/june

IN EVERY ISSUE

4 | Publisher Letter 34 | HOOKED UP

5 |2012 Hall of Fame Inductees Announced

5 |Bilt USA Manufacturing

6 |Dispatch Anywhere Expands GPS Support Capabilities

6 | In The Ditch Towing Products recieve new load rating ontheir Aluminum Tire Stands

7 |United Road Towing Donates

8 |Dynamic Industries Welcomes TruckMax of Miami

8 |Zip’s Truck Equipment opens second location

9 |Who Helps the Families of our Heroes?

10 | Care & Feeding of your winch

2 Tow Professional | May/June 2012 | www.towprofessional.com

CONTENTSMay/June 2012

www.towprofessional.com

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

Cargo Control20 |Does it really Matter?

24 | Collins Hi-Speed) Dollies

Safety26 |What Safety Regulations

apply to me?

Lighting30 |Light Bar Basics

IndustryNEWS

Cover Image Courtesy of Steven Weil from Weil Wrecker

Winches12 | Winch Basics and Not-so-Basics

16 | Which Winch is Which?

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

company spotlight

32 | Ranger

37 | Battery Testing – Three Reasons Why It Makes Sense to Go Digital

33 | SEFAC

www.towprofessional.com | May/June 2012 | Tow Professional 3


PUBLISHERS

Darian WeaverPresident & [email protected]

Jack HartsfieldVice President & [email protected]

__________________________

PRODUCTION

Clint W. CabinessArt Director

Hal K. HuberGraphic Designer

__________________________

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Tom BrayFritz DahlinRichard FarrellPhilip H. HaltCurtis HassellTodd K

Jim Shellhaas

__________________________

Executive and Advertising OfficesP.O. Box 26308

Birmingham, AL 35260Toll free: 888-802-8544Fax: 205-978-1550


Tow Professional is published seven times a year on a bi-monthly basis by Over The Mountain Media, Inc., P.O. Box 26308,Birmingham, Alabama, 35260, USA. Tow Professional is distrib-uted free to qualified subscribers. Non-qualified subscriptionrates are $57.00 per year in the U.S. and Canada and $84.00 peryear for foreign subscribers (surface mail). U.S. Postage paid atBirmingham, Alabama and additional 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

TMLETTERMay/June 2012


For a new free subscription, address changes or corrections, please visit www.towprofessional.comandclick on the “subscribe” tab.

As we move through Spring and into Summer, time is absolutely flying past

me- Monday turns into Friday and Friday into Monday…

In April, Darian and I went to the Florida Tow Show which was very well attended.

The weather wasn’t quite as good with showers coming in the afternoon both Friday

and Saturday. Half of the show was inside the Downtown Disney Hilton with the other

half being outside in the parking lot. We met a lot of the operating audience, cus-

tomers/potential customers (advertisers), and several of the people from the other

magazines within the market. It was a pleasure meeting you all.

This past April 27th marked the anniversary of more than 60 tornadoes that that de-

stroyed thousands of homes and businesses, killing near 250 people in the state of Ala-

bama. As we are based in Alabama, I would like to recognize and give thanks to

Heisman Trophy winner Vincent “Bo” Jackson and his efforts to raise $1 million for the

Emergency Relief Fund. From April 23rd-28th 2012, Bo had a fundraiser dubbed “Bo

Bikes Bama”. Jackson rode a specially made bike painted orange and blue (the colors

of his alma mater, Auburn University) which bears the name of every person who died

in the twisters. The ride began in Henagar, Alabama and ended in Tuscaloosa, Ala-

bama- a 300 mile path of destruction that the tornadoes ripped apart. Hundreds joined

Jackson for the ride, including celebrities such as Lance Armstrong, former major lea-

guer Ken Griffey Jr., NBA star Scottie Pippen and downhill skier Picabo Street. Riders

could join Jackson for $200 a day. The ride was a success- THANK YOU BO!

In this issue you will find feature editorials on Winches, Cargo Control, Safety Regula-

tions and Lightbar Basics. Also, see company profiles on Ranger SST, and SEFAC.

Have a great Summer,

Jack Hartsfield and Darian WeaverCo-Publishers

P U B L I S H E R S


We would like to take this opportunityto introduce Bilt USA Manufacturing.Bilt USA Manufacturing is a company that isnew in name but not new in nature. Wehave leased the plant and offices onceowned by AATAC, a leader in the towing in-dustry for years. Bilt USA Manufacturingbuilds a product that is second to none and we stand by our products offering a 2 year warranty on our carrier beds and tow trucks.

We offer continued customer support andour goal is to provide our customers withgreat customer satisfaction. Not only do webuild these products, we have parts to helpyou with your current situation should theneed arise. We understand that time ismoney.

While we do not build AATAC products,we know that some of the products stillexist and we have the capability to serviceand provide parts for the majority of theAATAC line.

We are here to assist you in any way tohelp you with your tow truck needs and ifyou need anything, please do not hesitate tocall.

Bilt USA Manufacturing > > >. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

April 10, 2012/CHATTANOOGA, TN –Ten outstanding industry leaders have beenselected for induction into the InternationalTowing and Recovery Hall of Fame as theClass of 2012.

Robert G. Birrell, Jr. (Kinsman, Ohio),

Paul M. Bressi (Olympia, Washington),

Darrell H. Mansfield (Cheshire, England),

Michael P. McGovern (Knoxville, Tennessee),

Nicholas J. Ovenden (Ashford, Kent, England),

Alex Robb (Glasgow, Scotland),

Jeffrey P. Roskopf (Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin),

James Satterfield (Sikeston, Missouri),

Robert E. Schatzman, Jr.-Deceased (Spring Hill, Florida), and

Robert Sommers-Deceased (Canoga Park, California) were nominated by mem-

bers of the International Towing & RecoveryHall of Fame and Museum for their manycontributions to the towing and recovery in-dustry, their families and their communities.

“Each year, the inductees share com-mon strengths which have led to their nomi-nation into this prestigious group,” says BillGratzianna, President of the InternationalTowing and Recovery Hall of Fame and Mu-seum.

“This year’s inductees share a dedicationto their state and local towing organizationsas well as the national towing and recoverycommunity.”

Hall of Fame members will be recog-

nized at an induction cer-emony to be held at 6p.m. on September 15th,2012 at the DoubleTreeHotel of Chattanooga. Afull weekend of activitieswill be held to celebratethis year’s inductees. Formore information on the

induction ceremony, or to order tickets, callCheryl Mish at 423-267-3132.

The International Towing & RecoveryHall of Fame & Museum is the only onein the world for the Towing Industry. Itwas opened September 22, 1995.There are 18 antique tow trucks on dis-play along with memorabilia from the in-dustry. Chattanooga, Tennessee was thechosen site for the museum as ErnestHolmes, Co. built the first wreckers therein the early 1900’s. The museum is cur-rently located at 3315 Broad St., Chat-tanooga, TN. 37408.

2012 Hall of Fame Inductees Announced > > >IndustryNEWS

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

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

Beacon Software’s new GPS and Smart-phone/Tablet support for its popular Dis-patchAnywhereTM Visual Dispatch let youknow where your drivers are at all times.

“A lot of owners share that they get frustratedwhen it’s busy and they are trying to locate adriver to send on another job,” says Todd Alt-house, President of Beacon Software. “We’reseeking to eliminate some frustration and providea viable business management tool that can beused with a variety of GPS options.”

The Visual Dispatch module, coupled withGPS, enables you to SEE the location of eachtruck/call. And with the recent addition of Wire-less Matrix, Fleetmatics and mobile phone sup-port, you can select from a variety of GPS optionsthat include GPS systems from Teletrac, TomTom,iTrak, VehiclePath, AVLocate, DriverLocate, Elite-Trak, Contigo (Fleetboss), StreetEagle, and C3 Lo-cation Systems. Visual Dispatch also tracksiPhones, iPads and most Andriod based phonesand tablets. Beacon will continue to add otherpopular GPS systems as requested by their cus-tomers.

With Visual Dispatch, you can choose to have

only the map or the map and Dispatch Grid win-dows open at the same time. Some users elect tohave the dispatch grid displayed on one monitorwith the map displayed on a second monitor for acomplete picture.

Visual Dispatch also supports Road, Aerial andBird’s Eye Views to allow a company to accuratelysee a job so they can better direct the driver.

Visual Dispatch is very affordable for any sizecompany: only $20/Dispatch Anywhereuser/month (in addition to your GPS monthlyfees) and a mobile data plan is required.

“Unlike many of our competitors, we do notcharge by the truck or driver,” Althouse says. “Ourgoal is to be a part of the solution, not an addi-

tional problem.”Watch for Beacon’s New Dispatcher APP for

iPhone, iPad and Android coming July 2012. Itwill incorporate many of the features of Dis-patcher Anywhere’s Visual Dispatch to allowtracking while on the go.

For more information on Dispatch Any-where Mobile Apps, or how Beacon Soft-ware can help your company, visitdispatchanywhere.com, stop by our booth atthe Florida Tow Show, or follow us on Face-book.

DISPATCH ANYWHERE EXPANDS GPS SUPPORT CAPABILITIES

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Mountain Home, Idaho – April 2, 2012 – InThe Ditch Towing Productsof MountainHome, Idaho announced today that their Alu-minum Tire Stands, Part # ITD1132, have re-ceived a higher load rating. Until recently, the tirestands have been rated at 6,000 lbs. each. Thenew stronger design is now rated at 10,000 lbsper tire stand.

Chuck Ceccarelli, President of In The Ditchsaid, “With the large number of towers from theUS, Australia and Europe requesting a higher

rating, we gave our engineers a challengeand they answered it with an all new design thatnow supports 10,000 lbs. each’.

With the stronger design, the Tire Standshave passed the stringent ASME PALD-2009standard…which is the “Safety Standard forPortable Automotive Lifting Devices”.

In The Ditch Towing Products is the manu-facturer of towing equipment and truck acces-sories. Find out more by goingwww.intheditch.com.

CONTACTJake ReynoldsIn The Ditch Towing Products3195 Industrial WayMountain Home, Idaho 83647Toll Free: 1-888-993-4824Local: [email protected]

In The Ditch Towing Products receives new load rating on their Aluminum Tire Stands > > >


May 1, 2012/CHATTANOOGA, TN –UnitedRoad Towing (URT) recently donated $45,000to the Survivor Fund (SF) on behalf of its em-ployees. The Survivor Fund founded in 2006and managed by the International Towing andRecovery Hall of Fame and Museum wasstarted to offer financial support to the familiesthat have lost a loved one in the line of servicewithin industry. Since 2006 the Survivor Fundhas approved and paid out over 150 claims tosupport families in their time of need due totragic accidents. As a follow up to URT’s dona-tion, the Survivor Fund Committee voted to in-crease the death benefit paid to each approvedapplication from $1,500 per incident to$2,000 per incident. If the deceased was em-ployed by a member company of the Interna-tional Towing & Recovery Hall of Fame &Museum, the benefit increases to $2,500.

“We are thankful for URT’s overwhelminggenerosity in helping the Survivor Fund reach asignificant goal in funds raised while operatingin such a difficult economy. The committee de-cided based on past averages and current in-vestments on hand that now was the time toincrease funds for those who apply for assis-tance. This has always been the Survivor Fund’sgoal and to achieve this in the first six yearsspeaks mountains for the support the industryhas shown.” said Jeffrey Godwin the SF Com-mittee Chairman. “On behalf of all of our em-ployees and their families as well as our threefallen employees who are recognized on theWall of The Fallen, we couldn’t think of a moremeaningful charity for which to contribute. Ourhope is that the funds will lessen the pain forthe families left behind when these tragediesoccur,” said Jerry Corcoran, CEO of URT.

About ITRHOFMThe International Towing & Recovery Hall ofFame & Museum host the Wall of the FallenMemorial, the only one in the world for the Tow-ing Industry. It was unveiled September 22,2006. The museum is currently located at3315 Broad St., Chattanooga, TN www.internationaltowingmuseum.org

About URTUnited Road Towing, Inc. is the leader in tow-ing, recovery, impound, and vehicle manage-ment solutions in both the private and publicsectors. Through an extensive portfolio of localand regional brands, the Company dispatchesapproximately 500,000 tows, manages over300,000 impounds and sells over 60,000 ve-hicles annually across the United States. The

Company currently operates out of13 major markets and is headquar-tered in Mokena, IL www.unitedroadtowing.com

United Road Towing Donates > > >. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Dynamic Towing Equipment and Manu-facturing, a leading manufacturer of selfloading wreckers and carriers, announcedtoday that they have welcomed TruckMax ofMiami, Florida to their growing distributor net-work. This collaboration is part of Dynamic Tow-ing’s effort to expand their distribution services to

the growing repossession/towing market inFlorida. TruckMax is a major player in Floridacommercial truck sales. TruckMax provides newand used box trucks, refrigerated trucks, land-scape trucks, tow trucks, flatbed trucks, dumptrucks, class 8 tractors, utility trucks, bucket trucksand much more. TruckMax is an authorized

dealer for Isuzu Trucks, Volvo Trucks, MitsubishiFuso Trucks, Hino Trucks, Cummins, Allison, andBabco Truck Bodies. Shelly Schultz, DynamicTowing’s Vice President, noted, “TruckMax hasproven their success in commercial truck sales,and with their 3 locations Dynamic customersnow have a variety of locations to purchasetrucks, as well as receive service. I’m excitedabout our new partnership.”

TruckMax of Miami is located just off thePalmetto Expressway and NW 58 Street.They also have convenient locations on USHWY 1 in Ft. Pierce, Florida and in Home-stead, Florida. Questions, contact Truck-Max 1.888.815.1900 or Dynamic TowingEquipment 800.831.9299 toll free.


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

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Dynamic Industries Welcomes TruckMax of Miami

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

> > >

May 9, 2012 - Detroit, Michigan -On May4th and 5th Zip's Truck Equipment held the GrandOpening for their newest branch located in Taylor,Michigan,just a mile from the Detroit Metro Air-port. Multiple product and equipment vendors,the owners of Zip's Truck Equipment, and the newteam from the Taylor location were present.Nearly 200 guests from all over the region, cameto see for themselves; Zip's Truck Equipment'sstate of the art Parts Store, Indoor Truck Show-room, and 12 Bay Service Facility. Towing ownersand operators explored the virtual communicationcapabilities of the showroom kiosks, and shoppedthe aisles of specialized towing and truckequip-ment parts and accessories.

Zip's Truck Equipment opened in Taylor, Michi-gan in late March. This 28,000 square foot facility

was built to replicate the first-classservices offered at Zip's headquar-ters in New Hampton, Iowa. Zip'sspecializes in the sale and financingof automotive towing equipment, including awide variety of tow trucks, wreckers, rollback carcarriers, multi-car haulers, and related equipment.

In addition, Zip's has ex-panded many product lines toinclude snow plows, truckingrelated accessories, andmore.The metro Detroit location of-fers a complete body upfitservice department with expe-rienced wrecker mechanics, afull sales and service staff, alarge parts and accessorystore with in-stock availabilityon most products, over 30new and used in-stock wreck-ers, carriers, and trailers, and financing for trucksand other equipment.

This new location relies on a combination ofknowledgeable and hardworking people withmodern technology to keep their customers onthe cutting edge in the towing industry. Zip'sstrives to provide the highest level of service, be-fore and after the sale. It is our mission to create amarket place for new and used tow trucks andtowing equipment providing the services neces-

sary for its purchase, mainte-nance and disposition. It isour goal to raise the qualityof life of those in the towingindustry by helping to imple-ment innovations and tech-nological advances through"World Class" service, work-manship and support.

Originally, Zip's Auto Body was established byHarry and Vivian Zipse in1955 in New Hampton,

Iowa. In 1974 Paul Rottinghaus beganworking for Zips. After12 years ofbeing involved in all aspects of the busi-ness, Rottinghaus purchased the com-pany and changed the name to Zip'sTruck Equipment. Since1986 Paul andMargo Rottinghaus have expanded theproduct lines, added over 80 employ-ees, and built a custom facility in Iowato meet the unique needs of the busi-ness and their customers.

The Michigan location was a hugestep towards accommodating Zip's

new and existing customers east of the Missis-sippi. David Rottinghaus, son of Paul, along withhis wife Tiffany, relocated to Michigan in late2011. Thebuilding which is within 1 mile of the DetroitMetro Airport, went under extensive renovationsbefore being open to the public. David and Tiffanywork at the location full-time and manage the dailyoperations of the branch. "We hope to prove tothis new market that the quality of our product, de-pendability of our staff, and service to our cus-tomers is top-notch. We invite any and all towingoperators and owners to visit our new locationand learn more about what we do, what makes usdifferent, and how we can help you become aleader in your industry", says David Rottinghaus.

For more information about Zip's Truck Equipment, and the services theyoffer, visitwww.zips.com.

Zip’s Truck Equipment opens Second Location in Detroit Metro > > >


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The towing business often provides thegreat satisfaction of a job well done. Unfortu-nately it also sometimes involves tragic circum-stances. The tragedy could come in the form ofsudden and dramatic violence from a debtorwhose vehicle is being towed. Or the tragedy couldbe a silent, serious, and life-changing illness that as-sails the uninsured family of a recovery agent.

On November 5, 2007 Greg Hamilton of Ala-bama Recovery Service unexpectedly died fromwhat is believed to have been a viral infection.

On August 9, 2008 Christopher “Fubu” Ab-bott, a charming and likeable young employee (28)of New England Associates passed away after abrief illness.

On November 12, 2009 Brandon Thomas andWillie Thackston were both shot by a debtor whileattempting to repossess a vehicle in Georgia. Bran-don died. Willie was critically injured.

While each of these situations is both sadden-ing and unique, they all share two things in com-mon: In each case the family of a recovery agentfaced a tragedy for which it was financially unpre-pared. And, in each case someone stepped in tohelp.

That someone was the Recovery Agents Bene-fit Fund, or RABF. RABF collected $7,470 to helpGreg’s family and $7,060 to cover burial expensesfor Chris. Willie received over $13,000 from thefund, as did Brandon’s wife Brandy.

Police officers and firemen drive into harm’sway every day. So do recovery agents. But unlikepolicemen and firemen, recovery agents often donot have health, life, or burial insurance. A serious in-jury, illness, or even death becomes an emotionaland financial double whammy for the family of a re-covery agent.

That’s why in 2002 Ed Marcum establishedthe charitable organization that is now called RABF.Since its founding, RABF has given money to atleast 20 families who called on the fund because offinancial hardship caused by a debilitating injury, ill-ness, or death. No one involved with the fund getspaid for their time and efforts. As unusual as it mayseem these days, the folks at RABF do what they doout of the goodness of their hearts!

Key players in the towing industry recognize theimportance of RABF. Dynamic Towing Equipmentand Manufacturing donates a 601 Slide-In Unit,which gets raffled off so the proceeds can go to the

RABF. The list of other support-ers includes Recovery Special-ist Insurance Group; DianeKirzl, CPA; Web Weaver USA,Inc.; Global Printing; Repo-

man.com; and, Mike “The TowTruck Guy” Reiter/HAR Inc.

RABF needs your donation to continue operat-ing. RABF is recognized as a charitable organizationby the IRS, so your contributions to RABF will betax-deductible. Making a donation is easy. You cando any of the following:

• Call them at 703 365 0409.• Fill out a check as you normally would andthen fax it to 703-365-0753. • Mail your donation to: RABF, P. O. Box 4012,Manassas, VA 20108.• Donate using PayPal at the RABF website: Re-coveryAgentsBenefitFund.org/donation.asp

Many recovery agents are unsung heroes. Whileyou personally may not be a recovery agent who isfacing life-threatening situations every day, you stillcan be a hero to the family of a recovery agent in itsdesperate time of need. Any contribution, no mat-ter how small, will be appreciated. Please make adonation to the Recovery Agents Benefit Fundtoday.

WHO HELPS THE FAMILIES OF OUR HEROES? > > >


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

There are two basic types of winchesused in the towing industry today. Theworm gear and the planetary. The differ-ences are easy to spot and both have theirown strong and weak points.

WORM GEARInput or motor on side (90 deg)to drumThis type of winch has been a main stay ofthe industry for many years. Strong and

tough, they can take a lot of abuse. Keepthem full of gear lube and the will last foryears. (there are some out there over 60years old and more).

The basic worm gear winch has but 2

moving parts. The worm gear and the bullgear. Repairing a worm gear winch is prettystraight forward and not too difficult. This isthe same configuration as your trucks rearend gears. The biggest downside is TOOSLOW! There are a couple of things you cando to speed this up a bit. Of course, ramp upthe rpm a little. (1200-1400 max) Theother thing is to change the hydraulic motorto a faster speed. You will tend to lose a littlemax-power but for most people this is not abig deal.(I remember a study done by a verylarge motor club stating the average loadpulled by a flatbed was less than 3000lbs.)So a faster motor is no big deal.

CARE & FEEDINGOF YOUR W I N C H

By R ichard Far re l l

Winches are generally one of the most used and abused tools that towers have. Over the years, I have seensome amazing things done to winches and cables. Some left my mechanics wondering how these weredone. Some types of winches will take abuse better than others, but all need care and maintenance.

PLANETARYMotor on end, in line with drum. This style winch is multi-gear driven . Mostall have a cluster or sun gear inside the mainhousing and a direct (in line) motor arrange-ment. All will have some type of spring orhydraulically tensioned, internal clutch brak-ing, generally released by the input motor.These winches have the benefit of greatspeed when pulling with little or no loadand slowing down as the weight or load isincreased. One thing that should never bedone is to hook up to a disabled vehicle andpull by driving rather engaging the winch.This will cause massive damage to the

brake assembly and drive section of thewinch.

All winches are rated on the first layer ofcable. A winch rated at 8000 lbs that ispulling on the third layer has reduced its ca-pacity to approx. 5100 lbs. You can figureabout 15% loss per layer.

Keeping your cable straight and even onyour drum will save you from expensive re-pair cost. I have seen many cables getwrapped between the edge if the case andthe drum. This is only caused by letting thecable wrap up loose and not watching thecable when winching in the load. Cable ten-sioners and roller guides help, but you stillneed to start with a straight and neat drumof cable and by keeping tension (and youreye) on the cable while winching.

Winches have a cable release device forfree spooling the cable. This saves time byletting the cable out without winching. Al-ways remember to completely re-engagethe free spool clutch before you start winch-ing in your load. Greasing the shaft and han-dle pivot should be part of your regularmaintenance program. When you do re-

lease all yourcable out keepin mind youneed to keep atleast 5 wrapsof cable aroundyour drum. Thebolt or set screw isnot rated to hold anyload.

Keeping your winch and cable in goodworking order will save you time andmoney. By doing these simple things youcan keep your down time and repairs to aminimum.TOW

Detroit Wrecker Sales19630 FitzpatrickDetroit, MI 48228

Local: 313-835-8700 National: 877-TOW-0030 Fax: 313-835-4838 Webstore: www.DetroitWrecker.comEmail: [email protected]



I think back to the beginning of my recovery days

when it seemed fine to wrap the wire rope

around the frame of an overturned casualty, at-

tach the hook back to the wire rope, idle up and

jerk the vehicle back to its

correct “top-side-up” posi-

tion. I compare that situation

to the knowledge I have

now of doing it correctly and

safely, all while saving

money from having to re-

place damaged parts. It

seems as though it should

be easy to teach the new

guys not to make the same mistakes I made.

WRONG. Now, I do not proclaim to be a psychol-

ogist or even know much about the human

thought process, but 20+ years in the recovery in-

dustry has taught me that most of us have a hard

time admitting we have done things wrong or do

not know something recovery related.

This leads me to why I am writing this article.

When we think of winches and wire rope, we as-

sume they’re super-strong and nearly indestructi-

ble. WRONG again. That was the impression I

had when I started out in the recovery field. For

quite some time, I had the impression that if

something broke within the winching system

then it had to be a manufacturer’s defect. And…I

was WRONG again. Are you seeing a pattern

here?

LET’S START WITH WIRE ROPE. First off, we need to think of our wire rope as a

running machine with moving parts. How’s that

you ask? Think of a 4x4 truck on dry pavement.

The truck hops and chirps when you make a re-

ally tight turn. This is because the outside wheel is

Coming from a life working in (and own-ing) collision centers, repair shops, tire

shops and now working in the marketingand technical side of the industry, my

human hard drive of stories, mistakes, ac-complishments and knowledge of the

towing industry is reaching critical mass.

By Todd K . , AWDirect

Techn ica l Product Suppor t

NOT-SO-BASICS

WINCH BASICS&


traveling much farther than the inside wheel while being

locked together, which wears rubber off of the outside

tire. Wire rope behaves the same. When it goes around a

sheave or the winch drum, the outside wire strands of the

rope rub against the slower-moving inside strands. This

wears on the small metal strands of the wire rope the

whole time. It’s a sound practice to replace wire rope at

least every six months on a regularly used recovery vehi-

cle, even if there are no obvious signs of wear. The wear

could be taking place, unseen, inside the rope where the

small wire strands have worn on each other, leaving

breakage to occur anytime with no warning. A six-month

replacement schedule should keep you, your employees,

your equipment and your customers safe.

There are a host of other damages and problems one

can inflict upon wire rope. These include, but are not lim-

ited to: bending, smashing and kinking. For instance, a

3/8" wire rope should never be run around anything less

than a 4"-diameter sheave, or across

sharp edges (such as the edge of your

carrier bed). Plus, we all know we should

never wrap the wire rope and hook

around an object and attach the hook

back to the wire rope itself. Most of these

problems can be avoided by using a syn-

thetic rope, but that is an article all by it-

self and we will leave that for a future

writing.

NOW ON TO THE WINCH. The winch is the heart of your truck. Just

like the heart that beats in your chest,

you are bound to have problems with it if

WINCH


you neglect it long enough, and

probably at the most unfortunate

times. You do not have a heart attack

at the hospital and your winch will

not give out at the shop. So…Lubri-

cate! Lubricate! Lubricate! Lubrica-

tion is the lifeblood of your winch. Be

sure to change the lubricant at least

every season to prolong the internal

parts of your winch. The type and

weight of lubricant can be found in

your winch’s manual. (AHHH! No

manual? Manuals for most common

name brand winches can be found

on the manufacturers’ websites).

Check for leaks at the gear and

motor side of your winch. The hy-

draulic motor mount usually has a

weep hole. If there is any fluid drip-

ping from it, replace the seal between the motor and the mount. Check

for leaks at any gear case seams and replace the gaskets as necessary.

Check for loose bolts in the winch frame and for excessive play in the

winch drum from side to side. Last, but certainly not least, check the

clutch side of the winch. This usually has a fairly simple design—a handle

hooks to a clutch fork that slides the jaw clutch’s two teeth in and out of

the two teeth in the side of the drum. This allows the winch to free-spool.

The simplicity of this design is also what causes the most problems with

NOT-SO-BASICSWINCH BASICS&


user error. That’s right, here is where a

lot of us go wrong.

There’s that pattern again. Since I was

one of the largest violators of the cor-

rect clutch disengagement-engage-

ment procedures, I can explain it well! It

is 18 degrees outside. We are picking

up a stranded mid-size car in 15" of

snow. We pull up, hit the MICO lock, en-

gage the PTO and idle up. We jump out,

pull the clutch release and raise the

bed. We shovel the snow from the front

of the car, attach our V-strap and pro-

ceed up the bed to pull the winch cable

out. We find ourselves sliding down the

snow and ice on the bed until we stop

abruptly at the snow-covered V-strap and attach the hook. Now

shivering and slightly shaken from the unintended luge trip down

the carrier bed, we check traffic then hurry back to the side of the

carrier. We tap the clutch release lever back in and pull on the

“winch in” handle until the clutch engages into the spool. WRONG

again. Rounded jaw clutch teeth are the single largest repair to

winches that I see and are easily the most dangerous condition to

have with your winch.

It all stems from the clutch engagement

method mentioned before. When we power in

to engage the clutch, the pressure and speed of

the drum rotation can catch the jaw clutch be-

fore it is fully engaged, leaving only a 1/4" or

less of the teeth engaged. This situation causes

the teeth to round out if done repeatedly. Once

rounded, it may cause the winch to disengage

at any time, allowing your casualty to freely roll

down the bed and over anything and anyone

behind it. The correct procedure for engaging

the jaw clutch is to release the clutch lever, then

tug on the wire rope until the jaw clutch en-

gages into the drum and stops the free-spool-

ing. Then and only then should power be

applied to the winch. I want to stress this: we can prevent damage

to our machines and customer vehicles, or even prevent the loss of

life by simply using machines the way they were designed to be

used—safely and correctly.

Give someone a winch and they will pull stuff around. Teach

someone recovery and they will be an asset to our industry and so-

ciety. TOW

WINCH

W H I C H

WINCHI S W H I C H ?

Merriam - Webster defines awinch as a machine for haul-ing or pulling. Specifically, awinch is a powerful machinewith one or more drums onwhich to coil a rope, cable, orchain for hauling or hoisting. Inindustry, winches stand at theheart of machines as diverseas tow trucks, large industrialcranes, heavy hauling equip-ment and off road vehicles re-quiring self-recovery. Themore elaborate designs havegear assemblies that can bepowered by electric, hy-draulic, pneumatic or internalcombustions drives.


www.towprofessional.com | March/April 2012 | Tow Professional 17

By Phi l ip H. Ha l tMarketing Product Manager

The two most common designs of

winches used in the Industrial Market-

place are the Worm Gear Winch and the

Planetary Winch. Worm gear winches,

by design, provide a very rugged plat-

form for heavy duty applications. The

planetary winch design offers higher

speed and higher efficiency when com-

pared to its counterpart. However a sep-

arate breaking system is required with

the planetary design. Which type of

winch is better? It depends on the appli-

cation. This is where a winch profes-

sional comes in; to help with the

specification of the proper winch.

Most US manufactures design to the

Industry Standard: SAE J706 Rating of

Winches: SAE J706 is a voluntary stan-

dard for intermittent duty winches.

Winches meeting this standard must

comply with design guidelines for the

free spool mechanism, brake holding

force, drum diameter in relation to the

cable diameter (8:1), cable anchor pocket and other design guidelines. As part of the testing procedure,

all winches must be tested to a two times load test.

Worm Gear Winch:Worm gear winches have fewer moving parts than other designs and are known

for their superior endurance and high reliability. The gear box of a Worm Gear Winch has two major parts,

the worm and the main or bull gear. It is generally accepted in the industry that worm gear winches have

a slower line speed and are less efficient than other designs. However, they are also generally self-braking,

meaning that they stop when the driving worm gear stops and are extremely robust. Due to some new

highly efficient gearing technology, there are some worm gear winches that have line speeds that are

equal to their planetary counterparts for the same line pull. Reference: Ramsey Winch HSW 10,000

Worm Gear Winch has the same line speed as the HD-P 10,000.

Planetary Winch:The planetary winch has gained popularity because of its compact size, smooth

operation and good resistance to torque loads. This design also allows for generally higher efficiency gear

ratios than the standard Worm Gear Winch. The planetary winch gear box is made up of the sun gear sur-

rounded by a number of planetary gears that

engage the ring gear. The planetary winch is

also more efficient than its worm gear counter-

part. However this device does require a brak-

ing system to safely hold the load.

Other Major Components of the

Winch:Although the basic industrial winch

design is named after the winch gearbox, there

are other components that make up the total

winch product. The major ones of these are the

Rope (Synthetic or Wire Rope); the Drum; the

Clutch Assembly; the Braking System; and the

Driving Motor (generally electric or hydraulic.)

Rope and Drum:The winch rope is stored

on the drum in layers. The published rating of

the winch is the “rated line pull on the first layer

of rope on the drum.” The first layer is the layer

closest to the drum.

Clutch Operation and Maintenance:

There are several defining factors in the opera-

tion of a winch. One of the most important of

these is the operation, inspection and care of

the “Clutch Assembly.” The clutch is used to en-

gage and disengage the gear and drum assem-

blies of the winch.

Clutch Disengaged:When the clutch is dis-

engaged, the cable on the drum may be pulled

off by hand, commonly known as “free spool-

ing”. There are a number of specified ways to

disengage the clutch assembly based on the

type of winch, its design and the procedure for

operation that is detailed in the winch owner’s

manual.

To Disengage Clutch: Run the winch in thereverse direction until the load is off the cable.

Pull outward on the clutch handle, rotate coun-

terclockwise 90 degrees and release. With

other designs, the clutch handle can be moved

toward the drum until the clutch disengages.

The Clutch is now locked out and the cable may

be pulled off by hand. (Free Spool.)

To Re-engage the clutch, pull outward on

the handle; rotate clockwise 90 degrees and

release. In the other design shown, to reen-

gage the clutch, the handle is pulled away

from the drum to the, “IN” position. The

drum is then rotated until the clutch jaws en-

gage the drum jaws.

Important Note: The most important rule

with respect to winch operation: The Clutch

must be fully engaged before starting any

winch operation. Failure to do so may result

in the dropping of the load, with the poten-

tial for injury.

Clutch Inspection and Maintenance: As part

of the normal maintenance procedure of the

winch, the clutch assembly should be in-

spected regularly. These inspection procedures

are detailed in the Winch Operation Manual


W H I C H WINCH I S W H I C H ?

Clutch Disengaged

Clutch Re-Engaged


provided by the winch manufacturer. As an ex-

ample, on the Ramsey Winch HSW-10000

model, an inspection plug is provided on the

top of the clutch housing. During the inspection

procedure, this plug should be removed with

the clutch engaged.

The jaw clutch must be fully engaged

with the drum jaw to see if the Jaw clutch

shows wear.

Drum jaws and clutch Jaw should have

square edges. If the Drum jaws are rounded,

the drum must be replaced. It is important to

note that the drum should not be welded or

machined in an attempt to eliminate round

edges. If the drum jaws are rounded, the

drum must be replaced. This is just one exam-

ple of a clutch inspection procedure. The pro-

cedure can and will vary depending on the

winch design. See the winch operation man-

ual for the specific winch model and design.

The important thing to remember

about the Winch Clutch Assembly:

≈ A fully engaged and properly main-

tained clutch will not release under

load. The operator is responsible for

ensuring the clutch is fully engaged

before starting winching operations.

≈ A partial engagement of the clutch

can result in a sudden loss of load and

damage to the clutch mechanism, and

the possibility of injury.

Summary: An industrial winch is a robustand reliable device that is used in a variety of

industrial applications e.g., towing and re-

covery, heavy hauling etc. If properly main-

tained and operated correctly, it will provide

service for a long time. TOW

Inspection Plug

Clutch Fully Engaged

Drum jawsshould havesquare edges

If drum jaws are rounded, replace drum


IF YOUhave been to one

of our open houses,

you may have seen some of the testing we do.

Random samples of all inbound chain, wire

rope and forgings, snatch blocks and more are

tested. While we receive documentation from

our manufacturers, we test to verify that docu-

mentation. Does it matter? Yes!

In the course of testing, we occasionally

find product that does not meet our specifica-

tions. We received a batch of chain that was

not breaking properly. While the chain made

minimum break strength, there was little to no

elongation, the chain was too brittle. After dis-

cussing the problem with the chain manufac-

turer, it was discovered the chain had been

heat treated to the wrong specification. The

chain was returned, annealed and reheat

treated, and now met spec. Did it really matter?

In this case, yes.

We also test finished product to verify that

the ratings we give them are accurate. When

we started making tie downs for the auto haul-

ing industry, there was a lot of debate on what

the Work Load Limit of the straps should be.

One side wanted to rate it based on the weak-

est component. The other side said in use, the

load would be distributed and it would withstand a higher load. How to settle the de-

bate? We built a mock up of a car hauler deck to use on our Crosby National CN22 flat

bed tester, strapped a tire in, and tried to pull it out from under the strap.

The result? At 15,400 lbs, the test was stopped. The tire was still under the tie down, and as you can see in the photo, we compressed the tire a

few inches. The strap got the higher work load limit, and we are confident the strap is suitable for the job. Did it really matter? Once again, yes.

We also get customer driven requests. A customer asked us to document the differences in the breaking strength of ratchet type load binders

TESTING OF AUTO HAULER

TIEDOWN. 15,000 LBS OF FORCE

IS BEING APPLIED TO THE

WHEEL/TIRE ASSEMBLY

B/A PRODUCTS has beenmanufacturing and distributing towing andrecovery products since 1978. We have come a long way since our start, increasing ourproduct line, doing more manufacturing in house, larger space and more employees.Product quality is our top priority, and to ensure quality, we do a lot of testing

DOES IT REALLY

MATTER?

CARGO CONTROL

By Fr i tz Dahl in

depending on how far in or out the hooks were relative to the ratchet

mechanism. Test parameters were set up, and the testing began.

For the first round of testing, a 5/16”-3/8” load binder with a Work

Load Limit of 6600 lbs and a Minimum Break Strength of 19,800 lbs

was tested. Three samples were tested: one with the hooks wound all

the way in, one with the hooks 1/3rd of the way out, and one with the

hooks 2/3rd of the way out.

The samples were then hooked onto a section of 3/8” grade 80

chain. Each end of the chain had a clevis grab hook, and loops were

formed over the hooks of the test bed.

Force was applied to the point of failure, the results were graphed

and photographed. So what happened? Here are the results:

Hooks all the way in:one grab hook on loadbinder opened at 23,275 lb

Hooks 1/3rd of the way out: one grab hook on load binder opened at 23,711 lb

Hooks 2/3rd of the way out: one grab hook on load binder opened at 21,396 lb

So did it really make a difference? In this case, no. Regardless of the

hooks position, the load binders exceeded their Minimum Break

Strength, and nearly four times their work load (remember: NEVER ex-

ceed a products Work Load Limit!).

Just to confirm our results, another group of load binders was

tested. These were 3/8” G100 binders, with a Work load limit of 8800

lbs, and a minimum break of 26,400 lbs. The test set up was the same,

using 3/8” grade 80 chain. This time the results were a little different:

LOAD BINDER

AND CHAIN

IN TEST BED

LOAD BINDERS AT THE

BEGINNING OF THE TEST

www.towprofessional.com | May/June | Tow Professional 21

Hooks all the way in: chain broke at 29,889 lbs

Hooks 1/3rd of the way out: chain broke at 22,089,where binder was hooked

Hooks 2/3rd of the way out: chain broke at 22,029where binder was hooked

So what happened? First, the Work Load Limits were mismatched.

Binder Work Load Limit is 8800 lbs, 3/8 Grade 8 chain WWL is 7100

lbs. One test went above the Minimum Break Strength of the chain

(28,400 lbs); two were below the MBS. In both cases, one of the links the

binder was hooked to failed. This is known in the chain industry as a Pref-

erential Failure. Because of the way force is applied to the link by the grab

hook; it can fail at up to 20% below the chains MBS. Chain is designed to

be pulled in a straight line, not from the side. Also remember, that an as-


LOAD BINDER

AFTER TEST. GRAB

ON RIGHT OPENED

UNDER LOAD

45000

35000

25000

15000

5000

- 50000.00 10.00 20.00 30.00 40.00 50.00 60.00

Time(sec)T e( c

Lo

ad

(L

b)

L

o

GRAPH OF

TEST

DOES IT REALLY MATTERCARGO CONTROL

www.towprofessional.com | May/June | Tow Professional 23

sembly is rated by its weakest component, and once again, NEVER ex-

ceed the products Work Load Limit.

So did it really matter in this test? I’ll have to say yes and no. No be-

cause the position of the load binder hooks did not affect the result of

the test. Yes because the differences of the Work Load Limit of the com-

ponents did affect the test, as well as the Preferential Failure.

I’ve asked the question does it really mater several times, and an-

swered some with yes and some with no. The answer to all of them

should be yes. We test to make sure you get the best product available,

every time. It matters because when we ship a product, any product, we

want there to be no question it will do the job for which it was designed.,

every time. Yes, it really does matter. TOW

LOAD BINDER AND

CHAIN AFTER TEST.

ZIP TIES BRACKETED

THE LINK THE BINDER

WAS ATTACHED TO

45000

35000

25000

15000

5000

- 50000.00 10.00 20.00 30.00 40.00 50.00 60.00

Time(sec)T e( c

Lo

ad

(L

b)

L

o

GRAPH OF TEST.

CHAIN FAILED

AT 22,029 LBS

Collins offers the heaviest-duty dollies, rated at4,280 lb static-load capacity. Between their tried and proven Hi-

Speed3Dollies for the highway, and their new patent-pending Carrier

Dolly System, all dolly-towing bases are now covered.

Collins' latest innovation, the aluminum Carrier Dolly System, is quite

simple where it solves all the problems of Carrier loading: all-wheel drive

vehicles, hybrid vehicles, and electric vehicles, whose wheels are locked

by the transmissions and won't roll, are now easily moved with the carrier

dolly system. The dolly lifts the vehicle and the aluminum tow bar hooks

to the dollies. The winch cable is then hooked to the tow bar, not the vehi-

cle, and pulls the dollies up the flatbed. The vehicle simply rides the carrier

dollies. This is especially handy when there is no place to hook onto vari-

ous vehicles -- in fact, nothing ever touches the vehicle.


HI-SPEEDDOLLIES

®

By Cur t i s Hasse l l

CARGO


With the tow bar in-

verted and fitted to either

of the carrier dollies, it

now becomes a motorcy-

cle dolly for winching up

the carrier as well.

For vehicles without

wheels the Tow Cradle

works perfect with the

carrier dollies. Rolling the vehicle up the bed is a far superior system ver-

sus dragging it up and then back down the bed, damaging both bed and

vehicle.

Since experience, good

and bad, is the premium

schoolmaster, hindsight

truly becomes the best

vision forward. With four

decades hindsight and

several patents awarded,

Collins is the undisputed

leader in dynamic dolly

design. TOW

Visit www.collinsdollies.comor call 541-774-9220

For forty years, the unique dolly innovations of Collins Manu-facturing Corp are quite numerous. Besides being the first toinvent an articulating dolly that actually lifted a car off theground, without the aid of jacks in 1972, thereby changing thetowing industry worldwide, Collins was also first to introduce:

* 1977:Safety Ratchets; protects towers from injury whilelifting vehicles with dollies;

* 1986: Safety Locks; helps prevent dollies from droppingwhile towing;

* 1995: Aluminum Axles; now the industry standard, atonly 22 lbs. per axle;

* 2000:Greaseable Hubs; more convenient serviceability;* 2006:Aluminum Greaseable Hubs; up to three times

lighter than steel hubs;* 2006:Replaceable Components; the only dolly that can

be repaired on the spot;* 2006: Lightest-Weight Dolly; as light as 48 lbs. per side;* 2007:Aluminum 8" Wheels; first ever in the world! Five-

hole, polished, mags, Cool;* 2009: Two-Toned Zinc Plating; with polished aluminum

mag wheels = Eye Candy;* 2010: Square Aluminum Pry Bar; tower input gives back

to the industry @ 5.9 lbs;* 2011: Tow Cradles; From Tow Solutions, transports

vehicles without wheels and tires;* 2012: Aluminum Carrier Dolly System; addresses

issues of loading cars on carriers.

CONTROL


FIRST QUESTION, ‘DO YOU OPERATECOMMERCIAL VEHICLES’?For the purposes of the federal Department of Transportation and its

agency that oversees interstate motor carrier safety (the Federal Motor

Carrier Safety Administration, or FMCSA), a commercial vehicle is a vehi-

cle used in interstate commerce that:

• Has an actual or rated weight (single or combination) of 10,001pounds or more,

• Is designed to seat either more than 8 or more than 15 people,depending on how compensation is handled, or

• Is carrying a placardable amount of a hazardous material.

This is a common question asked by many types of motor carriers. Who is a

motor carrier? Basically, it is anyonethat uses a “commercial vehicle” to

conduct business on the roadways. This,in most cases, includes tow operators.

What safety regulations

apply to me?

By Tom Bray

at J . J . Ke l ler

“Interstate commerce” is business that crosses state lines. In the case of

carriers, it means either the vehicle or the cargo is destined

to, or has, crossed a state line as part of the carrier’s

movements. In the case of a tow operation, the “cargo”

is the vehicle being towed.

If the commercial vehicle is used in intrastate com-

merce, then the state’s definition of a commercial ve-

hicle applies. Many states have adopted the

FMCSA’s definition, but other states use their own

definition.

SO YOU OPERATE COMMERCIALVEHICLES. THE NEXT QUESTIONIS, ‘WHAT RULES APPLY’? If you operate vehicles that meet the FMCSA or state

definition of a commercial vehicle, the FMCSA or state’s safety reg-

ulations will apply to your operation. If you are an intrastate carrier, you

need to be aware that most states have adopted the majority of the FMCSA

safety regulations for their intrastate carriers. Therefore, the FMCSA regulations

or a slight variation of them may very likely apply to you.

The key areas that these regulations cover are carrier credentialing, driver li-

censing and qualifications (and possibly drug testing), vehicle parts and accessories, hours of service,

and vehicle inspection and maintenance. In this article we will discuss these requirements, and follow-

ing each requirement will be the FMCSA regulation number involved if you want to look up the details.


S A F E T Y - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -


CARRIER CREDENTIALS Carriers that operate in interstate commerce

must file an MCS-150 and be issued a USDOT

number (see §390.19). If the carrier is charging

the public for the service they provide (not just

hauling cargo the company owns), the carrier

must also have “for-hire authority.” Most states

have a similar structure when it comes to their

intrastate carriers. In addition, some states and

municipalities have additional requirements on

tow operators under their jurisdiction.

In the case of a for-hire carrier, the company

may also be subject to specific insurance mini-

mums (see Part 387).

Once the company becomes a registered

carrier, the vehicles must be marked in accor-

dance with the regulations (see §390.21) and

the company must maintain an “accident regis-

ter” where all accidents the company is in-

volved in are recorded. The FMCSA considers

an accident to be an occurrence involving a

company vehicle that resulted in a death, an in-

jury requiring immediate treatment away from

the scene, or a vehicle having to be towed

away from the scene due to disabling damage

(see §390.15).

DRIVERS Drivers must have the correct license for the ve-

hicle being operated. If the vehicle qualifies as a

CDL Class A vehicle (a vehicle weighing or

rated at 26,001 pounds or more pulling a

towed unit weighing or rated for 10,001

pounds or more) the driver must have a Class A

CDL. If the unit being towed is a combination

vehicle that has multiple units, the driver would

also need to have the “double/triple” endorse-

ment as well as a Class A CDL. If the towing unit

weighs more than 26,001 pounds and the

towed unit is under the 10,001 pound thresh-

old, then a Class B CDL is required. If the combi-

nation is 26,000 pounds or less, and the towed

unit is 10,000 pounds or less (and is carrying

no placarded hazardous materials), a regular

driver’s license is all that is required in most

states (see §383.91).

If the vehicle being towed would require the

driver of the vehicle to have a special endorse-

ment to his/her CDL (hazardous materials,

tanker, etc.) then the tow truck driver would

need to have that endorsement as well (see

§383.93).

The driver must also have passed a physical

and have a valid medical card (see §391.43).

The company must have a driver qualifica-

tion file showing that the driver meets the driver

qualification requirements. This file would need

to include the driver’s application (§391.21),

the background checks done when the driver

was hired (§391.23), annual MVR checks

(§391.25), annual reviews of driver’s perform-

ance (§391.27), road test certificate or equiva-

lent (§391.31 and §391.33), and a copy of the

driver’s medical card (§391.43).

Some jurisdictions have additional driver

qualification requirements for drivers of tow

truck drivers (such as a tow operator certifi-

cation).

If the driver operates a vehicle requiring a

CDL to operate, the driver must have been pro-

vided a copy of the company’s drug and alcohol

policy (see §382.601), and the company must

What safety regulations apply to me? - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -


have gotten a verified negative test result and

have it on file before using the driver (see

§382.301). The company must also have the

driver on the random drug and alcohol testing

selection list (see §382.305).

Last, the driver is covered by the hours-of-

service regulations. These regulations limit how

many hours a driver can drive, how many hours

the driver can be on duty, and how many hours

of break time the driver must take. The basic

rules include not driving after the driver has

reached (see §395.3):

• 11 hours of driving since the last break of10 hours or more

• 14 consecutive hours since the last breakof 10 hours or more

• 60 hours on duty in the last 7 days (70hours in the last eight days if the companyoperates vehicle 7 days a week and thecompany chooses to use this option)

To record their hours-of-service compliance,

drivers must maintain a “record of duty status,”

better known as a “log” (see §395.8). There are

exceptions for drivers that operate in “short

haul” operations that can allow the company to

use time records in place of the driver having to

complete a log. The details of these exceptions

are in the FMCSA regulations at §395.1(e).

The key is that the driver cannot drive once

one of these limits is reached, whether the

driver is keeping a log or operating under one of

the exceptions that allow time records to be

kept in place of logs. The driver can still work,

just not drive.

VEHICLES Just like the drivers, once a vehicle is a com-

mercial vehicle, certain regulations apply. To

begin with, the vehicle needs to be

equipped in accordance with Part 393 of

the regulations. These regulations mandate

what parts and accessories are required and

what condition they must be in. The vehicle

then must be inspected and maintained by

the company in accordance with Part 396,

and maintenance records must be kept

showing that the vehicle has been system-

atically inspected, maintained, lubricated,

and repaired when necessary (see §396.3).

The vehicle and cargo also must be in-

spected by the driver at the beginning of the

workday and the driver must submit a re-

port stating the condition of the vehicle at

the end of the day (this is referred to as a

driver vehicle inspection report or DVIR).

These requirements are covered in the regu-

lations at §392.7, §392.9, §396.11, and

§396.13.

Finally, the vehicle must pass a very spe-

cific inspection called a “periodic inspec-

tion” (commonly called an “annual

inspection”) as required by §396.17. If the

state has an equivalent inspection that the

commercial vehicle must undergo, this can

take the place of this required inspection.

EMERGENCY OPERATIONS’One point about these regulations: If the driver

is operating in support of an emergency, then

some or all of the regulations do not apply. An

emergency in the case of towing includes:

• A request from law enforcement to assist inclearing an accident or disabled vehicle fromtraffic.

• Operating in support of a declared disaster.

When responding to a request from law en-

forcement or in the case of a declared disaster,

the driver and vehicle are only exempted from

the regulations when he/she is responding to,

operating in direct support of, and returning

from the event. In both cases, the regulations in

Parts 390 to 399 are the regulations the driver

and vehicle are exempted from, meaning that,

if the vehicle requires a CDL driver to operate it,

the drug and alcohol regulations in Part 382

and CDL regulations in Part 383 still apply.

What it comes down to is, if the driver is

doing “every day towing” (such as customer-

called-in tows, dealer tows, or auction tows)

and not operating in one of the two emer-

gency situations discussed above, all of the

rules that normally apply to a commercial vehi-

cle and its driver apply. The driver is only ex-

empt from the rules in Parts 390 to 399 when

the driver is involved in emergency or disaster

relief operations. TOW

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - S A F E T Y


Trying to call attention to

yourself and your recovery

– in traffic filled with cars

designed to filter out noise

and reduce road glare –

can be a very daunting and

dangerous task. You would

think a lightbar on the roof

and some flashing bea-

cons would be sufficient to

capture the attention of

any driver, on any freeway,

in the U.S. But I have

memories that suggest

otherwise...

BASICSBy Todd K . , AW Direct

Techn ica l Product Suppor t


Irecall a fully loaded tractortrailer sliding pasttwo flashing patrol cars, my casualty in the

ditch and my flashing rollback while I stood

nearby, all due to the driver not paying atten-

tion to the road. This was the first time I

thought, “How do people not see this pack of

flashing vehicles?” Unfortunately, it wasn’t the

last time. With cell phones,

laptops, GPS

screens

and a

multi-

tude of

other distractions in today’s vehi-

cles, it is a wonder more people in the recovery

and emergency response industry are not hurt

or killed.

There are many choices when it comes to

emergency lighting these days, but one rule

holds true for me: purchase lights that are

CLASS ONE RATED! Class One lights are the

minimum primary warning devices for use on

authorized emergency vehicles (i.e. fire trucks,

police cars, etc.) that respond to emergency sit-

uations. Still, CLASS TWO rated lighting is all

that’s required for an unauthorized mainte-

nance or service vehicles (i.e. tow trucks). How-

ever, my experiences have shown me that

Class Two may not always be enough in

today’s world.

There are just as many choices of light

styles and foundations as there are locations to

put them. LED lights are the newest technol-

ogy and are the most durable, waterproof and

least power-consuming lighting today. Technol-

ogy has made the newest LED modules super

bright and they can be seen at distances previ-

ously unheard of. The only pitfall of the LED is

that the initial purchase costs more than the

older technology of strobes and rotators. How-

ever, you’ll eventually see cost savings by not

having to replace pricey strobe tubes and

power supplies. Plus, the playing field is be-

coming more level as new manufacturing

processes have helped to drastically reduce

prices of LEDs over the past few years.

Strobe tube-based lighting products are a

staple of the emergency response industry.

Strobe tubes are intensely bright and have fully

directional output without the use of cut mir-

rors. Strobe-based lighting is mid-priced, with

the drawback of having strobe tubes and

power supplies that are prone to expire within

a couple of years, depending on usage. These

are fairly pricey to replace and create a lot of

heat.

Finally, there is the Rotator. This light foun-

dation has been used by everyone from Andy

Griffith on his Mayberry squad car to some 50-

ton rotators. These lights have been around as

long as emergency service itself and have long

been an affordable staple of the industry.

In my experience, LED lighting is the win-

ner for safety, longevity and looks. But what-

ever lighting you have on your truck, you need

to make sure you and your crew are visible. Vis-

ibility is one of the most important factors for

safety on the roadside. If drivers see you from a

distance, they have a much better chance of

making the decision to “slow down and move

over.” TOW


Ranger was formed as a technology devel-opment company for another towing soft-ware provider. We were excited about theopportunity to use technology to streamline and ex-pedite information flows between motor clubs andtowing companies - "Digital Dispatch".

The potential to improve call center productivity is 20% to 40%.The complication: to get the maximum benefit requires most of amotor club's service providers to be connected for Digital Dispatch.Connecting larger tow companies via the PC in their office seemedreasonably straightforward, but reaching smaller operators in theirtrucks was a more difficult "mobile technology" challenge -- whichwe solved! Our first mobile solution was 2-way digital messaging(not text) to a Nextel PTT phone.

However, as the great philosopher Yogi Berra noted: "the futureain't what it used to be". And so it was for Ranger. The anticipatedrush to Digital Dispatch turned out to be a slow walk in the park.

Fortunately, the pilot programs demonstrated that the solution de-livered operational benefits to towers independent of Digital Dispatch.One of our beta customers ran a pilot with two drivers. After the firstweek, he asked the younger, more progressive driver for feedback.The response was quite positive: "I'm sure I completed at least oneextra call on four days this week". Then after putting on a flak jacket,he queried Frank - the seasoned, "seen-it-all" veteran. The feedbackwas surprising: "These phones are great! I didn't have to talk to thedispatcher, all week!" This of course prompted a conversation withthe dispatcher, who enthusiastically said: "These phones are great! Ididn't have to talk to Frank, all week!"

Solving the interpersonal issues was helpful. But the business im-plications are huge! Frank was wasting time waiting for his turn totalk to the dispatcher. With the mobile solution, Frank could clear hiscall without a conversation, and his next call was already waiting forhim. Frank earns more commissions. The owner increases revenueat low marginal cost. And the dispatcher is a happy camper.

We learned three important lessons that have guided our devel-opment over the last eight years:

1. Get the dispatcher off of the radio and on to more important tasks -e.g., verifying the locations (GPS coordinates) to which the driver isbeing sent

2. Make maximum use of the mobile technology in the truck - not justGPS tracking, but also two-way messaging, navigation, pricing, andcredit card processing

3. Provide a truly integrated, end-to-end management solution fortow companies - from call taking, to call assignment to track-ing/mapping, to storage/impound lot, to accounting and in-voicing.

In contrast to others who try and bolt together piece parts,Ranger has the only solution that is totally integrated - by de-sign! For example:

• The GPS tracking/mapping shows not only truck location, butalso truck type, and truck status/availability

• Mapping and dispatching are truly interchangeable - they sharethe same information database and are always in sync

• The mapping solution shows the dispatcher the most logicaltrucks to assign to a new job, and allows dispatchers to assigncalls from the map

• All call details are automatically sent to the assigned truck driver.The mobile device automatically confirms receipt

• The correct lat-long coordinates are automatically inserted intothe driver’s navigation tool - no inputting of address information

• The mobile device calculates the correct charges for the driver(using account-specific parameters), and enables credit card pro-cessing on-site

• The storage lot attendant is equipped with a mobile tablet that be-gins the “Admit” process with all the information that the driverrecorded in completing the tow, and sends updates to dispatch

We've come a long way: from Nextel to Android; from just mes-saging to a total management solution -- one that delivers for towcompanies:One more call per day per truck! TOW

company spotlight

One more callper day per

truck! By J im She l lhaas

www.towprofessional.com | March/April 2012 | Tow Professional 33

SEFAC mobile lifts have an enviable repu-tation for their robust reliability, at a competi-tive price and are backed up by the bestproduct support in the business. While the in-dustry standard is to use independent organi-zations for field service (often not factorytrained), the SEFAC team comprises directlyemployed, factory trained service technicianswith more than 40 year experience in the mo-bile lift industry. We offer a number of servicepackages from fixed cost packages, annualOSHA inspections and breakdown visits. Wealso provide free telephone technical supportto all of our customers. SEFAC guaranteesparts availability for 25 years after a lift is re-

tired from production. Some of our competi-tors may make this claim, but they were notaround 25 years ago.......we were.

In capacities up to 18,000lbs (per col-umn) we have just the lift for you. Most mod-els come with an easy to use touch screenpad, the operator selects the operationalmode (all lifts, pairs or single), the preferred liftspeed (3 settings) and in the unlikely event ofan error, on screen instructions walk the oper-ator step by step thru the fault findingprocess.

We have remained committed to the prin-cipals of a guaranteed self-locking threadedscrew. Without the application of power it

cannot move, and (unlike a hydraulic lift) itdoes not rely on a locking mechanism to grabthe load in the event of a failure. Additionally,a screw lift is proven to last longer than a hy-draulic lift and are more environmentallyfriendly as they will not leak hydraulic oil.

SEFAC lifts comply with OSHA, UL-201standards and are built to the latest ANSIstandards. They are also independently testedand certified by the Automotive Lift Institute(ALI) to ANSI, ALI/ETL ALCTV–2008 stan-dard.

A recent addition to our product line isthe Omer range of drive on lifts. The “K Se-ries” Pantograph lift raises the vehicle verti-cally; saving as much as 5ft of floor spacewhen compared to a parallelogram lift whichrises at an arc. There are no mechanicalcrossbeams linking the runways making iteasy for the operators to wheel tools, oildrainer or transmission jacks under the vehi-cle. It can be installed either surfacemounted for your preference. These lifts areavailable in capacities of 55,000lbs (KAR250) and 77,000lbs (KAR 350) and in run-way lengths up to 36ft. TOW

With one-man portability, a SEFAC lift can be raised in any working bay and evenoutside. A SEFAC lift takes up no more room than the vehicle being lifted and pro-vides unobstructed access to vehicle underbody. If the lifts are not required for ve-hicle maintenance duties they can be stored in a compact area. Each column iseasily positioned at each corner of the vehicle meaning there is unobstructed ac-cess to the vehicle underside making it much easier to complete inspections, oilchanges and major mechanical repairs.

ONE-MANportabilityBy Al l i s ter Col l ings

company spotlight


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Worm Gear Winch Package fromPierce Sales

Pierce Sales is your source for winches from 2,000 lb. to20,000 lb. capacities, accessories and wrecker installation.Pierce makes ordering winches easy and affordable. Buy thePS654-11HK Pierce winch and get free cable, angle mounts androller guide. Code: PSTOWDEAL. Offer for call-in orders only. Serv-ing the wrecker industry since 1976. www.piercesales.com

B/A Products Twist Lock™ GrabHook Chain AssembliesEliminates accidental hook release to stop potentialdangers before they startThis chain assembly utilizes a Twist Lock™ grab hook — oncelocked in place, it’s not coming loose. Use for everything fromequipment safety chains and chain-to-chain hooking to tie-down chains and vehicle stabilization. Features a latch (whichmay be padlocked) for extra security. Available in Grade 70 or80 and working load limits up to 12,000 lbs.Twist Lock™ #s TLG01 – TLG19

OIL PAN DAMAGE STOPS HERE

For far less than the cost of a single oil pan damageclaim, the revolutionary Pan Pillow will virtually remove oilpan damage from your operation. Made from the highestquality components, the Pan Pillow will give you years ofworry free towing. Minute to install, the Pan Pillow is simpleto use and the ONLY product on the market that solves thecostly and wide spread problem of oil pan damage. Don'twait until your next claim before you introduce the Pan Pillowto your operation. www.panpillow.com

Fuel Your Truck, Equipment and ToysWith Transfer Flow’s All-in-one 40-Gal-lon Toolbox and Refueling Tank Combo

(Chico, CA) TransferFlow, Inc., a leading manu-facturer of aftermarket fuel

tank systems, has introduced a 40-gallontoolbox and refueling tank combo - great for

manually filling your fuel tank as well as filling other vehicles or equip-ment. This innovative new product incorporates a toolbox with oversix cubic feet of storage space. It fits domestic and imported full-sizepick-ups, and comes pre-assembled with a 12-volt refueling pump,12-foot hose and nozzle, wire harness with dash-mounted powerswitch and mounting hardware. And because the fuel fillneck is lo-cated inside the locking storage compartment, your fuel is kept safeand secure!

For more information on Transfer Flow’s 40-gallon fuel tank andtoolbox combo, call (530) 893-5209, or visit their website atwww.transferflow.com.


Steck 4th Wheel Loader

Safely load and secure a vehicle that has a brokenball joint.The 4th Wheel Loader handles wheel failures, such aslocked brakes or broken tie rods. Once the wheel is placedin the recessed pocket, chain the wheel assembly to thelocking slots on your loader’s platform. Lightweight andcompact for easy storage. Tough 24" x 14" hardened alu-minum fabricated platform easily holds and secures up to5 tons.4th Wheel Loader # STM53

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

Custom Tool BoxesHighway Products – a highlyrespected manufacturer ofheavy-gauge aluminumflatbeds, service beds,headache racks and grill guards–offers a full line of standardand custom Aluminum Tool-boxes.The White City, Oregon, manu-facturer of Pickup and Semi ac-cessories builds their uniqueline of underbody and step tool boxes with non-sag doors anduses thickest grade of aluminum stock utilized in the industry:1/8″marine-grade, weather-resistant aluminum.A hefty continuous piano-style stainless steel hinge and “T-han-dle” stainless steel locks guarantee the safety of stored content.Highway Products tool boxes come with either “L”-brackets forframe mounting or plate brackets for mounting from overheadcross members.Boxes are available in many standard sizes or they can be built tocustom specifications to fit any application. A 5-year warranty isstandard. For more information, visit www.800toolbox.com; 800-866-5269


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PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

A Paint Marker that Pulls its Own Weight

Markingpendepot.com announces itsnewest addition , the Tow Pro, to its web-site.The Tow Pro is a permanent, solid paint marker witha 1/4 inch tip, used extensively in the towing andauto auction industry, but also spreading in popular-ity with other industries as well. The Tow Pro comesin 6 bright colors and contains 30 percent morepaint than its competitors.

The Tow Pro is smartly priced at $2.50 each andholds the distinction of being one of the few markersin the world that can write under water. Its sleek de-sign and easy application has given the Tow Proearly recognition and praise in the paint markerworld. The Tow Pro also works well in extremeweather conditions and outperforms others in testsof durability and reliability.

Directions for use: Remove color cap and clear plastic protective plug. Apply paint as needed for your application. Allow to dry. Recappen firmly after use. Twist pen base to replenish paint stick tip.

To view the Tow Pro and other great Paint Markers, visit markingpendepot.com and select solid paint markers on the left hand side of thehome page. The Tow Pro is $2.50 each and $2.25 each in quantities of 48 or more. Additional price breaks are available for bulk quantities.More information can be found online at: http://www.markingpendepot.com/paintmarkers-solid.aspx


BATTERY TESTING –

Three Reasons Why It Makes Sense to

Go Digital

Digital battery testing provides numerous ad-vantages over traditional methods that im-prove efficiency and effectiveness in autorepair, fleet service and vehicle dealership en-

vironments, among others. Advantages of digital testing ap-proaches include:

1. the ability to effectively assess discharged batteries

2. the ability to properly assess the many battery types found in today’s vehicles

3 the many additional functions offered by digital/electronic testers as compared to traditional load testers

One of the biggest advantages of digital/electronic testers istheir ability to test discharged batteries. Traditional load testers re-quire a battery to be fully, or nearly fully, charged to provide an ac-curate assessment of battery condition and capacity. This meansthat, with traditional load testing, a discharged battery must becharged prior to testing, taking 30, 60, or more, minutes beforethe condition of the battery can be determined. Not so for elec-tronic testers. Most electronic battery testers are able to provide anaccurate assessment of battery condition/capacity even when abattery is “dead”, or significantly discharged. This is a critical bene-fit, saving significant time for busy shops.

Another major advantage is that manydigital/electronic battery testers are cali-brated to properly assess the different bat-tery constructions found in the marketplacetoday. Battery composition and constructionhas changed more in the last 6-8 years thanit had in several prior decades. New batterychemistries, such as AGM and Gel Celltypes, are gaining traction with auto manu-facturers and are becoming increasinglypresent as aftermarket alternatives. In addi-tion, new battery constructions, such as Spi-ral Wound batteries, are gaining inpopularity in a wide number of applicationareas. Many of today’s digital testers are cali-

brated to test different battery types for more accurate assessmentof battery condition. This advantage will be even more important asbattery chemistries continue to proliferate in the years ahead.

Finally, digital/electronic battery testers often also feature vehi-cle starting and charging system testing functions not found on tra-ditional load testers. Many digital testers provide detailedassessment of starting system performance and charging systemoutput. This assessment is typically far more specific and detailed(such as providing alternator diode ripple detection) than can be in-ferred from an observation of a traditional load tester.

A great example of a digital battery and system tester that pro-vides these advantages and more is the SOLAR BA327, Digital Bat-

tery and SystemTester with Inte-grated Printer. It isable to accuratelyassess the condi-tion of dischargedbatteries, is specifi-cally calibrated forthe different batterytypes found in thefield today and pro-vides starting andcharging system

testing in addition to its battery testing capabilities.The BA327 also adds the convenience of an inte-

grated printer for easy service documentation, extra-long 10’ leads and a protective rubber boot forimproved impact resistance. It is capable of testing 6an 12 Volt batteries and 12 and 24 Volt systems, witha capacity range of 40-2000 CCA and an operatingvoltage range of 1.5-30V. A counter in the unit enablesthe shop to track how many tests are performed, andeach battery test generates a unique, specific codetied to that test, which helps with warranty documen-tation.Charge Smart, Charge Safe with SOLAR

By Clore Automot ive

DealerPlace



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Access Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1

Agero . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

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Chester Point Programs . . . . . . .40

Clore Automotive . . . . . . . . . . . .29

Coker Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . .38

Collins Dollies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25

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Dangelo's Custom Built Mfg, LLC 15

Daniels Wrecker Sales . . . . . . . . .38

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Dynamic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .BC

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Goodyear Wrecker . . . . . . . . . . .38

Insurance Auto Auctions . . . . . . . .3

Lift and Tow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

Marking Pen Depot . . . . . . . . . . .39

Metro Lift . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23

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