September 5, 2006Archive – Fall 2006: Volume 15 - Jerr-Dan

VOLUME 15, NUMBER 3 | SEPTEMBER 2006
www.jerr-dan.com
An Oshkosh Truck Corporation Company
FOR THE HARD-WORKING TOWING PROFESSIONAL
TOWING WITH A
PERSONAL TOUCH
PAGE
4
DOING IT RIGHT
PAGE
THE JERR-DAN
AUTOMATED REMOTE
MECHANISM
10
PAGE
16
American Towman Exposition,
Baltimore MD, November 17-19, 2006
Nomination deadline: August 30th. But don’t wait!
*NOTE: Describe the incident and include the name, company, phone number and
address of the nominee. All accounts should be able to be corroborated by a third
party source, i.e., police, victim, witness.
Nominee’s Name:
Co:
Phone:
/
/
*The Incident:
Official Tow Truck of
the Towman Medal
Official Truck Chassis of
the Towman Medal
Mail To:
Your Name: ______________________ Phone: ____________________
American Towman
7 West Street
Warwick NY 10990
or Fax: (845) 986-5181
Comment
WHAT ARE
YOUR REASONS?
Y
ou have your reasons for
purchasing Jerr-Dan towing
equipment. Is it Quality?
Reliability? Affordability? Design?
Performance? Service? All of the
above? When we asked our customers, they gave us these Top 10
reasons as to why they chose
Jerr-Dan equipment. Why do you?
1) RUN HARD. It’s our tagline for
a reason — the Jerr-Dan name
means uncompromising quality.
You’ll see that quality when our
vehicles perform beyond your
expectations, no matter what the
conditions.
2) TRUSTWORTHY. Let’s face it,
you do business with people you
trust and who also understand what
you do. Folks in the towing equipment business know Jerr-Dan as
professional, reliable and experienced (more than 30 years of
success).
3) GREAT IDEAS. Our engineers
take pride in their innovative thinking. That’s why Jerr-Dan leads the
industry in technological advances,
making your job safer, easier and
more profitable.
4) IN IT FOR THE LONG HAUL.
You need a company that’s going
to supply parts and provide service
on its equipment for years to come,
regardless of how old it is or how
hard you’ve used it. Jerr-Dan is
that company.
5) PERFORMANCE AS
PROMISED. Our engineers take an
ultraconservative approach to performance specs and capacity ratings
so our products always perform as
needed. In
fact, Jerr-Dan
is the only
manufacturer
that rates its
units based on
specific chassis
specs.
6) IN YOUR
BACKYARD. With more than 90
locations throughout North America,
you’ll find a Jerr-Dan distributor
near you, ready to help with service
and sales.
7) YOU CAN LEAN ON US.
Jerr-Dan equipment is engineered,
manufactured and tested to live a
long, hard life. Expect years of reliable service, low maintenance and
rugged dependability.
8) A ONE-STOP SHOP. We are
there for you, every step of the way.
From the time you decide you need
a new piece of towing equipment to
the time you take ownership of it,
you count on us to help you during
every stage of the process.
9) DETAILS. DETAILS. DETAILS.
From engineering to production and
testing to delivery — we closely
watch the little details of these big
issues to ensure you get what you
need to succeed.
10) YOU CHOOSE. WE PERFORM. Looking for a small
self-loader? A 50-ton wrecker?
Jerr-Dan has an incredible selection
of towing and recovery equipment
to choose from, and all feature
Jerr-Dan’s unsurpassed quality and
performance.
Jeff Weller
President
FOR THE HARD-WORKING TOWING PROFESSIONAL
Contents
4
7
8
10
14
16
20
22
JERR-DAN OWNER PROFILE
The people of the Pocono Mountains
are the secret to this Pennsylvania
towing company’s growth.
INDUSTRY NEWS
JACK’S HEAVY-DUTY
Weight transfer — the same laws
of physics apply to everyone.
PRODUCT PROFILE
Automated Remote Mechanism (ARM).
BUSINESS MANAGEMENT
Continuous improvement — When
‘good enough’ just ISN’T!
JERR-DAN OWNER PROFILE
Doing a little bit of everything — and doing
it right — is what keeps this New Jersey
tower in business.
SHOW & GO
What does your Jerr-Dan look like?
COMPANY NEWS
Our Mission
To provide you with timely information
about towing and recovery equipment
technology, products and safety.
“Since 1992”
Run Hard is published on behalf of Jerr-Dan Corporation, an
Oshkosh Truck Corporation Company, and Jerr-Dan Distributors.
Editorial office: 1233 Janesville Ave., Fort Atkinson, WI 53538-0803.
Phone: (800) 547-7377. E-mail: RunHard@cygnusb2b.com.
Printed in the United States, © 2006 Jerr-Dan Corporation
Volume 15, Number 3, September 2006. For Canada: Agreement
Number 40064547.
RUN HARD
VOL.15, NO.3 SEPTEMBER 2006
3
Owner Profile
TOWING WITH A
PERSONAL
TOUCH
THE PEOPLE OF THE POCONO MOUNTAINS
ARE ONE SECRET TO THIS PENNSYLVANIA
TOWING COMPANY’S GROWTH.
R
elationships. If you ask Ed
Cardiello, owner of Ed’s Auto
Service in Mount Pocono, Pennsylvania,
what makes his business successful,
this is his answer.
“I have always received personal
satisfaction from working with people
in the community,” Cardiello says. “I
enjoy walking into the local diner and
hearing, ‘Hey Ed, how are you?’”
To achieve the personal touch
that’s so important to him, Cardiello
The Jerr-Dan
HDL 700/350
launched his own auto repair/towing
35-ton heavybusiness 11 years ago with his wife,
duty wrecker is
Yvonne. Working in his previous post
the company’s
primary HD unit. as the general manager for a large
The wrecker
towing/service provider had become
was purchased
more about the numbers than the
at the 2000
people. That’s when Ed decided to
Baltimore
give his own business a try.
Tow Show.
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RUN HARD
VOL.15, NO.3
SEPTEMBER 2006
And he succeeded. Today, Ed’s
Auto Service is a strong, familyowned business employing six fulltime and three part-time employees,
as well as Ed and Yvonne’s three children, Eddie, Joey and Catie.
The primary business for Ed’s
Auto Service is service repair work
for local customers traveling from the
Poconos to New York or New Jersey.
“Local commuters make up about
50% of our business,” Cardiello
notes. “Our average customer drives
approximately 50,000 miles a year.”
Most of Ed’s Auto Service business
today is local clientele, with 5,000
names in the company’s database.
About 30% of the company’s current business is towing (light-, medium- and heavy-duty towing). Towing
“Just do your job” is the motto of Ed Cardiello of Ed’s Auto Service, standing
far right with his wife Yvonne. On rollback standing left to right: Pat Smith,
Richard Guttmann, Phil Mosteller, Eddie Cardiello Jr. Kneeling left to right: Joey
Cardiello, Anthony Fulco, Catie Cardiello, Joe Marasco.
customers are also typically local,
with about 50% of them coming
directly from the company’s repair
shop. Ed’s Auto Service also handles
a substantial amount of police and
commercial fleet towing as well as a
small amount of motor club work.
“We started this company as a
repair shop. Everything we did was
designed to accent the repair work,”
he recalls. “When we decided to get
into towing, we bought a heavy-duty
wrecker and carrier. Today we have
a fleet of 10 trucks and operate out
of two 4,000-sq.-ft. facilities, one for
automotive repair and one for heavyduty truck repairs.” The company is
currently expanding with two additional buildings.
Big business
know-how
“I consider us a small business, even
though the two-county territory we
cover includes one of the largest counties in Pennsylvania (Monroe County,
with a population of more than
130,000 people),” says Cardiello.
Small business or not, the Cardiellos
run theirs with big business know-how.
“Yvonne and I attended a business
management school and what we
learned there helps us better manage
our business,” he notes.
Proper business management is one
of the most important contributing factors to the growth of his company,
according to Cardiello. Here’s what else
he has to say about the topic:
“You have to know your profit margin on every job, as well as where your
business stands every day. We check
our numbers daily, weekly, monthly and
annually. Most companies look back at
the previous month only to discover that
something went wrong. At that point,
it’s too late. You have to be proactive.
The days of taking the good with the
bad are over, due to rising expenses
and competition in the industry. Too
many companies are busy until the day
they go out of business due to poor
management decisions.”
OWNER PROFILE
Ed’s Auto Service
Mount Pocono, Pennsylvania
Jerr-Dan Fleet Profile:
Wreckers:
One HPL 35 light-duty wrecker
One HPL 6000 light-duty wrecker
One HDL 700/350 35-ton heavyduty wrecker
Carriers:
Two standard-duty steel rollback
carriers with 21-ft. beds
Services
• 24-hour emergency roadside service
• Full-service repair shop
• Light-, medium- and heavy-duty
towing
• Accident/recovery services
• Vehicle storage
Proper equipment
In addition to wisely managing the
business, Cardiello also attributes proper equipment to his company’s growth.
VOL.15, NO.3
RUN HARD
SEPTEMBER 2006
5
Ed’s Auto Service is located on top
of the Pocono Mountains. At the highest
point on Interstate 80, the area is well
known for icy fog. “It’s not uncommon
for us to be involved in towing multiple
vehicles from large pileups,” he notes.
To aid in such jobs, as well as the
12,000 to 14,000 other towing calls
the company receives every year,
Cardiello relies on a fleet of 10 trucks.
Five Jerr-Dan wreckers and carriers
make up half of Cardiello’s fleet: an
HPL 35 light-duty wrecker, an HPL
6000 light-duty wrecker, an HDL
700/350 35-ton heavy-duty wrecker,
and two standard-duty steel rollback
carriers with 21-ft. beds.
The HPL 35 rides on a 2000 Ford
F450 chassis and is a refurbished
vehicle that the company just completed for Eddie Jr., the oldest Cardiello
son. Eddie will soon turn 18 and be eligible to tow for the company. He is
already WreckMaster certified, as are
most of the company’s employees.
The HPL 6000 wrecker rides on a
2005 Ford F650 extended cab.
Cardiello purchases extended cab
vehicles to accommodate the transport
of additional customers in the truck.
The HPL 6000 fills the void of medium-duty towing for the company.
“We used to perform a lot of
medium-duty towing with our HD unit,
which is overkill,” he says. “We do a
lot of work for transport companies
and our HPL 6000 is more economical for the job. There’s also no CDL
requirement, which means more drivers can operate the truck.”
The company’s primary heavy-duty
unit is an HDL 700/350 35-ton independent wrecker on a 2000
Freightliner Classic chassis.
“Our HD has performed a substantial amount of recoveries and has
helped us keep our reputation of ‘getting the job done,’” says Cardiello.
The two steel rollback carriers with
a GVW of 26,000 lbs. (with 2003
International chassis) round out the
Jerr-Dan equipment.
“Having the proper equipment is
vital to the success of any company,”
Cardiello adds. “Many people exceed
or abuse their equipment trying to work
above its capabilities. A wise man once
told me ‘Every man must know their
limitations.’ I have found that if you
treat the equipment as designed, it will
reward you with excellent service. Our
history has proven that the Jerr-Dan
equipment we operate goes above and
beyond the call of duty and has met our
expectations. All of our Jerr-Dan units
have proven 100% capable for every
task we have taken on and they perform like new to this day.”
Employees are it
Similar to proper business practices and equipment, a company is
only as good as its employees, according to the Cardiellos.
“We provide our employees with full
benefit packages including healthcare,
accident insurance, uniforms, training,
paid holidays, sick leave and vacation
pay,” he notes. “Our wages are competitive and we have a low turnaround. I
believe if you treat your employees right
and provide them with the best equipment possible, they will treat your business with a genuine concern and show
the dedication required by this industry.
“We look for personnel who are
courteous and honest. I can teach
someone how to tow or repair a vehicle, but I can’t teach them not to steal.
Traits like honesty and pleasantness
must be bred in a person and having
someone that doesn’t fit this description
can adversely affect your shop flow
program as well as your bottom line.”
Industry future
“I see the future of this industry to
continue with a priority toward fast-lane
clearing,” Cardiello predicts. “Our state
hasn’t yet made it a priority, but I
believe it will be inevitable as populations continue to increase and our highways become more congested.
“Fast-lane clearing will require larger, more capable equipment to perform
the task with fewer people,” he concludes. “For us this means purchasing a
new Jerr-Dan Rotator.” ■
The company relies on three Jerr-Dan wreckers: an HPL 6000 light-duty wrecker, an HPL 35 light-duty wrecker and
an HDL 700/350 35-ton heavy-duty wrecker.
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VOL.15, NO.3
SEPTEMBER 2006
Industry News
JERR-DAN APPOINTS NEW
DISTRIBUTOR SUPPORT REPRESENTATIVE
Jerr-Dan Corporation recently welcomed Jeffrey Barbour as
the company’s newest distributor support representative for the
states of Maryland and Virginia. This position provides sales
support, customer service assistance and spec’ing support to customers through Jerr-Dan’s distribution network.
Jeffrey Barbour first worked at Jerr-Dan as a college intern.
He joined the company fulltime after graduating from Shepherd
University in Shepherdstown, West Virginia in 1987. Barbour
worked at Jerr-Dan in a variety of sales and marketing positions,
including product line manager, regional sales manager, corporate sales coordinator/national account manager and sales
representative.
Barbour left Jerr-Dan in 1995 to pursue a general manager/sales manager position with Horton Truck and Equipment in
Falls Church, Virginia. From there he became president /general
manager of Capitol Truck Equipment in Lanham, Maryland and
then general manager of
AmeriDeck Inc. in
Greencastle, Pennsylvania.
His latest post was as sales
representative for Horton
Truck and Equipment in
Manassas Park, Virginia.
“We are pleased to
welcome Jeff back to the
Jerr-Dan family,” says Joel
Amsley, Jerr-Dan vice president of sales. “Jeff has held
numerous positions since he
began his career here at Jerr-Dan and he’s developed valuable
experience in distributor sales and management. He is well
known and well respected within the industry.”
Jack’s Heavy-Duty
WEIGHT TRANSFER
The same laws of physics apply to everyone.
Jack Schrock
I
f we could efficiently move weight fore
and aft on a big wrecker, we could
also correspondingly increase lift and
tow capability.
Years ago the United States military
developed a formula to determine the
“approximate” lift and tow capacity of
any given wrecker:
1/2 FAW x WB x OH = Tow Capacity
FAW refers to Front Axle Weight; WB
refers to Wheelbase; and OH refers to
Overhang, or the distance from the balance point (fulcrum) to the lifting point on
the towing device. The Society of
Automotive Engineers in the SAE J2512
standard later adopted this formula.
There are “reker builders” who claim to
be exempt from this law of physics. Yes,
they say that their secret design provides
for extraordinary weight transfer not
enjoyed by the competition.
For example, back in the days of the
Holmes Wrecker Company, the sales guys
“thought” that raising the booms (on an HD
twin boom wrecker) would move weight
from the rear to the front axle, where it’s
needed most in an HD towing situation.
So we cranked booms up and down to
take advantage of this “special exemption” from the law of physics. That is, we
cranked until a smarty-pants engineer did
some actual tests and determined that, at
most, we might move a mere hundred
pounds or so by cranking the booms to a
near vertical position.
And yes, with the booms in that raised
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RUN HARD
VOL.15, NO.3
SEPTEMBER 2006
position, it’s also possible to clean out the
Christmas lights draped across the street
in a small south Texas town. Been there,
done that.
Anyway, the fantastic weight transfer
we thought existed did not, any more than
it does with those that also claim an
exemption due to their “special” design.
Smoke and mirrors
Some guys play games with the rear air
suspension systems in order to move weight
to the front axle, but that is tricky business.
It’s also illegal, so don’t go there because
you’re actually unloading the forward driv-
“It pays big
dividends to know the
FAW and WB of your HD
tow truck. Then, and only
then, will you get the
most out of your
”
equipment.
ers resulting in a loss of traction and braking, while greatly overloading the rears.
Also, this trick partially converts the rig to a
single rear axle and that corrupts the original design and suspension system.
However, we can move weight by moving water, antifreeze, fuel or concrete
blocks forward. I know of a guy who fabricated a hollow-front bumper that he
filled with water for a heavy-heavy tow
job. The problem was that he forgot the
water one night and it froze solid, requiring a complete thaw job inside the stable
to take all the excess weight off the front
axle. (Remember — too many so-called
HD wreckers are mounted on retired road
tractors, which invariably have only
12,000-lb. front axles, making it very
easy to exceed the Front Axle Rating
through such counterweighting.)
So, to keep it from freezing, he decided to pump antifreeze instead. Not only
was this procedure very expensive, but he
also had to fabricate a reservoir behind
the cab to save and reuse the antifreeze.
Another chap from Ohio cast a 3,000-lb.
block of concrete, complete with lifting
eye. He made a saddle for the block
behind the truck cab so he could carry the
block whenever he had an HD tow.
The real deal
At Jerr-Dan, we often opt to install a
permanent weight on our Super Heavy
Duty Wreckers under the forward toolboxes. If you’ve ever pulled a plow with a
farm tractor, then you understand using
weights upfront to increase performance.
The same applies to towing.
There are some very simple things you
can do to improve the towing capability of
your truck that are both practical and relatively inexpensive. For starters, consider relocating the batteries inside one of the forward
boxes, and then trade your smaller tanks for
two 150-gal. fuel tanks, one on either side
mounted as far forward as possible.
With those tanks full, it is usually possible to add a couple thousand pounds to
the front axle weight and, referring back
to the formula, FAW plays a major role in
determining how much you can lift and
tow. Increasing the Front Axle Rating to
accommodate this added weight requires
some minor modifications that your nearest “authorized” truck shop can provide.
If you’re from an Eastern city, a
280-in. wheelbase, tandem axle tow truck
is almost too much to maneuver around
narrow city streets. On the other hand, if
you’re from the West Coast, a 330-in.
wheelbase (three axle they call them; rear
tandems plus the front axle) tow truck is
very common. Again, wheelbase is one of
the controlling factors in determining lift
and tow capability; so the longer the
wheelbase, the more you can lift and tow.
Finally, and most importantly, it is necessary to keep the load as close to the tail
board (fulcrum or balance point) of the
tow truck as possible because the more
the underlift is extended, the more weight
is removed from the tow truck front axle,
and all that added weight ends up on the
rear drivers.
Obviously, this results in a double
whammy with the front axle
becoming too light for safe steering as well as control and the
rear drivers far too heavy for the axle ratings AND the scale house.
Unlike the truck hitch born of yesteryear, the underlift load rotates about a
center pin, making it easy to determine
just how close to the tailboard the load
can be carried. For example, if your load
is 96 in. wide AND the underlift pin is in
the center of the load, then one-half of 96
(or 48 in.) plus a handful of inches for
clearance equals the optimal distance
from the tail board.
In this case, 52 to 54 in. should do the
trick. If you insist on carrying that load
further from the tail board (and fulcrum),
you will unnecessarily increase the overhang, which also bears directly on the lift
and tow capability of your rig. All sorts of
other things happen when you extend the
underlift too far. All these things are bad
and often cost lost time and money.
It pays big dividends to know the FAW
and WB of your HD tow truck. Then, and
only then, will you get the very most out
of your equipment. Rigging your tow truck
with onboard axle scales is inexpensive,
especially for an air-ride suspension system, and provides a good way to better
monitor your real-world situation. In fact,
California for example, requires such onboard scales for overweight permits.
When using the formula 1/2 FAW x
WB x OH, remember it is only an “approximate” way to estimate how much weight
you can lift AND tow with reasonable safety because suspension type, condition and
other factors also have a bearing.
But, the formula is close enough for
government work! You’ll find that most
governments at all levels require compliance with the formula as the “smoking
mirrors” weight transfer claimed by some
manufacturers simply doesn’t exist.
See Ya’ Soon! ■
Jerr-Dan® heavy-duty wreckers are built to take a beating from the road and the job like no other wrecker in their class.
Our composite bodies resist stress cracks, never rust, and hold together longer than welded bodies. Add to that the
largest cross-bar pivot pin and hardest bushings in the industry, and now you’ve got a hard-working machine that will
save you downtime, save costly repairs and take just about anything you throw at it. Find out just how much a Jerr-Dan
heavy-duty wrecker can take, call 800-926-9666 or visit jerrdan.com today.
© 2 0 0 6 J E R R - D A N C O R P O R AT I O N
® J E R R - D A N A N D T H E J E R R - D A N L O G O A R E R E G I S T E R E D T R A D E M A R K S O F J E R R - D A N C O R P O R AT I O N , G R E E N C A S T L E , PA .
Business Management
Continuous
IMPROVEMENT
When ‘good enough’ just ISN’T!
By Brent Carroll, VP/CEO Ellison's Towing, Inc.
W
inners/Losers. First
Place/Second Place. Gold
Medal/Silver Medal. What
makes the difference? Why do some people
win, while others don’t?
The answer is this: Winners have a
commitment to improve beyond what they
are at the moment, no matter how good
they already are. Others are content to let
things be. Invariably, those individuals
seldom finish first.
Our company has, for many years,
embroidered our logo on each of our
driver’s uniforms. Each of the five stars in
our logo represents a particular trait we live
by — Prompt, Polite, Professional, Positive
and Profitable.
However, the large star underneath with
the numeral “1” in its center stands for
“Continuous Improvement.” The “1” inside
this star demonstrates its importance.
Each of our team members is required
to learn our logo and be able to recite it
upon demand. We put this into practice
each and every business day. We ask
these questions:
• How did we do yesterday?
• Did we reach each of our customers
in record time? How fast was that?
• Was each of our customers totally
satisfied with our service? If so, great;
now let’s do even better today!
Winners constantly push and strive for
more, while others are content to rest on
their laurels.
Long-term process
Innovation. Experimentation. Trial and
error. Does it always pay off? No, not necessarily in the short term, but a resounding
YES long term. Sometimes you actually will
go backward for a period of time when a
new idea or way of doing something just
14
RUN HARD
VOL.15, NO.3
SEPTEMBER 2006
bearings and their corresponding zerks that
does not pan out initially. But you always
you had to find, sometimes in the most
learn something from that experiment.
obscure locations. Never a pleasant chore,
Thomas Edison is quoted as saying: “I
and certainly messy.
am not discouraged, because every wrong
So, it was no surprise to me when I began
attempt discarded is another step forward.”
my career in the towing world that each of
I firmly believe and live by that quote.
the trucks had the same old requirement —
As we all know, Thomas Edison was not
GREASE IT! Not content to just ignore this
the first person who built a light bulb of the
apparent lack of evolution in the industry, I
incandescent type. However, until Edison,
started researching tow equipment, thinking
the incandescent bulb was not practical
because the filament burned out too quickly. there just had to be a better way, and if there
wasn’t, we ought to do it ourselves!
But Thomas Edison was known for stubHow nice it was to discover Jerr-Dan
born perseverance in solving problems. To
and their forward thinkfind the best material
ing. They already had
of his day for filament,
what we were looking
he carried out over
While other
for — No Lube
6,000 experiments
manufacturers can only Technology. This is just
with different materione of the reasons we
als. Remember, for
look on and drool over
appreciate and respect
each experiment, the
the
patented
technical
the Jerr-Dan
filament material had
advances made by
Corporation.
to be painstakingly
Ask yourself this:
mounted. The bulb
Jerr-Dan, those of us
Why wasn’t Jerr-Dan
had to then be evacuwho are owners of their content to mass proated and sealed, and
duce the same type of
then taken into the lab
equipment can only
equipment that had
for testing.
praise Jerr-Dan!
always been around?
Think about that:
Heck, if grease points,
6,000 FAILED experizerks, fittings and slides were working, why
ments! But then the next one worked.
not just leave it alone? Hadn’t the old way
Continuous Improvement! Wow! Does that
worked for many years? What was the big
not inspire you?
deal about having to grease your bed
slides, bearings, pivot points, etc.?
Perseverance pays
Granted, sometimes you had frozen
Having been raised on a farm, I was
bearings due to inadequate maintenance
very familiar with heavy equipment such as
programs. And yes, your drivers often had
tractors, sickle and rotary hay mowers, hay
grease on those nice, new uniforms you had
rakes, balers, bush-hogs, etc. And there
just purchased for them, because they had
was always one very important task that
to lean over a certain area of the truck with
had to be performed each time you backed
a large wad of leftover grease that had
your tractor up and hooked it to an implesquirted out of the bearing. And yes, that
ment — GREASE IT!
grease ended up being inadvertently
Each piece of equipment had its many
“
”
smeared all over the nice interior of that
new truck you had just purchased. And OK,
that grease ended up all over the back of
the Armani suite that the executive had on
when he climbed into your tow truck after
breaking down on his way to a very important board meeting.
Buy hey, you know, that’s just the way it’s
always been! Sound familiar? Why
go through all the headaches, capital
expenditures and possible setbacks of
designing a new type of greaseless system?
Obviously, the folks at Jerr-Dan believe in
continuous improvement!
And look what the results have been:
Jerr-Dan is the leader in the industry with
their patented No-Lube™ Technology, featuring greaseless slides and pivot points, with
plated pins and composite bushings that
won’t seize. There is also the Jerr-Dan ZeroDegree (ZOD) underlift and STEELBEAM™
technology used on Jerr-Dan aluminum beds,
variable width bodies, modular construction
featuring individually replaceable panels,
and the Jerr-Dan dual-angle
deck on the carrier beds.
And that’s just
naming a few.
While other
manufacturers
can only
look on
Each of the five stars in the Ellison’s
Towing logo represents a company
trait — Prompt, Polite, Professional,
Positive and Profitable. The large
star stands for Continuous
Improvement.
and drool over the patented technical
advances made by Jerr-Dan, those of us
who are owners of their equipment can
only praise Jerr-Dan!
Where will you
place?
Continuous Improvement. It’s a concept
that’s been around a long time. How do you
stand up? How dedicated are you at launching your company toward this stated goal?
Believe me, I’ll wager you have at least
one competitor who is very serious about it.
And it truly makes the difference between winning and coming in second, third or fourth.
People, horses, cars and corporations
who finish first are always remembered, but
those who finish even second never are.
Winners/Losers. First place/Second place.
Gold medal/Silver medal. Which do you
want you and your business to claim?
Again, to quote Thomas Edison,
“Many of life’s failures are people who did
not realize how close they were to success
when they gave up.”
I believe it can be demonstrated that
Continuous Improvement is the key to making it all happen. Putting this into practice
just resulted in our latest award, that of
being the first Diamond Certified Towing
Company in the Greater Bay Area. This is
an honor of distinction that was presented
to us after The American Ratings Corporation conducted a rigorous Independent
Customer Survey that resulted in 99% of our
customers saying they would definitely use
our services again.
What is your next step to Continuous
Improvement? ■
VOL.15, NO.3
RUN HARD
SEPTEMBER 2006
15
Owner Profile
DOING IT
RITE
“
”
DOING A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING — AND
DOING IT RIGHT — IS WHAT KEEPS THIS
NEW JERSEY TOWER IN BUSINESS.
S
ervice — it’s worth the price.
Especially if you ask Pat
Lynch, owner of Priced Rite
Towing and Road Service in Toms
River, New Jersey.
“As long as our customers receive
the high-quality service they’ve come
to expect from us, they are willing to
pay a fair price for it,” says Lynch.
Lynch has been operating on this
principle since the day he opened his
business 13 years ago. His background as a buyer/seller of used
cars at auction taught him the ins
RUN HARD
VOL.15, NO.3
Three of Priced Rite’s eight pieces of Jerr-Dan
towing equipment are pictured here: an HDL
500/280 25-ton wrecker and two standard-duty
rollbacks with 21-ft. beds.
Inset: Owner Pat Lynch plans to purchase more
Jerr-Dan equipment in the future.
New Jersey/New York border to the
southern-most tip of New Jersey.
Priced Rite is located at about the
half-way point on the parkway.
OWNER PROFILE
Priced Rite Towing
Toms River and Bayville, New Jersey
Jerr-Dan Fleet Profile:
Diversification
Doing “a little bit of everything” in
the towing business has been one key
to Lynch business.
“We handle all types of towing, from
fleet towing on the Garden State
Parkway to commercial accounts, dealerships, body shops, contractors, major
motor clubs — you name it, we tow for
it,” he says. “The majority of our tows
are for average passenger vehicles, but
we also tow luxury vehicles, ambulances, limos, motorcycles, trailers —
almost anything you can think of.”
The hydraulic
independently
operated rear
stabilizers on
this HDL
500/280 25-ton
wrecker include
recovery
anchors.
16
and outs of the fast-paced New
Jersey auto market, as well as the
importance of quality service.
“Expedient service is really what
our customers want,” he notes. “And
our company image is a big advantage for us: clean trucks, trained and
uniformed drivers . . . all this makes
a difference.”
You can see Priced Rite’s 14
drivers all over Ocean county,
especially on the bustling Garden
State Parkway. The 172-mile stretch
of toll road stretches from the
SEPTEMBER 2006
The several hundred calls the company performs every week include both
existing and new customers. Priced Rite
doesn’t advertise . . . all new business is
word of mouth.
“We work with people, and word
gets around,” Lynch says.
Equipment quality
What also gets around is the towing
equipment in Priced Rite’s fleet. Of the
16-truck fleet (including two service
trucks), half of the equipment is manufactured by Jerr-Dan.
Wreckers:
One MPL40 light-duty wrecker
One HPL 6000 light-duty wrecker
One HDL 500/280 25-ton wrecker
Carriers:
Five standard-duty steel rollback
carriers with a 21-ft. bed
Services
• 24-hour emergency roadside service
• Light-, medium- and heavy-duty
towing
• Accident/recovery services
• Vehicle storage and relocation
VOL.15, NO.3
RUN HARD
SEPTEMBER 2006
17
Priced Rite’s five
Jerr-Dan rollbacks
are equipped with
21-ft. steel beds. The
company tows all
kinds of vehicles,
including motorcycles
like this one.
Priced Rite currently owns five standard-duty steel rollbacks with 21-ft. beds. (Three ride on a 2003 International
4300, one on a 2000 UD and one on a 2006 Peterbilt).
Priced Rite wreckers include an MPL40 on a 2005 Ford
F450, an HPL 6000 on a 1999 International and an HDL
500/280 25-ton on a 2006 Peterbilt.
“Jerr-Dan towing equipment has been more versatile for
us than other equipment,” he explains.
Highlights of the equipment, according to Lynch:
• The dual-angle deck design on the carriers give us
great clearance.
The
greaseless body and pivot points with Jerr-Dan’s
•
No-Lube™ technology means a lot less wear and tear
on our trucks.
• The modular body truck design makes it really easy
to replace a section of a truck if it becomes damaged.
This saves us a lot of money.
18
RUN HARD
VOL.15, NO.3
SEPTEMBER 2006
• The counterweight and rear stabilizers of the 25-ton
are a huge advantage. This is a great truck!
• The MPL40 is the perfect truck to help with our
•
repossession and property management work.
It allows us to get in and out of traffic quickly.
We simply don’t have issues with our Jerr-Dan
trucks. And any questions we have are always
answered promptly by our dealer.
Future plans for quality
“Our future plans are to keep going,” Lynch says. “We
plan to continue doing what we’re doing — and doing it
right. We have to be competitive, but realistic.”
Quality workmanship. Quality service. “It all boils down
to this,” concludes Lynch. “If you give people what they
want, they’ll keep calling you.” ■
Eliminates Push-Pull Cable Actuation
for TG Series PTOs.
• Available for manual or automatic* transmissions.
• Simple electrically controlled shifter uses hydraulic force to engage and
disengage the PTO.
• Low current draw during engage & disengage.
• No current draw in the “ON” or “OFF” position.
• Simple installation with pre-wired connectors and complete wiring harness.
• Manual override connection provided.
* Requires proper activation procedures as specified in the PTO owner’s manual.
®
Muncie
Power
Products
Muncie Power Products, Inc. Member of the Interpump Hydraulics Group
General Offices and Distribution Center • P.O.Box 548 • Muncie, IN 47308-0548 • (765) 284-7721
FAX (765) 284-6991• E-mail info@munciepower.com • Web site http://www.munciepower.com
Drive Products, Inc.,Toronto, Exclusive Agents for Canada, ISO Certified by an Accredited Registrar
Show & Go
What does YOUR
look like?
Jerr-Dan
Do you have
an image of
that you’d lik
your Jerr-Da
n rig
e to share w
ith readers?
Submit your
photos via:
E-
Owner Mike Melvin of Harundale Towing Inc. in
Glen Burnie, Maryland, runs his trucks around the
clock for county and state police, motor clubs,
dealers, local garages and private towing. This HPL
6000 wrecker (right) rides on a 2000 Ford F650
automatic chassis. The standard-duty carrier with
19-ft. bed, pictured below, is equipped with an
independent wheel lift. Riding on a 1999 Ford
F550, the carrier is outfitted with factory toolboxes, custom grille and headlights.
Brownies 24-Hour Towing in Fayetteville, North Carolina, celebrates
15 years of brand loyalty to Jerr-Dan equipment and International
carriers. This Jerr-Dan 21-ft.-bed rollback with wheel lift/cable
truck rides on a 2005 International 4300 chassis. It is one of
four 21-ft.-bed rollbacks owned by the company.
20
RUN HARD
VOL.15, NO.3
SEPTEMBER 2006
WOULD YOU
YOUR RIG P LIKE TO SEE
ICTURED HE
RE?
MAIL to Run
Hard@cy
This aluminum rollback carrier, with a 21-ft. deck, handles
both transport and recovery work throughout the
Northeast for Tom Kerr Chevrolet in Montrose,
Pennsylvania. It rides on a 2006 Peterbilt 335 and is
operated by Hayden (Haywood) Brunges.
Quality Auto Body in Cornwall, New York, is
the proud owner of this Jerr-Dan HPL 6000
light-duty wrecker. It rides on a 2005 Ford
F450 extended cab chassis and was
custom built by Michael Bigg Jr. This handsome
wrecker won first place in the light-duty
category of the 2005 Lake George Tow Show.
gnusb2b.com
(High-res ph
otos only. Hin
t: Set
your digital
camera to ta
ke
photos as la
rge of a size
and as
many pixels
as possible.)
MAIL to Edito
r, Run Hard
magazine
1233 Janesvi
lle Avenue,
Fort Atkinso
n, WI 53538
In addition to
your photo,
tell us what
model of
have, what
model chass
and why yo
is you have
u are submit
ting your rig
!
Jerr-Dan you
Portland State University (P.S.U.) colors are proudly painted
on this HPL 35 light-duty wrecker owned by Newhouse and
Hutchins in Portland, Oregon. The steel-bodied HPL 35 rides
on a 2005 Ford F450 chassis and is owned by Bruce
Schneider. Bruce is an alum of Oregon State, where he played
on the football team. He is also in the 2005 International
Towing and Recovery Hall of Fame.
VOL.15, NO.3
RUN HARD
SEPTEMBER 2006
21
Company News
JERR-DAN INTRODUCES NEW UNDERLIFT WITH
SELF-LOADER GRIDS FOR CARRIER LINE
Jerr-Dan recently introduced a new carrier underlift system
with self-loader grids. This new self-loader grid system features
hydraulic operated L-Arms, eliminating the need for operators
to handle L-Arms.
One of the most important safety features of the self-loader
grid configuration is the patented LOCKLINK™ mechanism. This
over-center, self-locking device mechanically locks the wheel
retaining arms in the “fully tire engaged” position. This prevents
the vehicle from becoming released should a problem occur
with a hydraulic cylinder, hose or fitting.
“Jerr-Dan continues to develop quality products and innovations designed to make the tower’s job easier every day. With
this underlift system, we’ve taken a proven, best-in-class technology from our wrecker line and adapted it to help carrier
operators,” states Jeff Weller, president Jerr-Dan Corporation.
This self-loader grid system was first developed for the
Jerr-Dan MPL40 light-duty wrecker and is now available as an
option on all Jerr-Dan standard-duty carriers with a minimum
GVWR of 19,500 pounds and a lifting capacity of 3,000
pounds. The underlift is available in optional ZOD (zerodegree) and non-ZOD configurations. The ZOD underlift option
provides maximum
UPCOMING SHOWS
clearance to towed
vehicles regardless of
Date
September 7-10
Show
Towfest
ground profile.
Location Chattanooga Convention Center
Visit www.jerr-dan.com
City
Chattanooga, Tennessee
to find out more product
Date
September 8-9
information and to find
Show
Maine Tow & Trade Expo
Location Memorial Park
your closest Jerr-Dan
City
Old Orchard Beach, Maine
distributor.
Date
Show
Location
City
JERR-DAN.COM
RECEIVES A NEW LOOK
There’s a new look for the Jerr-Dan website (www.Jerr-Dan.com). The result of this
recent redesign is an edgy, modern, updated
website full of valuable information for towing professionals.
At the main Jerr-Dan home page, the
tagline “Run Hard” catches your eye. This
bold statement accurately encompasses
everything that Jerr-Dan stands for.
From the main site you can access a variety of links, from Jerr-Dan product specifications to news releases to videos to customizing
your Jerr-Dan equipment. You can also find
your nearest distributor as well as contact professionals at the Jerr-Dan corporate office.
Here are a few of the site’s highlights:
• Wreckers and carriers. Learn more
about each model of Jerr-Dan wrecker and
carrier. View spec sheets, product photos,
working video demos and more.
22
RUN HARD
VOL.15, NO.3
SEPTEMBER 2006
September 15-17
Virginia State Towing Expo
Woodland Place
Vinton, Virginia
Date
Show
September 15-17
Statewide Towing Association
Tow Show and Expo
Location DCU Center
City
Worcester, Massachusetts
Date
Show
September 22-24
Tow Show for Provincial Towing
Association of Ontario
Location The Barrie Event Center
City
Barrie, Ontario, Canada
• Jerr-Dan Advantage. This section details
Jerr-Dan technology. Watch video clips and
read more about the innovative designs of
Jerr-Dan equipment.
• Jerr-Dan Life. This section highlights
your towing stories, as well as upcoming
events, including racing sponsorships. You
can also subscribe to Run Hard magazine
here as well — for free!
Each section of the Jerr-Dan website is
continually being updated and upgraded to
make it as up-to-date as possible. Check
back frequently to see what’s new!
Date
Show
September 29-30
Towing and Recovery
Professionals of North Carolina
Location Ramada Inn
City
Burlington, North Carolina
Date
Show
October 5-8
2006 Midwest Regional Family
Towing Affair
Location Clarion & Embassy Suites
City
Dublin, Ohio
Date
Show
Location
City
October 19-21
PTRAA Expo
Wyndham Hotel
North Little Rock, Arkansas
Date
Show
Location
City
November 17-19
American Towman Exposition
Baltimore Convention Center
Baltimore, Maryland
U.S. & Canada Jerr-Dan Distributor Listing
ALABAMA
Arab, AL
Austin Hinds Motors Inc.
256-586-8161
Ozark, AL
Stormins Inc.
334-774-7138
ARIZONA
Phoenix, AZ
Todd Equipment, Inc.
480-557-8633
ARKANSAS
Caraway, AR
Cars, Inc.
870-482-3614
Pocahontas, AR
Ward’s Wrecker Sales
& Service
870-248-1000
CALIFORNIA
Hawthrone, CA
Tow World Inc.
310-263-1200
Concord, CA
Best Equipment
510-569-1288
Fontana, CA
Gooding Enterprises, Inc.
909-357-7920
Fresno, CA
Valley Wrecker Sales Inc.
559-485-1513
San Leandro, CA
Tow World Inc.
510-430-9894
Torrence, CA
California Western Towing
Equipment
310-787-0208
West Sacramento, CA
Riverview International
Trucks Inc.
916-371-3110
COLORADO
Commerce City, CO
Summit Truck Equipment
303-289-3161
DELAWARE
Selbyville, DE
Danzi Brothers Inc.
302-436-2000
FLORIDA
Jacksonville, FL
Stover Sales Inc.
904-696-3496
Miami, FL
Rechtien International Trucks
dba Wreckers Limited
305-888-0111
Riviera Beach, FL
Rechtien International
dba Wreckers Limited
561-882-9050
Sanford, FL
KENTUCKY
Burlington, KY
Tipton Auto Sales &
Parts Inc.
859-689-4222
Rechtien International
dba Wreckers Limited
407-321-8474
Richmond, KY
Tebco of Kentucky
859-624-0653
Tampa, FL
Atlanta Wrecker &
Carrier Sales Inc.
813-626-2144
LOUISIANA
GEORGIA
Smyrna, GA
Atlanta Wrecker &
Carrier Sales Inc.
770-432-0097
ILLINOIS
Champaign, IL
Prairie International
217-352-4187
Chicago, IL
Chicago International Trucks
708-496-7500
Decatur, IL
Prairie International
217-877-8411
Elmhurst, IL
Worldwide Equipment
Sales LLC
630-617-9848
Quincy, IL
Prairie International
217-222-1518
Springfield, IL
Prairie International
217-523-5631
INDIANA
Greensburg, IN
Hedinger’s Auto Care, Inc.
812-663-7885
IOWA
Dubuque, IA
Truck Country of Iowa Inc.
563-556-2616
Davenport, IA
Truck Country of Iowa Inc.
309-507-1525
Cedar Rapids, IA
Truck Country of Iowa Inc.
319-365-0531
Gary, LA
Southland International of
Louisiana
985-876-3000
Harahan, LA
Southland International of
Louisiana
504-733-7711
St. Louis, MO
Archway International
314-771-3900
NEBRASKA
Omaha, NE
Omaha Truck Center
402-592-2440
NEVADA
North Las Vegas, NV
McCandless International
702-642-8789
Sparks, NV
Silver State International
775-685-6000
West Monroe, LA
Plunk’s Truck Parts &
Equipment Inc.
318-388-4460
NEW JERSEY
MAINE
Shrewsbury, NJ
Circle Truck Center
732-741-3130
South Portland, ME
Hews Company LLC
207-767-2136
MARYLAND
Aberdeen, MD
JP Chevrolet
410-272-0300
Baltimore, MD
Maryland Carrier &
Wrecker Sales
410-247-5700
MASSACHUSETTS
Lancaster, MA
Crawford Truck Sales Inc.
978-534-1954
West Hatfield, MA
G & S Industrial
413-247-9631
MICHIGAN
Detroit, MI
Santoro Inc.
315-526-1300
Muskegon, MI
Port City Wrecker Sales
231-773-2001
MINNESOTA
St. Paul, MN
Twin Cities Wrecker Sales
651-488-4210
MISSISSIPPI
Des Moines, IA
Truck Country of Iowa Inc.
515-265-7361
Brandon, MS
Magnolia Wrecker Sales
601-825-6400
KANSAS
MISSOURI
Wichita, KS
Kansas Truck Center
316-945-5600
St. Louis, MO
Miller Brothers Inc.
314-752-5726
Kansas City, MO
KCR International Trucks Inc.
816-455-1833
Hasbrouck Heights, NJ
Nussbaum Sales Corp.
201-288-3885
Spotswood, NJ
Giancola Motor Car Corp.
732-251-4422
NEW YORK
Albany, NY
P.A. Ruth Automotive
518-456-0356
Hornell, NY
Elsenheimer Chevrolet
607-324-3330
Port Jefferson Station, NY
Ramp Chevrolet Inc.
631-473-1234
NORTH CAROLINA
Clayton, NC
Eastern Wrecker Sales
919-553-4038
OHIO
Akron, OH
Fallsway Equipment
Co., Inc.
330-633-6000
Canal Winchester, OH
Bob McDorman
Chevrolet Inc.
614-837-3421
Toledo, OH
ABCO
419-536-6123
OKLAHOMA
Claremore, OK
Tri-State Wrecker Sales Inc.
918-342-4244
OREGON
WASHINGTON
Lyons, OR
Santiam Enterprises
503-859-2793
Tacoma, WA
Northwest Equipment Sales
& Service
253-922-7581
PENNSYLVANIA
WEST VIRGINIA
Collegeville, PA
Mobile Lifts
610-489-1900
Parkersburg, WV
Matheny Motor Truck Co.
304-485-4418
Columbia, PA
Nussbaum Equipment Inc.
717-684-0189
WISCONSIN
Marshfield, WI
Mid State Truck Service Inc.
715-591-2591
Greencastle, PA
Mason Dixon
Trucks & Carriers Inc.
717-597-9400
Milwaukee, WI
Badger Truck Center
414-344-9500
Scenery Hill, PA
ASCO Enterprises Inc.
724-945-5525
West Allis, WI
Badger Truck of West Allis
800-553-1927
Wilkes-Barre, PA
Wilkes-Barre Truck
570-823-0144
Windsor, WI
Badger Truck of Madison
866-846-0680
Windber, PA
GAP Chevrolet
814-467-4596
CANADA
Charlesbourg, Quebec
Plamondon Camquip LTEE
418-849-7575
SOUTH CAROLINA
Orangeburg, SC
Smith Services Inc.
803-533-1585
Dorval, Quebec
Del Equipment Limited
514-684-1760
TENNESSEE
Rockwood, TN
Glenn’s Motors and
Auto Parts
865-354-0622
Edmonton, Alberta
Alberta Motor Association
780-430-5520
Mississauga, Ontario
H.R. Runciman & Co., LTD
905-625-7222
TEXAS
Buda, TX
Wrecker Capitol
512-312-5655
Moncton, New Brunswick
Del Equipment Limited
506-857-4291
Dallas, TX
Coker Equipment
214-742-5221
Port Coquitlam, British Columbia
Del Equipment Limited
604-941-6241
Houston, TX
RPM Equipment
281-590-1494
UTAH
Salt Lake City, UT
Rocky Mountain
Wrecker Sales
801-268-8850
VERMONT
White River Junction, VT
Sabil & Sons Inc.
802-295-4325
VIRGINIA
Manassas Park, VA
Horton Truck and
Equipment
703-530-7800
Call 800-926-9666 for information on your nearest authorized Jerr-Dan Distributor.
VOL.15, NO.3
RUN HARD
SEPTEMBER 2006
23
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