Wheel lift for wrecker

admin

I just bought an 81 ford F-350 wrecker truck. It has a winch and boom but i want a wheel lift also. I priced a new one and they want $8500 just for the slide in unit and i only paid $2500 for the truck. Has anyone here ever built a wheel lift and if so are there any pictures i could look at or plans that i could see. I would be interested in either the complete hydraulic units that you see on all the repo rigs or just one that slides under ther rear of the truck that is lifted by the cable. Thanks to all that respond.. Aslo I am looking to insure the truck My insurance company "Allstate" I have been using for 22 years have 5 vehicles and my house insured with and never had a claim or even an accident will not insure wreckers Period!!!!!.
Reply:I haven't built any underreach units but have installed some HD Zach-Lifts http://www.zacklift.com/ on Holmes 750 units in the past and built hydraulic stifflegs for them similar to what Zach-Lift offers.  Their Medium Duty units http://www.zacklift.com/Bros/pdf/MedBro.pdf may be a bit oversized for an F-350 and a pre-engineeried cable operated manual unit similar to what Flora Wrecker offers http://www.florawrecker.com/store/prods/DIVWL1151.html may be a viable option.Have you checked out Tow Times http://www.towtimes.com/ or American Towman http://www.towman.com/ for possible sources?Last edited by duaneb55; 04-11-2009 at 12:55 PM.MM200 w/Spoolmatic 1Syncrowave 180SDBobcat 225G Plus - LP/NGMUTT Suitcase WirefeederWC-1S/Spoolmatic 1HF-251D-1PakMaster 100XL '68 Red Face Code #6633 projectStar Jet 21-110Save Second Base!
Reply:Ditto on the tow times.  I have installed a bunch of under the bed wheel lifts for a repo customer.  Even plated a few frames to handle the added stress of the installed wheel lifts.Good Luck.
Reply:i happen to manufacture wheel lifts if your still in need for one let me know i cant give u a quote until i know what style you would want
Reply:I second the zack lifts for MD's and HD's  Dont know if they make an Light duty unit though.   If you think its hard trying to get insurance on a wrecker good luck getting insurance on a home built wrecker.You might try progressive.Vantage 500's LN-25's, VI-400's, cobramatics, Miller migs, synch 350 LX, Powcon inverters, XMT's, 250 Ton Acurrpress 12' brake, 1/4" 10' Atlantic shear,Koikie plasma table W/ esab plasmas. marvel & hyd-mech saws, pirrana & metal muncher punches.
Reply:I know this is off topic but the insurance thing is absolute crap.When I  built my front end loader my insurance carrier refused to insure it because "there's no way to value it".  WTF???"Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:Visit: www.CasanovaTowEquipment.comWe will fabricate any part on a tow truck and or custom build a wheellift1-800-746-8802
Reply:Originally Posted by farmersammI know this is off topic but the insurance thing is absolute crap.When I  built my front end loader my insurance carrier refused to insure it because "there's no way to value it".  WTF???
Reply:Do a search here under( Wrecker)  the pictures heading, It seems to me I saw a guy who had built a wheel lift, It came out real nice and I believe it must of been a repo rig, the whole truck was black with no highlights or chrome, looked real sharp though and the welding was nice also.    OK, I found it, Check out "Mr. Beast" on this site, the post is dated 11-9-2009, He modified and existing lift and fitted it to a used truck for a friend. Lots of pictures. Sorry , I don't know how to link it for you.Last edited by kolot; 02-14-2010 at 02:02 PM."Si Vis Pacem Para Bellum"Lincoln Idealarc 250 AC/DCMillermatic 251   Syncrowave 300   30A spoolgunLincoln MP210Hypertherm 45(2) LN 25(2) Lincoln Weldanpower 225 CV(4) SA200   1 short hood    SA250    SAM 400