Industry News & New Products

Having started nearly two decades ago, Kevin Einck has seen Zip’s with only 60 people grow into what we now know as Zip’s AW Direct, which now employs 260+ people. He’s gone from being a car carrier installation tech to a manager of 17 mechanics in 7 crews, plus an off-site crew in Charles City. He’s seen how much the company has grown just by looking up from his work.

Working as a car carrier installation tech for ten years, he learned the trade and the business. He began working under a manager who taught him the ropes. He worked under him for “6 to 8 months” before Kevin ended up in his own stall with his own crew. For him, it’s been a major sign of growth that the people he’s trained have gone on to train more crews.  

Nowadays, Kevin ensures “the techs are doing a proper job of installing the carriers … in a timely manner.” He also schedules the jobs that come into the shop, double-checks that they have the right parts from Miller to build the carriers, fields calls from the service department on issues that might come up and does what he can “to solve any issues that may arise during a build.” He has one goal in mind, and that is “to assure the customer is getting the best product that Zip’s can provide.”

In his position he doesn’t “see an end … anytime soon for car carrier builds.” He sees them as Zip’s bread and butter. It’s what we do best, and in his eyes, we make them the best. We put out a quality product because that’s what gets people coming back. That’s what the business is, customer satisfaction. Whether it be “the minimal builds” or “the tricked-out, flashy builds” they have to be the best. It’s a point of pride for Kevin to watch “top-notch trucks going out to customers daily.”

Paul Rottinghaus, President of Zip’s AW Direct, has told Kevin many times, “You can and you will figure it out, there is no I can’t figure it out.” It’s a sentence that Kevin has taken to heart. Kevin does everything he can to get the job done while ensuring he has given the best he has because to him, what he does is more than just for a paycheck. He views Zip’s as part of his family.

 

Keeping wreckers clean and professional looking is part of maintaining a good business reputation. An important part of lightbar maintenance is keeping it clean.

However, the cleaning methods used will vary depending on the components used on our wreckers. For instance, lightbar lenses have specific cleaning requirements depending on the manufacturer. The general steps for cleaning your lightbar are as follows:

1. Wet lightbar with gently running water

2. Use a mild, soapy detergent with a soft cloth to wipe lightbar clean

3. Rinse lightbar with running water and use your soft cloth to remove water spots

Below are excerpts from the owner’s manuals of several of our lightbar manufacturers.

Whelen: Clean the outer lenses of a Whelen lightbar with only soap and water. Do not use any other cleaning products. Using any other cleaning products or solvents, may cause damage to the lenses.

When cleaning, use a soft cloth or sponge to gently scrub away any dirt or debris from the lenses. Rinse the lenses with clean water and then dry completely with a soft, lint-free cloth. Use of other chemicals could result in premature lens cracking (crazing) and discoloration.

Lenses in this condition have significantly reduced effectiveness and should be replaced immediately. After cleaning, inspect and operate this product regularly to confirm its proper operation and mounting. Do not use a pressure washer to clean this product, as it can damage or scratch the lens.

PSE Amber: Clean your lenses with clean water and a soft cloth. Alternatively, use Code 3® lens polish and very soft paper towels or facial tissue. Because plastic scratches easily, cleaning is recommended only when necessary (about every six months). Do not subject the lenses to car washes that use brushes as these will scratch and damage the lenses.

Federal Signal: Crazing (cracking) of the lenses will cause reduced effectiveness of the light. Do not use cleaning agents (which will cause crazing) such as strong detergents, solvents or petroleum products. If crazing of lenses does occur, reliability of the light may be reduced until the lenses are replaced.

Ordinary cleaning of the plastic lenses can be accomplished by using mild soap and a soft rag. Should fine scratches or haze appear on the lens, they can be removed. Remove with a non-abrasive, high-quality, one-step automotive paste cleaner/wax and a soft cloth.

ECCO: Occasional cleaning of the lenses will ensure optimum light output. Take care when cleaning lenses – although tough, polycarbonate scratches easily. Clean the lens and base with soap and water or a lens polish using a soft cloth.

Do not use solvents as they may damage the polycarbonate lens. Do not subject the lightbar to high-pressure washers or automatic car washers.

Snatch blocks are a common tool on almost every tow truck for good reason. Snatch blocks are useful in difficult recovery scenarios as they can increase the pulling force of a winch line.

A snatch block is a type of pulley block. It features a swing-open plate. This makes it suitable for short winch line runs and servicing.

When selecting snatch blocks for your truck, verify that the working load limit (WLL) of the winch line and snatch block are compatible. The snatch block must be at least as strong as your winch line.

Verify that the groove in the snatch block’s sheave wheel is sized for the diameter of your winch line. A groove that is too large won’t fully support the winch line and could cause damaging flat spots. A winch line that’s too large can crack the block.

To determine the proper size sheave wheel, use a 12:1 ratio. For example, a 3/8" winch line dia. multiplied by 12 yields 4.5" which is the ideal sheave diameter for a 3/8" wire rope.

Changing Directions.

Another primary use of a snatch block is to change the direction of pull. Blocks are anchored in a fixed position. The wider the angle at the block, the less force the recovery point has to withstand. One of the most common direction changes is attaching a snatch block to your bed. This allows the wire rope to feed straight into the winch. This ensures that it winds properly on the drum, rather than winding to one side.

Snatch blocks are also used as anchor points to change the winch line direction. Allowing the disabled vehicle or tow truck to increase pulling power. Multiple snatch blocks can even be used for self-extraction. This can be achieved by routing the winch line from the back of the tow truck to several anchored blocks to the front of the tow truck.

Increased Pulling Power

Snatch Blocks can increase pulling power by having a moving vs. fixed snatch block. In this situation, attach a snatch block to the load so it moves with the load as the winch is operated.

The amount of line angle at the moving block determines how much mechanical advantage is gained. Maximum gain is when the input wire rope is parallel, or zero degrees, to the output wire rope. This is called a double line pull.

It comes in handy when your winch is not rated for the amount of weight of your casualty. This setup effectively doubles the capacity of your winch by distributing the load over two lines.

Another situation is when the casualty is heavier than your recovery vehicle. In this instance, the tow truck’s wire rope goes through the snatch block attached to the casualty and back to another fixed snatch block then back to the load. This is a triple line pull and gains a 3:1 advantage. The more lines ran between the tow truck and the casualty, the more the pulling power increases.

Lubrication

When lubricating snatch blocks, use either sodium- or lithium-based grease. Bronze bushed blocks and sheaves generally need to be lubricated after 8 hours of continuous usage or at least every 14 days with intermittent use.

Roller bearing blocks and sheaves can be used for 24 hours continuously before needing lubrication. The same guideline of 14 days applies for intermittent use. Swivels follow the roller bearing lubrication schedule. Always follow your particular manufacturer’s lubrication timeline.

Snatch Block Inspection

Wear is a fact of life and will eventually affect the load a snatch block can handle. This means that regular and frequent inspection is needed. During inspection, keep the following in mind:

• Deformation of any part is an indication of overload and the snatch block must be replaced immediately.

• Swivel end-play of more than 1/16" is a danger sign. Replace the snatch block immediately.

• Spreading side plates are caused by overload and must be repaired or replaced.

• Looseness in the side plates are a sign of loose retaining nuts.

• Sheave alignment issues such as wobbly sheaves are caused by bearing wear.

• Groove wear in the sheave is caused by cable wear and can prematurely reduce wire rope life. Replace grooved sheaves immediately.

• Hook latches are designed to hold loose rigging under slack conditions. Replace any damaged latches.

• Any hook deformation, crack, gouge or distortion needs to be replaced immediately.

Having several snatch blocks on your tow truck can provide options when faced with challenging recoveries. Keeping them in proper working order will ensure they are ready when you need them most.

Before using any equipment described; be sure to read, understand and follow all manufacturers instructions and guidelines.

You’ve all experienced road service calls where someone simply runs out of gas. The solution seems as simple as filling and pouring using a gas can, right? Well, maybe not. The choice of which container used to bring fuel is actually not so simple.

There are three basic types of containers: Safety can, portable can and D.O.T. compliant can. Here’s the difference.

• Safety Can: Safety cans are approved by a third party safety company such as UL or FM. Safety cans must meet certain requirements set by OSHA 29 CFR 1926.155(l).

• They must be five gallons or less in size. They must have a flash-arresting screen, a spring-closing lid and spout cover. The design must safely relieve internal pressure when subject to fire exposure.

• This type of can is required when used by any business or commercial enterprise for storing or transferring gasoline and other flammable liquids. These cans meet OSHA requirements and are available in steel or plastic. These cans be used to transfer or store gas and other flammable liquids.

Eagle Type I Red Safety Can

• Portable Fuel Can: A portable fuel can is a container designed for use by consumers. These cans are used to receive, transport, store, and dispense gasoline, diesel fuel, or kerosene. Equipped with a spigot allows for no spilling and easy pouring.

• Cans are color coded in red for gasoline, yellow for diesel or blue for kerosene. They are deemed to be portable fuel containers regardless of how they are labeled per EPA 40 CFR 59.680.

• Portable fuel cans are designed with several features in mind. They help to control evaporative emissions and reduce spillage. These cans are often referred to as CARB (California Air Resource Board) compliant cans.

• These models are also designed with child-resistant features to meet the Children’s Gasoline Burn Prevention Act. These cans may meet EPA requirements, but not OSHA or DOT requirements. These cans are generally made of plastic, but there are some metal cans on the market.

No-Spill CARB Gas 

• DOT Compliant Can:  These cans need to meet the Performance Oriented Packaging requirements of the Federal Hazardous Materials Regulations. For instance, a standard safety can does not meet the requirements for transport. However, Safety Transport Cans have a spring loaded hold-down bracket for the lid to protect the spout.

• Some portable fuel cans have DOT caps that replace the spout assembly during transport to make them compliant. Jerri cans with screw-in caps that replace the spout assembly can also meet DOT requirements. Only cans meeting DOT requirements can be used for transporting flammable liquids.

DOT Compliant Cap

Check the label or imprinting on your gas cans to see if they meet DOT requirements. You should look for a DOT approval stamp, or UN marking numbers like 1A1/T1.2/100.

The choice of which gas can you purchase depends on how the container will be used. Safety cans are great in maintenance shops or storage yards while DOT approved cans are best for road service vehicles See more Fuel Cans.

Before using any equipment described, be sure to read, understand and follow all manufacturers instructions and guidelines.

Understand the different pros and cons of different types of winch lines. Additionally, know how to take care of winch lines correctly.

Wire winch lines, commonly called steel wire rope, are the heart vehicle recovery operations. A damaged line is a serious safety issue and a broken one removes a recovery vehicle from service. This article will cover the basics of winch lines, winch line inspection, and how to select a new winch line.

Rope Cores: Rope cores serve as the foundation for the strands. They keep the rope round and strands properly positioned.

There are 3 different core types: fiber core, independent wire core (IWRC) and strand core. Fiber core offers the greatest flexibility. It is commonly made of polypropylene fibers, but natural fiber options are also available.

Independent wire rope core (IWRC) is available in bright, galvanized, and stainless steel configurations. It is the strongest type of core available and has 10-15% higher work load limit than fiber core.

Strand Core is made of stands of wires. It is least flexible of the three types discussed and is mostly used on utility cables.

Rope Grades: The most common rope today is extra improved plow steel (EIP or XIP). It is typically used on winch lines and generally has 15% stronger break strength than improved plow steel grade (IPS). Extra extra improved plow steel grade (EEIP or XXIP) is also available for added strength in higher rated equipment.

Rope Types: Bright wire is un-coated and is the most commonly used winch line. Another option is galvanized wire, which improves corrosion resistance. However, galvanization can reduce a wire’s strength up to 10% compared to bright wire unless the wire is drawn again. 

Stainless steel wire contains chromium and nickel. It is very corrosion resistant and used primarily on yachts or as control cables.

Construction: Construction determines how the wire rope performs. For instance, a 6 x 19 rope will have 6 strands of rope that have between 19 to 26 wires. Each added wire makes for better abrasion resistance. A 6 x 37 construction has 27 to 49 wires and is more flexible, while a 19 x 7 construction is rotation resistant.

Lay: There are two categories of lay, directional lay and lay orientation. Directional lay refers to what direction the strands of the rope face when you are looking down the rope, and lay orientation refers to the direction the wires within the strands are twisted.

Directional lay is either right or left. Lay orientation is either regular or lang. In regular lay, the wires are twisted in one direction while the strands are twisted in the opposite direction. In lang lay, the wires are laid in the same direction as the strand in the rope.

Regular lay ropes are less likely to untwist. They are also less likely to fail because of crushing and distortion; however, they are less flexible than lang lay ropes. Wire winch lines use right regular lay construction.

Design Factors: Design factors are safety factors required by government and industry organizations for wire rope. While they vary depending on application, typical towing winch lines have a 3:1 design factor, while lifting wire ropes have a 5:1 factor.

During a winch line’s “useful life” all wire rope will gradually lose strength due to surface wear and metal fatigue. Metal fatigue is caused by normal use of the winch line but is made worse by excessive bending, which can be caused by a sheave that is too small.

Inspecting your winch lines periodically for damage can save you many headaches on the road. Below is mechanical damage to look for when inspecting your winch line and determining whether to remove it from service.

• Hook damage: Look for any cracks or deformation of hooks. If the throat opening has been enlarged by 15% or twisted out of plane by 10%, it needs replacing.

• Broken Wires: Pulling winch lines across edges, fatigue or overload can all break individual wires. If you find five or more broken wires in a single strand or 10 or more in one lay, the wire should be replaced.

• Wear: Dragging a winch line on the ground or loading over the winch line will cause flat areas on individual wires of the cable. If these wires have lost 1/3 or more of the original diameter the line needs to be taken out of service.

• Corrosion/Heat Damage: Any discoloration from rust or lack of lubrication promotes fatigue. If the wire rope is severely pitted or individual wires rusted through, replace the line. Fiber core slings need to stay below 180°F and steel core below 400°F. Exceeding these heats greatly reduce wire rope strength.

• Kinking: Shock loading or forcing the line against an edge causes bent strands. This prevents the rope from rotating properly and greatly reduces its strength, making it necessary to replace the rope. Use load pads to protect the line and prevent this.

• Crushing: A load set on top of a winch line can flatten the cable. This has the same effect as kinking, making it necessary to remove the line from service.

When you are inspecting your winch line and have not found any damage that would require replacement, it is an ideal opportunity to lubricate the line to get the maximum service life possible. Be sure to use a lubricant especially made for wire rope. Proper lubrication reduces internal friction within the wires and strands of the wire rope. In addition, it protects the rope from oxidation and corrosion.

When selecting a new winch line it should be based on the diameter, length and type recommended by the winch manufacturer for the model of winch you own. This information can be found on the winch nameplate, otherwise you can contact the winch manufacturer or local supplier.

Beyond making sure your rope is compatible with your winch, there are a few other things you may want to consider. First, swivel hooks will help relieve rotational tension as the rope moves, so you may want to invest in them. Also, keep in mind that imported ropes can provide substantial cost savings without sacrificing quality.

To reduce damage to whatever winch line you choose, use roller guides and tension plates. These aid in the proper winding of wire rope on the winch drum.

Periodic inspections and lubrication of your winch line will save your business money, but more importantly, keep your employees safe and your customers happy. That is the heart of our industry.

See all our Winch Line Products >>

Tips for Preserving the Life of Jump-Start Packs

Older car batteries show their age in the cold temperatures with dead batteries. Jump-start packs are an operator’s best friend in these types of conditions. A quick boost will get many customers back on the road and you off to the next call. In order to keep your jump packs working when you need them, here are a few tips.

• Keep the jump pack charged according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Yes, this seems like an easy one, but jump packs have different charging techniques.

• Some packs have built-in overcharge protection. This allows them to be plugged in constantly.

• Other packs require charging for a specific period. Afterwards, they must be disconnected from the power source. Constant charging will damage the battery on packs on units without overcharge protectors.

• Jump-start packs require cool-down periods between jumps. The high amperage needed to start a vehicle heats up the internal components of the jump pack. The timeframe varies depending on the manufacturer, but in general, after 6 seconds of trying to jump-start start a vehicle, a pack will need 3 minutes of cool down time.

• Cold temperatures reduce the capacity of the jump-start batteries. Keep the pack warm between uses.

• Train employees on the proper hook-up of the battery hand clamps per manufacturer instructions.

• Use to charge non-frozen lead-acid batteries only.

• Follow any other jump pack maintenance outlined in the owners manual.

• Following these tips will extend the life of your portable jump starters and allow them to operator at peak amps.

Browse jump-start pack options here >>

The use of this recovery rope will drastically cut down on the overall weight of any truck.

AmSteel-Blue Synthetic Rope is an excellent alternative to steel winch cables! These synthetic winch lines and rope extensions are very durable with extremely low stretch, have superior flex fatigue and are wear resistant. Size-for-size, it is the same strength as steel - yet it floats in water! Learn more about AmSteel-Blue Synthetic Rope now! 

Full performance and efficiency, no matter the situation, is what we aim for in the recovery industry. Any given dispatch could be a standard lock-out or a breakdown with a dozen other unanticipated circumstances. You have to have a full toolbox and then some. The Holmes Towing Service Vehicle (TSV) is specifically designed for complete roadside service, and then it takes it up a notch with its top feature—the 200 Snatcher self-loading wheel lift attachment—giving this service truck the capacity for light duty towing. The TSV maximizes efficiency with it’s ability to store all of the tools you need and to tow a compromised vehicle, presenting an affordable and practical solution to more involved roadside situations. For more information, click here.

A car carrier trailer is such an essential piece of equipment in the towing industry, whether you’re shipping vehicles to a new dealership or delivering a disabled vehicle to an auto repair shop. Make sure you are well-equipped to handle any hauling or transporting application, easily and confidently. Your customers are counting on efficiency and high-quality service, and when you can do right by your equipment, you can better serve your customers—this ranges from toolboxes, storage, towing accessories, straps, chains, safety equipment, snatch blocks, roadside service parts, lighting, electrical hardware, repair parts and much more! Check out our popular items for your car carrier rollback here.

A dead car battery can leave you stranded. A dead phone battery can leave you without a way to call for help. The solution? Zip’s supplies portable power boosts small enough to carry in your purse or stow in your glove compartment—and strong enough to not only charge large electronics, but jump-start your engine. This means power when you need it most, without the time and trouble of calling for roadside assistance. Zip’s also carries other impressive power packs in a range of sizes and power voltages, perfect for any member of your family, any time a battery charge is needed. Learn more about them here.

The Century 1150 is a powerful piece of equipment that is built to handle the toughest recovery and lifting jobs easier, safer and more efficiently. This 50 ton heavy wrecker has proven lifting capabilities—great strength with professional ease. With 360° continuous boom rotation, a 3-stage recovery boom, SDU-4 underlift and many other features, this wrecker is above the rest in the market. It’s been tested in a variety of climate conditions, so matter the weather, severe ice or extreme heat, operation won’t be stalled. It’s larger in reach, but lighter in weight—meaning it’s easier on your wallet without compromising performance. The Century 1150 is the front leader of rotator offerings, and Zip’s is proud to offer it to our customers. Learn more about it here. 

We’re giving you a special look at the latest custom shirts from Zip’s. With the release of new styles, including long sleeve or short sleeve and ladies or unisex options, you’re sure to find a style that suits you. Shop our fun designs and up-to-date styles for any family member, any time of the year. We want to help you find just what you’re looking for, so let us know if you have questions on sizing or availability. Grab them while they’re on sale. Check out the collection here.

Today hopefully is the last frigidly cold day we will have this winter. In Iowa and Michigan we have missed a great deal of the snowy weather endured by states south and east of us.  I’m sure that although cold snowy weather is good for business that our customers will like a break from it.

It seems like this has been a very long stretch of time that we have been under the gun to build new equipment to fill custom orders. We have been working a lot of overtime.  The guys are looking forward to and will enjoy more normal hours in a week or two as we wind down the rush season and as the weather warms and daylight savings time kicks in.

Zip’s is now getting quite current with production of new build to order wreckers, car carriers and service bodies. We are beginning to produce some turnkey units so our customers will find that they can get immediate delivery on flatbeds, multi-deck car carriers, and light and heavy duty wreckers. Carriers are already showing up out front and we will be moving a few of them to Zip’s Detroit store in the next few days.

Zip’s also has available a large number of chassis and bodies that can be custom built quickly as we can move them right into a production slot. Our sales force should be happy to have equipment that they can demonstrate.

We are really excited about building the new Miller Multi-deck 4 car carriers. This is no-brainer replacement for the conventional above cab 4 car carrier. We have a Freightliner that will be done yet this week. If you are in that market of clearing out wrecks for the pools, auctions and insurance companies check them out. They are so much more safe loading and unloading as the tie-down work can be done from ground level rather than having to crawl around loading the car above the cab. The controls are simple to operate. This makes it so much easier to hire operators and should affect your workman's compensation in a positive way. I know of way too many instances where drivers slipped and fell loading vehicles on the conventional above cab deck.
Most are built with pusher axles so that the DOT is happy. The decks are 30' long for maximum loading space still staying under legal length limits in all states that I know of. Handling of this vehicle is much improved over the traditional 4 car because the weight of the top car is well back from the front of the vehicle. There is no overhang over the windshield so the driver doesn't feel like he is in a tunnel driving the unit.
The main deck is a 16 Miller 16 series 16,000# capacity which is much lighter than the traditional 20 Series deck .

I hope your looking forward to the new season and change of pace as we are.

This is going to be interesting. I am not much of a writer but I feel it would be good for me and Zip’s if we addressed items that would be of interest to our customers in the towing and recovery field, automotive service industry and the truck transportation business.  

I may discuss current events, towing, equipment recovery, rigging, safe practices, equipment selection and maintenance, chassis, truck equipment, insurance, financing, business practices, Zip’s, or anything else that gets my blood flowing.  I hope you find what I write useful, entertaining or in the least, something to talk about.  

Presumably I will be able to solicit blogs from some of our staff. We have a number of people who have a good deal of expertise in several areas that they may want to write about and you will find informative or helpful.  
As for some background, I am the president of Zip’s. I started working at this very facility in 1974 and bought the company in 1986. There has been an awful lot of water that has passed under my bridge during that time. My wife of 40 years Margo has been supporting me the whole time. I have three children, Carolyn, Lindsay and David. Carolyn operates a salon/spa business in Rogers, Minnesota. Lindsay is a busy mother of three girls in Brooklyn Park and is married to Chris who markets industrial equipment. David has been working here at Zip’s for several years. He is married to Tiffany and they have two little boys. My five grandchildren are pictured on the right.  David and Tiffany have been instrumental in starting our Taylor, Michigan shop and store living in the Detroit area for over two years and just recently moving back to Iowa to help the old man. Tiffany has great skills in graphic design and marketing which she uses to help our sales efforts here at Zip’s.

More to follow as I get time to “BLOG”!

Cleaning your DPF is an essential step to keeping your truck running right, and it must be done carefully and thoroughly to avoid damage and guarantee performance. If you wait too long to clean your DPF, you risk damaging the DPF and may need to replace it entirely, which is a hit on your wallet. Zip’s has invested in a state-of-the-art DPF cleaning machine. At a much more reasonable price than a replacement DPF and small time investment, you can have your DPF thoroughly inspected and cleaned and your truck ready to hit the road again. Spend less time in the shop and enhance your truck's performance at Zip’s—click here for more details.