Recovery | Page 2 of 15 | Pro-Tow 24 Hr Towing

Revisited: Fully Loaded End Dump Truck Recovery

by cdcidevel | Sep 20, 2023 | Accident Recovery, Crane Lift, Crane Lift Recovery, Crane Lift Service, Crane Service, Dump Truck Recovery, Emergency Towing, Emergency Towing Service, Heavy Towing In Kirkland, Recovery Blog

In this incident on December 5th, 2016, an end dump truck weighing nearly 90,000 pounds and carrying wood debris rolled over on Interstate 405 North of Bellevue. Team Pro-Tow came to help with this dump truck recovery.

We arrived at the scene and immediately set up pylons around the accident to keep traffic and our team safe. We then assessed the situation and brought in our two heavy-duty trucks for the dump truck recovery. We placed straps around the vehicle and the axles and carefully began pulling upright again.

Once the truck’s body was up, we carefully straightened the dump truck’s end until it was positioned correctly again. Then we could haul it away, providing a quality service for heavy towing in Kirkland.

What is an End Dump Truck?

An end dump truck, such as the one involved in this accident, is a specific type of dumping trailer. It unloads by lifting its dump box, the large carrier it carries, and dumping from the rear of that box. You can identify an end dump with higher sides than its main body, which gives them a great capacity to handle larger loads or rough materials. In this case, the end dump truck was hauling wood debris.

How Much Can a Loaded Dump Truck Weigh?

The weight of a dump truck depends on what it is carrying and the dump truck itself. An aluminum end dump truck can carry anywhere from 23 to 28 tons but can also carry up to 30 tons.

Just as with any vehicle carrying a weight, end dump trucks can be overloaded and cause wear and tear to its components. That can lead to accidents, breakdowns and other risks. If that happens, call Pro-Tow for dump truck recovery.

Let Pro-Tow Do the Heavy Lifting

When you need help with heavy loads, heavy towing in Kirkland or any area or accident recovery support, call Pro-Tow. We have the equipment, skills, trained operators, and knowledge to get you and your heavy equipment out of sticky situations.

For emergency heavy truck recovery and other towing needs, call us!

We have locations in Maple Valley, Auburn, Spokane, and North Bend, WA. If you need emergency towing, crane lift services, or accident recovery, give us a call.

Be sure to check out our other incident reports on our Recovery Blog!

Flexing Our Muscles: How Much Can a Heavy-Duty Crane Style Wrecker Lift?

by cdcidevel | Sep 6, 2023 | Crane Lift, Crane Lift Recovery, Crane Lift Service, Crane Lift Services, Crane Service, Heavy-Duty Wrecker, Recovery Blog, Washington

If you follow our blog and social media, you’ve seen many photos of Team Pro-Tow lifting some pretty heavy trucks and equipment out of sticky situations! We operate heavy-duty crane-style wreckers for accident recoveries, equipment recoveries and crane lift services.

Ever wonder how much one of those bad boys can lift? Well, it depends on several factors. For example, it depends on the heavy-duty wrecker, the manufacturer and how they’ve configured the crane. However, it’s no doubt that wreckers can lift substantial weights.

Lifting Against 180,000 Pounds

Back in 2016, Team Pro-Tow worked with the US Army Corps of Engineers to rescue an escavator out of deep mud in unfavorable terrain. Four heavy-duty wreckers worked with dump trucks, loaders, bulldozers, and excavators to complete this recovery. We estimate that we used about 200 tons of tow truck capacity to get that out. We also estimate that we were pulling against 180,000 pounds.

You can read about that recovery here: Towing Against 180,000lbs of Resistance.

90,000 Pounds of Cargo

Okay, so that was what four heavy-duty wreckers could lift. How about just one? Depending on the equipment, we can raise over 75,000 lbs. Often, we provide crane lift services during accident recoveries when a truck has tipped its trailer over.

In this incident in 2015, we lifted a trailer loaded with 90,000 lbs of beer-battered onion rings! Fortunately, we did it quickly and supplied a backup generator to keep the cargo cool during the recovery. It was a heavy load and a tasty one too!

You can read about that recovery here: Semi-Truck Accident Recovery on a Busy Interchange, Northbend, WA.

What Factors to Consider

It’s important to note that various factors impact the actual lifting capacity of a wrecker. For example, the length of the boom, the angle it lifts the load, and the condition of the crane’s components. The operator’s skill and experience also play a crucial role in safely and effectively using the wrecker to lift heavy loads.

If you need crane lift services from Team Pro-Tow and our fleet of heavy-duty wreckers, call us. We offer 24-hour emergency services and can get your heavy vehicles and equipment out of whatever jam they’re in!

If you want crane services in Washington State, call on Pro-Tow. Whether it’s for a truck accident recovery or moving something heavy and awkward, we are up for it! We have locations in Auburn, Spokane, North Bend, and Maple Valley, serving all of Washington State.

With our commitment to safety, quality, and customer service, you can trust us to do the job right. Learn more about our crane lift services in Washington.

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Why You Should Not Attempt a DIY Tow

by cdcidevel | Aug 2, 2023 | 24-Hour Towing Company, Emergency Towing, Emergency Towing Company, Emergency Towing Service, Recovery Blog, Towing Services

Have you ever considered a DIY tow if your car has broken down? Or even just a brief tow to move your fleet vehicle across the yard? Although it may seem like a cheap and easy solution, it’s not worth the risk it brings. Self-towing invites the risk of causing more damage and higher costs for repairs than calling a 24-hour towing company.

DIY Towing is Unsafe

DIY towing brings the risk of causing damage to car components to even the potential of causing an accident. It can also bring personal risk by causing bodily strain or injury. When your car needs a tow, it’s best to leave it to a 24-hour towing company with the operators and equipment to help. They’ll be able to provide the assistance required to keep you and your car safe without causing further damage.

Professionals Can Handle Any Scenario

An emergency towing company is equipped to handle any situation. They can ensure safety in any emergency situation with the right equipment and knowledge. Hiring a reputable company like Pro-Tow can make all the difference in a stressful situation. Most importantly, you will have peace of mind knowing your car or fleet vehicle is in the right hands. Pro-Tow is also a company you can rely on time and again for emergency towing and heavy fleet services.

It’s More Cost-Effective

While DIY may seem like a cost-effective way to save money, it’s not worth the overall risk. While hiring a company may seem like a higher cost, it saves more in the long run. A 24-hour towing company like Pro-Tow will tow your car without causing any more damage. They can also handle any repairs after towing, which will pay off in the long run with a vehicle that won’t break down.

When you need an emergency towing company, trust Pro-Tow to help.

Handsome middle age man working in towing service on the road. R

Tips for Semi-Truck Breakdowns

by cdcidevel | Jul 19, 2023 | Mobile Fleet Repairs, Recovery Blog, Semi-Truck, Semi-Truck Breakdowns, Semi-Truck Repair

Safety is of the utmost importance when driving semi-trucks and other heavy-duty vehicles. When semi-truck breakdowns happen, you want to ensure your fleet can access fast support, including mobile fleet repairs. Whether it’s due to an accident, flat tire, transmission failure or something else, help keep your drivers safe (and others on the road) with these tips.

Maintain Maximum Visibility for Everyone on the Road

First, if your semi-truck breaks down on the side of the road, you must ensure all other drivers can see you and see you well! Roadside semi-truck breakdowns can be a huge liability. Other drivers want to get where they’re going without delay and may not be paying attention. That’s why it is crucial to ensure all passersby know your situation.

Turn the flashers on in your vehicle. Place reflective warning signs and pylons around the vehicle and trailer to create a safe space to inspect the breakdown. Road flares are another option if a driver ends up in a dark place with lightless roads.

Know Who to Call

When a driver in your fleet has a semi-truck breakdown, encounters an accident, ends up in a ditch, or needs support, make sure they know who to call for help. Team Pro-Tow offers 24/7 emergency service and incident response throughout Washington State. As a result, we can offer semi-truck repair, towing, recovery, and mobile fleet repairs for semi-truck breakdowns. In addition, we provide fleet services for any type of vehicle, including 24-hour emergency towing and repairs.

Safe Driving Prevents Accidents

Make your presence on the road known to other drivers. For example, you must always approach passenger cars from the left. As a result, drivers will see your incoming vehicle. Pass at a steady speed. Always make sure that you can see smaller vehicles in your rearview mirror. And, of course, maintain safe distances from other vehicles at all times to avoid getting into a problem where you and others are in danger or if your truck breaks down.

As a driver, ensuring you have enough space when making a wide turn is important. It is to your benefit to always be on the lookout when making wide turns. Semi-truck drivers require more space to make turns, sometimes needing to start in the left or middle lane. Always keeping this in mind will help you from getting into a situation where your truck breaks down, and you need help.

If you need roadside assistance, including mobile semi-truck repair, for your fleet, give Pro-Tow a call!

Learn more about our services at: https://www.pro-tow.com/services/

Pro-Tow Helps with Hazardous Material Towing

by cdcidevel | Jul 5, 2023 | Hazardous Material Cleanup, Hazardous Material Spill, Hazardous Material Towing, Recovery Blog, Spill Cleanup

In this incident on April 4, 2023, a semi-truck hauling a tank of silicon tetrachloride reported a stripped coolant line and needed assistance. This transport truck needed hazardous material towing for their tank and trailer. Team Pro-Tow responded to the call.

Splitting the Tractor and Trailer

After fighting heavy traffic on our way to the scene, our team arrived to perform a recovery assessment. We decided to split the tractor and the loaded trailer. We turned the tractor around so we could tow it away.

Due to the low clearance of an overpass on our route, we had to hook up the 40-foot trailer separately and tow it to the customer’s destination.

Careful Hazardous Material Towing

We drove slowly and carefully as the tank was 2/3 full of hazardous silicon tetrachloride and weighed about 51,000 pounds. Plus, it was sloshing around in the tank. This sloshing could cause the trailer to be unbalanced and tip, resulting in a hazardous material spill. Our experienced driver took things slow and steady to avoid that disaster and made for a 5.5-hour round trip.

What is Silicon Tetrachloride?

Silicon Tetrachloride is a clear and colourless liquid used to make Silicon-containing chemicals that produce silicon products in commercial applications.

Unfortunately, this material is extremely hazardous to the environment and our health. It will burn your skin and eyes with contact. If you breathe it in, you’ll irritate your nose and throat.

It reacts violently with water and moist air and turns into hydrogen chloride gas. This gas is toxic and corrosive. In addition, it can release flammable and explosive hydrogen gas if it comes into contact with metals.

Driver Made the Right Call

The transport truck driver’s decision to call for help when they noticed something was wrong with their vehicle was certainly the right thing to do. If an accident occurred with this load, it could have caused a hazardous material spill. Worse, it could have caused the material to react, form hydrogen chloride gas (and hydrogen gas), and create a significant safety hazard.

Safety first. Always call a professional like Pro-Tow if you need help with hazardous material towing.

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