5 Ton Wrecker Vs. Flower Shop

[acrane]

So I bought this 5-Ton M-62 Wrecker from a guy on ebay. He advertised it as "runs good, everything works." He owned a 45 foot yacht and used the wrecker to pull it on and off it's trailer every year.

I got it for a good price and arranged to have it hauled to a strip mall near my home. The only thing I had to do was drive it 1/10th of a mile to my house.

 

[emmado22]

Do we have to tune in next week to find out what happens next??????

 

[acrane]

So, I drive the thing out on to the main drag in my town (a very busy four lane road) and turn up my street which is a very steep hill. When I get near the top, the thing stalls out. I desperatly try to down shift and get her started again. I put my foot on the break and the pedal goes straight to the floor. I can not get the truck in gear and it is starting to roll. I look behind me and all I see is non stop traffic on main street. The truck is rolling straight back now and building up speed at an alarming rate. I crank the wheel as far to the right as I can, and the truck flies over the curve, up a small hill and off of a 4 foot embankment and smacks into a flower shop on the corner.

 

[acrane]

More pics

 

[acrane]

more

 

[acrane]

Within minutes the cops, FD, Public Utilities, the Gas Company, and a reporter from the local paper were there. It happened right in the middle of town so everyone and their uncle drove by as well. I had to have the truck towed 200 Yards to my house for almost what it cost me to have it towed from RI.

The truck demolished two commercial Ruude AC units and the boom punched a hole in the roof of the shop. Damage to the truck was nil.

 

[jh1990]

Sounds like you had fun. Good thing nobody was hurt.

 

[emmado22]

Do you have insurance on the truck?

 

[acrane]

Yes thank god I did, along with a tempoary registration. My $30.00 per year to Haggerty was money well spent.

 

[liljohn]

YIKES!!!

 

[derby]

Look at the bright side, you probably saved them hunderds of dollars on there roof,since those furnace vent pipes were not flashed right it would have rotted out the sheeting and soffit.and not to mention how much they will save on there electric bill upgrading to 13 seer ac units!!glad to hear no one was hurt....kind of sounds like one of my days!

 

[acrane]

It's not everyday you get to go airborne in a 5 ton... Would have been cooler if I had not going backwards out of control.

 

[doghead]

Wow ,my first thought was if anybody was hurt. My next was did you have insurance (Really doubted it with such a short trip home.) Then the pics showed how close to hitting the electric service you were. Then I see the Ac units after the truck was moved! Wow, that must have been a real heart stopper for you. It sounds like you really lucked out!!! Glad your ok!

 

[m3a1_ht]

Zoinks! Actually, from the description I was expecting that you would have gotten a bit farther into the place so, all-in-all, I think you did remarkably well - both in terms of quick thinking and outcome. It may not feel like it now... but give it a year or two!

 

[Recovry4x4]

Not throwing stones here but did the brakes work on the pretrip inspection?

 

[packman]

Hi acrane,

Nice Truck, glad no one was hurt, looks like you came out smelling of roses.
Sorry just could'nt help myself.
Cheers.

 

[Armada]

HOLY CRAP Did the FD hose the load out of your pants for ya?!?!?
Yeah, could have been waaay worse. You didn't have much momentum left by the time you hit. With any speed and the weight of that truck, you'd have made a drive through for them.
Nice looking truck by the way. Did you find out why the brakes failed?

Wrecker - 1 Flower shop - 0

 

[acrane]

The breaks were working before hand. I looked at them after wards, and one line to one of the rear wheels was cut and capped off. Also, it does not have the correct master cylinder in it. The one on there was jury rigged from something else.

If any one has a 5-ton mastery cylinder or airpack they could part with, let me know.

 

[Recovry4x4]

KC Gonzo on Ebay has been offering air packs. Dunno about the master

 

[ken]

Good that nobody was killed. I know this is a dumb question, but was the truck hurt? Any body dammage?