Freightliner Wrecker

JGG

Member
May 20, 2010
233
Portage, MI
After not being particularly pleased with the rear warning on my wrecker, I decided to buy something new to add a little more lighting. That something is a Whelen strobe traffic adviser made out of 8 600-series strobes.


It started out at 83" long, which was a little too long for my needs. I cut it down to around 60" to match the lightbar. I decided to just power it using two power supplies, instead of screwing around trying to get actual traffic adviser patterns. I used Tomar and Nova power supplies.


Overall setup:


-2 Tomar 200s High-Power to the rear


-1 Strobe traffic to the rear


-1 Whelen Towman's Edge (4 Strobe)


-2 Red Rect25 High-power to the sides (1 on each side of the lightbar pylon)


-2 Red Tomar Rect37 I-LED on the grille


-2 Red Whelen TIR3 on the grille (Will likely be relocated to the side of the hood to provide more side warning)


Pictures:


ai251.photobucket.com_albums_gg288_EXPYSSV_Towing_0808101256b.jpg


ai251.photobucket.com_albums_gg288_EXPYSSV_Towing_0808101257a.jpg


ai251.photobucket.com_albums_gg288_EXPYSSV_Towing_0808101257b.jpg


ai251.photobucket.com_albums_gg288_EXPYSSV_Towing_0808101256.jpg


ai251.photobucket.com_albums_gg288_EXPYSSV_Towing_0808101256a.jpg


In addition, I'll include pictures of a couple other of our trucks.


Here is one of our rollbacks:


It has a Code 3 2100 and 2 Tomar Rect25 High-power in the grille (Red/Amber)


ai251.photobucket.com_albums_gg288_EXPYSSV_Towing_0808101257.jpg


Here is our accident-response/motorcycle trailer. It has 4 Sho-me 3x4's on the side, one in each corner. Also, there are 4 Sho-me slimlights, one on each rear corner and two to the rear. Finally, there is a Sho-me traffic adviser.


ai251.photobucket.com_albums_gg288_EXPYSSV_Towing_0808101256c.jpg


We carry drums and a pump for unloading fuel out of damaged semis/other heavy vehicles in the trailer. In addition, we will often put large pieces of debris from crashes into the trailer to haul back to the dumpster.
 

kadetklapp

Member
May 21, 2010
1,568
Indiana
Looks good. Glad you guys take care of your equipment. I drove a wrecker for three years and the company couldn't care less how the trucks were falling apart. I rebuilt the 60" MX-7000 three times after it fell off the truck.
 

gpod

Member
May 21, 2010
83
Kalamazoo, MI
I've seen that first wrecker with all the lights on a few and it looks great except the grill lights. I don't like the red and (personally) don't think wreckers should be running red, especially when moving. Other then that, nice equipment.
 

Cam

Member
May 20, 2010
247
MO
emtmike said:
why red on the front of a wrecker??

I would guess it is because that is the law in the state in which he lives. Not at all uncommon. I can think more then a few states like that but that really isn't the topic of this tread.
 

steve a

Member
May 23, 2010
45
Jenkins,Missouri
Thats ok in Missouri i have seen wreckers with red,blue,clear and amber in the lightbars. I worked two wrecks today where the wreckers were running red and blues.


steve
 

JGG

Member
May 20, 2010
233
Portage, MI
Red is legal for wreckers in Michigan, but we only run it when stationary. The DOT wants us to have all warning lights off once we leave the scene, with only tow lights on the disabled vehicle.
 

nerdly_dood

Member
Jun 15, 2010
2,312
Georgia
Virginia doesn't technically allow red lights on tow trucks but many wreckers cheat the law and use red stop/tail/turn lights, which with the 4-way flashers, act as red flashing lights in back. I disapprove, but it's not my problem.
 

Cam

Member
May 20, 2010
247
MO
nerdly_dood said:
Virginia doesn't technically allow red lights on tow trucks but many wreckers cheat the law and use red stop/tail/turn lights, which with the 4-way flashers, act as red flashing lights in back. I disapprove, but it's not my problem.

Umm, that not really "cheating the law" that is the color they are supposed to be.
 

wrecker44

Member
Jul 17, 2010
174
spokane,wa
That's a good-looking 1016! I ran the independent version for 4 years. Great unit for sure! We need a video of that strobe traffic director on the back!!!
 

pdk9

Member
May 26, 2010
3,834
New York & Florida
Hmm, I'm interested in seeing the effectiveness of strobes in a TA. Personally, I prefer slower flash patterns on LED TAs, where the lightbar progressively fills up (unlike the "chaser" TA patterns).


I am glad to hear that you will be moving the TIR3 to the sides, but I think you should upgrade to something larger. Personally, I think all wreckers and flatbeds can benefit from having side lighting in the front hood/fender area & something in the area above the rear wheel well, since it's pretty common for wreckers to be parked at some angle on the side of the road (& to have a brighter footprint outlining the whole length of the truck in addition to standard marking lights & DOT tape
 

JGG

Member
May 20, 2010
233
Portage, MI
Dang, this is an old thread. I forgot all about it.


This truck no longer has the Edge or the strobe T/A on it anymore. It now has a custom Sound-Off ETL5000.


This is the first generation bar, as it was struck by lightning and fried a little while back. Luckily, we had built another one that went on the truck shortly thereafter.
 

pdk9

Member
May 26, 2010
3,834
New York & Florida
Still any plans to move the TIR3's? They look kinda awk above the 37's there, IMO.


Not a huge fan of the LB patterns and color; I think it needs to be slowed down, have the lightheads have a more uniform-appearing sync, & have a lot more amber...while I understand that some states permit red, it looks bizarre to have a setup that is virtually all-red on a wrecker
 

Storm4200

Member
Nov 2, 2011
2,912
NJ
way toooooo much red for me.


Its not a fire truck
 
Jan 20, 2011
1,264
Lake of the Ozarks
steve a said:
Thats ok in Missouri i have seen wreckers with red,blue,clear and amber in the lightbars. I worked two wrecks today where the wreckers were running red and blues.

steve

Cam said:
I would guess it is because that is the law in the state in which he lives. Not at all uncommon. I can think more then a few states like that but that really isn't the topic of this tread.

Tow trucks are considered emergency vehicles and can also operate a siren in MO. If LE is on scene anyways.
 

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