135 miles – 35 of those through rough dirt roads, 100 highway miles. That’s the recent log of a professional tower, one of many throughout the week that come in from motorists being stranded or local businesses servicing vehicles. Each one an opportunity to help, grow business and provide for a family. On this particular 90-degree day, the vehicle was off the beaten path (literally an unpaved road) in the eastern Oregon desert hundreds of miles from town round-trip, leaving the tower to figure out a way to bring the vehicle back safely. So he turned to his equipment – a wheel lift and Collins Dollies, confident that they could shoulder the load down the rough, dusty track. Confident because he’s done it before. It’s why he chooses Collins Dollies.
Collins Hi-Speed Dollies came about to increase the safety and speed that a vehicle could be recovered. Prior to that, dollies were completely assembled underneath a vehicle after using a jack to raise it high enough. Though a great invention for their time and capabilities, these pan dollies were heavy and exposed the operator to roadside hazards for an extended period because of the time it took to assemble. Collins Hi-Speed Dollies improved upon this concept and changed the towing industry with a self-loading dolly in 1972. Their Hi-Speed name is partly due to quicker setup and tow times, since the dollies themselves were used to raise the vehicle.
As an operator driving a service truck, what does this mean for you? Why add dollies to your service tool kit? Satisfaction and appreciation from customers, time and money for you. In roadside assistance scenarios where a customer needs more than a battery swap or fuel, a service truck equipped with a wheel lift and set of dollies could now also tow the vehicle to its destination, without requiring another truck for the tow or transport. This would save time, cost and allow more customers to be served.
When looking at what tools to add to your service truck, the right equipment makes the job easier and safer. Collins Hi-Speed Dollies have been designed and built for:
- ease of use;
- safety for your team & customers;
- to go where you need to be.
One operator can load the dollies under a vehicle and quickly lift it. The quickest time we’ve encountered is 60 seconds, from off the truck to vehicle lifted! With a little training, an operator can recover AWD, electric/hybrid, vehicles that are disabled or stuck in park using dollies and a wheel lift to get the job done.
Safety is a top priority in the industry and shouldn’t be left out of dolly towing. It’s why all Collins Hi-Speed Dollies include the Safety Ratchet System which allows an operator to safely lift a vehicle (light or heavy) in all conditions – rain, snow, ice, gravel, slopes, uneven terrain – with the operator in control even if they should lose their grip or footing. Without it, the operator remains in the dangerous impact zone of the pry bar’s arc and a wrong move potentially resulting in serious injury. The Safety Ratchet System (SRS) acts as a backup safety while under tow, to keep the vehicle upright. If a vehicle on dollies without the SRS drops while being towed, it could cause extensive damage. The ratchets can also assist in moving a vehicle that’s up against a wall, garage or similar obstacle by partly raising the dolly and vehicle, pulling the dolly away, then raising it completely.
Because you don’t get to choose where or in what conditions the vehicle lies, it helps to have the proper equipment that works as hard as you do. Collins Dollies are built to handle inclement weather, rough road conditions, heavy loads and long-distance towing if required. Properly maintained, loaded and secured, Collins Hi-Speed Dollies can safely be used on highways, freeways and interstates to move the vehicle where you need to go. A single service truck with a wheel lift and Collins Dollies can do the work of multiple trucks, increasing profitability.
Coming back to our tower in the desert, he earned the job and delivered the vehicle safely all from the comfort of his cooled truck. That same pair of Collins Dollies has assisted him in over 1000 miles of towing, in less than a month. With no sign of slowing, he can keep his business going. It’s why when safety, durability, longevity, better performance, lighter weight and profitability all matter, he chooses Collins. Safe and happy towing!
For more information, visit www.collinsmfgcorp.com
