‘Bad Attitude’
by Jim “Buck” Sorrenti
J
ohn Dodson founded Dodson & Sons Road Service in Deale, Md., in 2005 after more than 30 years in the towing business. He started with one road service truck and now has a fleet of five tow trucks. Sons Jacob, 23, and Sam, 19, work side by side with Dodson in the family business handling everything from road service to heavy-duty towing and recovery. The wrecker featured here is “Bad Attitude,” John’s 2013 Kenworth T800/Jerr-Dan 35-ton integrated heavy with a Jerr-Dan Side Recovery System, built by Atlantic Emergency Solutions in Manassas, Va. Rock Star Wraps in Manassas did the custom 3M vinyl wrap. A Cummins ISX 550 engine mated to an 18-speed Fuller transmission powers Bad Attitude. This Jerr-Dan unit has a 70,000-lbs. two-stage recovery boom with dual 35,000-lbs. DP Winch planetary winches and a three-stage underlift with a 144” reach. The heavy-duty SRS has 35,000-lbs. planetary winches and a pivoting recovery boom that hydraulically swings to allow recovery from either side. It has one wireless remote that controls all functions (as well as a wired one). The JerrDan SRS needs 24” for mounting, weighs 5,000 lbs. and is a functional counterweight as well. “This is a versatile unit,” Dodson said. “The boomswivel feature allows us to set up either driver- or passenger-side pulls in no time. The independent hide-away flip-down spade has a dual stabilizing feature, which keeps the truck planted on any type of surface. It very effectively transfers weight to the outrigger, which solidly plants the truck, not only directly off the side but to the front and rear as well. “This unit allows us to do front, side or rear pulls. … I love my truck! It does whatever I ask of it.” 96 • June 2016 - TOWMAN.COM
Tech Highlights Chassis: 2013 Kenworth T800. Wrecker: Jerr-Dan 35-ton Integrated. Engine: 550 Cummins. Trans: Fuller 18-speed. Winches: Dual 35,000-lbs. DP Winches. Buider: Atlantic Emergency Solutions. Special Equipment: Jerr-Dan Side Recovery System. Graphics: Rock Star Wraps.
