Loading Inop's

[george]

Was going to pick up a vehicle ~ the shipper explained to me there was no keys and that I would need to just winch (and drag) it up onto my trailer. With the steering counsel locked and transmission in park how would this be done? I don't handle a lot of inop's but I am able to winch a vehicle up onto my trailer if I am able to steer it and put the transmission in neutral. Any help and advise would be appreciated.

[Buster]

I do not load inops unless they roll and steer and I load a lot of inops. You are taking a chance of damaging either your equipment or there car.

[haulin rv]

Been there too, usually repo's that the broker forgets to tell you no key. I'd just pass and find something else, only inops that I do are fork on fork off.

[ccoop769]

Depending on what make car it is, you might have to remove the driveshaft for it to roll. As for steering, usually you can take the steering wheel off within 10 minutes if you know what your doing to release the steering. Or if your lucky and steering wheel straight, if it goes crooked, you can just winch drag it to the side.

[dave7245]

Haulin......dealers never tell me when there aren't any keys. I usually don't find out until I get a call from a truck at auction.

Don't be so hard on us brokers. We're not as dumb as you seem to think. And we're not all shitbags.

[h2oskibumz]

Dave,

We understand that not all brokers are bad... We simply have been burned by so many who WILL lie and basically tell you whatever you want to hear to get you to go pick up the unit that we sometimes jump to the wrong conclusions.

I'm sure you sit around with other brokers and trash talk drivers in your free time based on your experience with a few who ARE indeed worthless! Who've left you high and dry in front of your biggest, most important customer... Flip side of the same coin.

I know that WE work hard, and run a clean, reliable and TRANSPARENT business. I think most of the other drivers/companies on this forum do the same.

If you can say the same, then we’re proud to have you here.

[h2oskibumz]

I could go on forever with examples, but... If we distrust brokers in general, please forgive us our sins... Here is a sample or three:

Countrywide: Rest in piece. Yes, piece not peace. As in piece of crap. “it’s a quick pay”. 5 weeks and about 37 phone calls later, AFTER filing against their bond, we actually get paid.

Express Auto Trans of Cincinnati:

Me: “your feedback is pretty low. These 2 have been listed for 3 weeks, we’ll get them for you but only COMCHECK at delivery”
Them: “Sure we can do that…”

Then at delivery they tell me it takes a day. Again DOZENS of calls and 2 weeks later we have our 2 Comchecks…

Just for grins I called them a couple of months later to book one and find out that MY COMPANY is on THEIR “do not use list”. My 100% rated company on Central Dispatch is on THEIR (64% at the time) do not use list. What, because we demanded to get paid for the work that we did? We picked up on time, delivered on time and did exactly what we said we would do… Good riddance to bad rubbish!

Auto Relocation Plus out of Tustin... (still in business as far as I know).

Booked 2 cars (1 each way) out of FL for MO listed as 30 day pay. ON ONE of the 2 cars in the "other notes" section were the 2 simple numbers "60". Apparently this meant that NOT ONLY that car was 60 day, but so was the OTHER car!

I still have both dispatch sheets if you doubt... Unfortunately since Countrywide and Express are gone, so are their dispatches on CD...

[Dorsey]

Rick at Auto Relocation Plus is a rude dick! He's gave me my only negative. For late delivery. My truck blew up! He paid me 75 days after billing and he shorted me. He gave me the negative after I gave him a negative for late payment/incomplete payment.

[Raydiate]

Express may not be on CD anymore, but they are still in business. I just called their number and they answered as Express Auto Transport. Makes me wonder how they are getting carriers to move their loads.

[Buster]

Hay guys we are steeling a thread here. Please try to stay on topic.

George, sometimes you can get the broker to cover a flatbed to come out and load it for you but make sure there is a way to unload it as well. I have several Eastern European customers that will try to get me to let them drag it off my trailer at delivery. I just tell them to get a forklift or I will take it to a tow yard and store it at $100 a day until they can find a forklift. Works every time.

[haulin rv]

Haulin......dealers never tell me when there aren't any keys. I usually don't find out until I get a call from a truck at auction.

Don't be so hard on us brokers. We're not as dumb as you seem to think. And we're not all shitbags.

Well maybe for the money you guys make you should ask if there are keys, does it run etc...

If I can do it when I am dispatched on it why can't you guys.

Now back to the topic...

Anything that is listed as an inop or if I get the paperwork and its at a repo yard I call ASAP and ask. If you follow that simple rule you can eliminate the hassle 99% of the time. United Road has been notorious for dispatching repo's without keys for us.

[cosgo]

depending on what type of trailer you have, tire skates work wonders..

[Haul-A-Round]

This is his new trailer

[dave7245]

George...make sure you get something signed authorizing you to pull that car up. At least that way youre covered if something happpens to the car

[Buster]

Haul-a-Round, Could you give us all an idea of the cost on this trailer along with the specs, length, width, weight, heights etc? I have been thinking of a trailer much like this one with a hydraulic lift on the front for 1 car and hydraulic landing gear. Also more pics please. Lee

[Dorsey]

I was thinking the same thing as Buster.

[h2oskibumz]

Haul-a-Round, Could you give us all an idea of the cost on this trailer along with the specs, length, width, weight, heights etc? I have been thinking of a trailer much like this one with a hydraulic lift on the front for 1 car and hydraulic landing gear. Also more pics please. Lee

and now we have successfully hijacked this thread in TWO different directions~! LOL

[Haul-A-Round]

unfortunitly these are not slapped together by a few illegals for 2 bucks an hour and material prices change daily. right now price quotes are only honord for 10 days. we custom build everything and do not keep anything in stock. these are built 1 at a time and take a while to build.

right now these are running low to mid 30k range with all the options and hydraulics.
deck height is 32"
2-12k axles
hutch adjustable suspension
elect/hydr. disc breaks
9' hyd. dove tail
8' upper deck hydraulic ramp
48-53' long
16" centers on 3" crossmembers
spooled rub rail

have questions then call

[cosgo]

Pretty sweet. I like the hydraulics. My next one will have to have that!