Loaded Tanker Takes A Dive....Nose Dive That Is 

I wish you had devoted some time explaining why this was dangerous instead of simply stating it was misleadingly dangerous. From my naive perspective it was a trailer loaded with water over soft ground; which doesn't seem dangerous. What's the worst that could happen?

I tried to watch one of those heavy recovery towing reality shows on tv, and couldn't get through the first 15 minutes. Way too overdramatic! This channel is 100 times better!

I swear I've learned so much about the different ways to gain and apply mechanical advantage from watching your videos, Ron. I've also seen you open those lockers so many times, I feel I know where most of the stuff is and what they're for now. I never realized how interesting watching vehicle rescues could be, and it's awesome to see 3 generations of your family working together. I have been binging so hard on your videos since I discovered and subscribed to your channel a few days ago, and while I have always respected folks like you and the work you do, I have a newfound respect for y'all. I only wish that I lived in the area so I could shake your hand in person (and to offer video editing services so you can spend more time recording). Keep up the great work, sir, and stay safe.

Ron we have grown to love watching your videos. My wife first laughed at me for watching a youtube channel about a large wrecker truck, but now she loves it too. We also love to see how you treat your customers, employees and law enforcement. You are always polite, professional and very considerate. You always work to educate your employees and never yell at them. We have a great deal of respect for you and your wrecker business. I only hope we are in your area if our motorhome breaks down. Nice job Ron. There aren't many business owners that run their shops as professionally as you do. God bless you and we hope you, your family and employees have a great Christmas season. Stay safe Sir!!

Brother Ron, I am blessed by the testimony you live with grace and love of Jesus Christ. I found myself genuinely praying for you in this video. Father has blessed you with His wisdom for safety, and for that I am grateful. Your videos can be used for educating others in practicing safety. I am a former tow operator that specialized in the slidebed/rollback carriers. I worked in the western Washington area north of Seattle and developed a reputation as one to call for handling the luxury and special interest vehicles and other odd items. I have the gifting, as you do, for being able to see three dimensionaly in my mind to engineer a safe recovery in odd and adverse conditions and circumstances. Safety was always priority one and nobody working with me got hurt and further damage to whatever vehicles, materials and equipment handled was always at a minimum. I thank God for allowing me to find your channel and videos. I actually find them relaxing, informative, entertaining and inspiring. Keep up the Good work and continue to go with God. Blessings, brother Vance

Amazing! I never cease to be amazed by your expertise, your ability to determine what is needed. Yesterday, I watched the episode about you and your dad extricating the stolen UHaul van from a "goat trail," as you called it, in the Shoshone National Forest. Juggling four and one chain(s). Using very limited resources. Knowing that rescue would have taken only minutes if you'd been able to get one of your trucks back there. I've never had affiliation with your line of work and am finding it fascinating to watch and learn a little bit about it -- and to wonder just how you trained to do this kind of work. Wow!

My favorite thing about your channel is all the explanation text, it really helps understand what you are doing and why. Thanks Ron, keep up the great work, im sure adding all that text takes tons of time editing, but we really appreciate it 👍

I dig how organized your truck and equipment usually seem to be. You obviously take a lot of pride in your work and it shows in your equipment and the professionalism you have on scenes.

I’m always insanely impressed by your expertise, precision, and judgement. Truly a great thing to watch a professional.

I love how you take the long way around your truck instead of cutting between the cables you sir are a true pro

Ron that security guard needs a shout out as he is doing the right thing for his growing family plus seeing how risky this lift was gives me more and more respect for the work you and your crew does every day

Years and years ago before I ever owned the recovery operation as I do now, we had an account with a local bulk fuel transporter. They had multiple fuel tanker trailers which incorporated "pin style" landing legs that were never intended to be used when the trailer was loaded. The shock of taking the load would drive the gear through the bottom of the aluminum, instant massive EPA issue. We used to have a 1 ton PU loaded with railroad ties that went out every time we had a situation involving one of these trailer and stack the R/R ties up to take the weight of the trailer. Also we never towed one with a wrecker loaded, only with another tractor. If there was something wrong with the trailer we usually put them on a trailer, empty. They were a pain in the neck and we were glad when the last one was gone.

I notice at least one comment on the "reality TV" towing programme. By coincidence, I watched a few minutes of one of these shows just last night. I couldn't watch it. I seem to have picked-up a few tips from you Ron and I couldn't believe what a cowboy operation was shown. Chains/cables breaking because he had no idea of their limits; all the equipment was wet and rusty; no safety gear etc. Everything was over-dramatised but none of the "real" dangers were shown or explained. After a few minutes of shouting abuse at the telly, I gave up and switched it off. I'd much rather watch you doing the job properly. You take a little longer to set stuff up but, once you're ready, it tends to work first time. By the time the cowboys have tried all the"quick" ways, failed, then managed to get it kinda right in the end, you have finished the job and gone home. I know which way I prefer. Thanks for another interesting, educational episode ~ great to watch - as always. Cheers for now, Dougie.

You sir is the definition of a true professional. I would love to have a job working with you! You make sure you do things right and that is a professional thank you

Somebody just had to put a coffee cup up there and make it sink! You know what they say... the cup that sank the camel's back. Lol. Kidding aside, after my brother's demise from a load being placed on the ground I get a knot in my stomach when I see someone having to get under a live load. I also felt it some when you walked between the two trailers. I guess I shouldn't have watched a video where a heavy truck drove over a sink hole and it tipped and sank below street level. A jaw dropping moment to say the least. I'm trying to keep some kind of common sense plus something of a sense of humor though. Always glad to see you use as much safety as possible though. God bless, Ron!

Shortest commute to a job ever! Didn''t realize until the timelapse that this was right next to your shop!

What an awesome but dangerous profession. Ron’s years of experience always show in his approaches to the different challenges he faces daily on the roads. I also admire his love for family, community members and nation. That’s why Midwest Trucking is my favorite outfit on RU-vid.

What an excellent young man. I wish him well in life.

Ron, the best thing about you is how concern you are about safety! Keep it up! No job is too simple to bypass safety! God bless!

This has happened to me once. Luckily I was able to squeeze truck under trailer and use airbags to slowly lift trl, lift legs and support, and use airbags till there was enough room to hook up trl. Last time I ever unhooked loaded trl on wet ground. Lesson learned

As a recently unemployed truck driver, I can appreciate you taking so much care to drop that trailer at the right height. I've had to pick up so many trailers that were too high or too low and it's such a pain in the ass to crank a loaded trailer either up or down. I picked up one loaded with 43,000 in a reefer that was so high the kingpin was three or four inches above my skid plate.

My dad owned a small towing truck back in the 1970's. He picked up automobiles and pickups. I went out with him on one of his runs, in the middle of the night and it was raining. I have a lot of respect for what you do, because of the weather you have to work in, and the dangerous conditions you work in, also. Stay safe, and God bless you, your family and your employees.

You sir, have a bigger set of stones than me! I was helping a friend work on his motor home 20 years ago when the leveling system failed (actually, since then I learned a LOT about leveling systems and realize it was operator error) and dropped an entire Holiday Rambler on me. You crawling under that rig is something I could not do for any amount of money after the pain I went through. I understand it has to be done, but I was having flashbacks just watching! God Bless and be safe Ron! Oh, at the very end when you drove away with the boom controller on the underlift, I did expect to see the tractor back in and make a very expensive crunching noise...... LOL

Would be cool if you could have some matchbox car versions of Tater and hand out "Tater Tots" to kids :D Or make them available for us big kids to buy ;)

Amazing that there were 42 likes before the video had been up for 5 minutes. I admit I wondered about you talking about finishing putting things up at the shop - until the boom cam showed just how close this job was to the Shop.

You are a consummate professional and make even the hardest jobs look easy. Thank you for all you do

I don't think you've ever been "dramatic" about any lift I've watched! I may not recognize your "dangers" but I'm glad you do! It always amazes me to look back on my life and in hind-sight see how many stupid/ dumb/naive situations I've survived that could have killed or maimed me. Just proves the old saying, " God loves fools and drunks....we know what we are 'cuz I don't drink!" Amen! Thanks Ron, you are a blessing!

I saw a few comments about how the trailer was dropped. Yes, some carriers put heavy wooden pads to go under the dollies its they are typically dropping off on dirt yards. All our flat-decks had them but we were hauling lumber and steel out of a lot of loose dirt yards in the PacNW. So in this yard they had a concrete pad to line up the dollies over, but I noticed that where the trailer was dropped, the concrete pad was thoroughly covered in mud with only a little bit of it showing ~20' to the blindside of the arriving tractor. In the dark I doubt someone not familiar with the yard would even notice that there was a hardened pad to drop off on to. And to top it off with all that Mississippi bedrock just under the surface (not) it is hard to guess where the soil is going to hold and where it is going to give out in a rainstorm. So please give the driver a break. We don't know what it was like when they dropped off and folk are just making unkind assumptions. Now when we (back in the day) had a trailer sink in, we didn't have a cool rotator to help us. We'd get one of the 20-ton forklifts from our steel yard down the road to come on over and lift the front up and another forklift to jam a couple of stacks of heavy-duty pallets from the side just behind the kingpin (if there wasn't enough room for the small forklift, we'd have to do it arm-strong style), setting the trailer about 3-4" low. Raise up all the way and then lower the landing gear on some cribbing and then slip a yard goat/tractor with deep pickups rails under the nose, dollie up, skooch out the pallets, and then drive the trailer to a firmer place to drop it. Equipment needed: a heavy forklift and a second small forklift, a dedicated yard goat and a bunch of heavy pallets set aside-and the time to get all the equipment and operators over to where the trailer was stuck. With the the rotator, job done with one man and no other special equipment or operators! Rotator: Worth Even Penny.

I carry one of my wife’s old rubber yoga mats for shimmying in my truck like that. Saves my clothes from getting dirty and saves my knees from gravel and rocks.

Good morning Ron, I have watched many of your instructional videos and have enjoyed each and everyone of them. I like your demeanor with all that come in touch with you. I know your parents are certainly proud of you. Your Christian background sure shows up with every time your on a job. May God Bless you and your family. May He watch watch over you each and everyday while you are working and when your working to train your family and crew. Through Christ’s Name I pray.

Another great video. Your comment about 3/4 inch chains brought my mind back to the job I retired from. We had 1 1/4 chains for the big compressors (250 tons +) Back breaking work, but once moved we always felt a sense of job well done. I see that same sense with you and your crew. Job well done! All best!

Holy cow! That yard was right behind your shop!

Wow ! that was one ballsy move sir.....I could literally feel the tension & anxiety through the screen..hats off to your expertise. 👍🏾🇦🇺

Where I worked we had a box trailer do the same thing. We were able to raise the front with a forklift and shore up where the landing gear on the ground (steel plates) held long enough to get the tractor under it.

Hi Ron, long time subscribed watcher from the UK. By trade I am a graduate of chemistry and spent a decade working in the hazardous waste recycling industry. Those bulk liquid road tankers can weigh at least 16000kg empty over here. You knew that it was a dangerous situation which could change from second to second and I appreciate that from my previous employment where constant assessment of risk kept me safe. I now work for a Christian charity helping people with mental health issues/learning disabilities /physical health issues/all of the above work towards a better life where they can live out in the wider community. Might not be a practising Christian but I pray that the Lord keeps you and you colleagues safe when you face danger in your daily lives helping others

Nice job. I used to work for US Steel and we did a lot of heavy lifts of mill equipment. Always nice to see a pro rigging and lifting.

Amazing to watch you work and see how efficient you are! And, it did look very dangerous! Best of the holidays to you and yours. God bless!👍🇺🇸

Its so nice to see that century has taken years of experience from from other wrecker drivers and put it in to this rig! :-)

Wow. That was one skeychy lift!! Had me holding my breath!😯😯

Near where I live, a guy was crushed between two semi trailers when one of them sunk into the mud unevenly and leaned over. Always watch yourselves walking between loads that are detached from a truck and not sitting on concrete.

I’ve done 2 trailers that had nose dived...one came loose from the truck. I had a single line wrecker to lift the overloaded Dorsey pup. You sure brought back some interesting memories for me. 😎You could’ve used an extra hand on this trailer. Good job! 🤩Having the right equipment really makes a difference. I love wreckers!..they’re a handy tool that you can use on just about anything! I love my 51 REO wrecker that my dad bought new.🥰

Love your videos Ron was thinking of starting a tie business myself but was in a tractor trailer accident in July and its put a pretty big damper on me driving commercial trucks anymore was at a stop with a wide load and got rearended by another semi running 75+ mph and never hit his brakes messed my back up and having shoulder surgery this coming up week along with ptsd been a big mess keep coming with the videos that way I have something good to watch after surgery and stay safe out there you have a very dangerous occupation sir people dont pay attention anymore

I stumbled across your videos a few months ago. I enjoy watching them. After seeing the trucks, equipment, and the time involved, I have wondered what service calls like those would cost?

Greetings and Blessings .... You're right, a heavy and dangerous lift. God Bless your heart for what you do ... I didn't realize how far it had sunk until you had to go under and set up the keyhole adapter and chain. That had to be awkward work. It made my shoulders ache just watching! Lol ... Another great, instructive video! I love the way you explain your way through the jobs, step by step.Thank you again for sharing. Stay safe and well. Continued thoughts, prayers and many Blessings to you, you staff and families, viewers and subscribers!

I love your videos, I have pulled water tankers before and yes they loved to do sinking tricks at all three places I had pulled them at.....

i know nothing about the business but I hold my breath on every lift knowing that the chains/straps/cables or shackles etc...could fail and send shrapnel into the operator or bystanders. Stay safe Ron and thank you and all the other recovery services people around the world for doing what you do.

Thanks for another interesting video. I think that I enjoy these videos so much because I am fascinated by the solutions you come up with to solve the problem. Thank you.

This summer was brutal thats for sure. Im glad everything worked out hrere & you got the job done with no damage to equipment or personell. Keep up the good work Ron. May the Almight keep you & everyone @ Midwest Truck safe & sound weather they be on the road towing or just going home or to the sbop.

Hey Ron, Just a thought seeing you carry your rubber pad around, I wear Carhart bib coveralls that have the pocket for knee pad inserts. I buy a "miltary" rubber pad from Amazon that fits the pocket. Works well for me, but I'm in so Cal , not as humid as you get. You could carry extra pairs and change when they get muddy/wet. I'm about the same age as you and I also have found the importance of padding when crawling around on the ground. Be safe!

That seemed to go smooth. Reminds me of the time a driver and I had to raise a 40' container loaded with toothpicks that had taken a nose dive when the ground suddenly thawed. All we had was some steel C channel and some wood blocks, and a '79 White Road Boss tandem axle day cab. We cranked the landing gear by hand up enough to put the tractors rear frame rails under the nose of the chassis. We cranked the landing gear back up so we could cover the holes with the steel and blocks. The weight on the truck frame nearly had the front tires off the ground. There was about 14 to 16 inches of clearance between the top of the front tire and the fender. Then cranked the landing gear back down enough to back the tractor under it.

Hi Ron. It is super interesting watching your thought process unfold as you rig up for the lift. Take care, stay safe and God Bless!

Starting with a like, knowing it's gonna be a good one, as always. God bless!

Ron your knowledge of your equipment and taking nothing for granted has more than likely saved your life a time or two. Anything can happen and does, more than one tow driver has been hurt or killed.. so SAFETY is the main word my old boss had for our drivers. Great video

You bring back memories of wrecking,so much has changed,yet stayed the same.

My brother Ron you are a rigging genius you have a mind and a gift for this stuff ! it is enjoyable impressive and thoroughly satisfying to watch you at work keep it going brother God bless💝

The entire landing gear is compromised. I'm with you on this. Best park a truck under the trailer than having to call you out again.

I was a little afraid when you walked in between the two trailers after talking about the dollys being bent. Kinda reminded me of John Wayne in Hell Fighters when he got crushed between the two dozers. Anyways, good work.

Seems like just another day at the gym. Good job on this one again Ron.

Your video’s are great to watch. I like the way you treat your customers very professional. Thank you and Stay safe out on there. God Bless

Ron Pratt does it again! Ron I am working my way thru your video’s. I love everything I have seen so far! GOD BLESS ALL OF US AND OUR FAMILIES IN JESUS CHRIST NAME I PRAY FOR ALL OF US AMEN 🙏

Getting under that trailer gave me chills, be safe brother!!

Glad hand: A coupling device used to connect air hoses between rail cars or between a tractor and trailer. I love learning new things. Thank You

Good Day Ron , one never knows what you will be lifting . It sure takes a lot of extra parts and pcs. to make a safe lift . Take Care Be safe .

Hi Ron. I am a follower from Spain (English Ex Pat, retired) In my work over many years I have had to do heavy lifting, on site and in my employers factory. One of the most important things was for any lift to be checked, checked and then checked again before any weight was put on the crane. You are correct in stating the obvious to me about securing the load. One more point on safety, nothing to do with you Ron, but the legislation about lorry safety. Here in Spain and most of Europe, all the lorries, trailers, whatever you call them, have to have side protection to stop vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists, etc from going under the gap between the back wheel of the tractor unit and the front most wheel of the trailers. I have noticed that your trailers have no side protection and, on average much greater distances, ie longer trailers than the European counterparts. Is this not an important rule that should be applied to the truck industry in the USA? Even our rigid body lorries have to have side fenders. I think you know what I am on about, but if not I can supply pictures. Keep up the good work.

I have started watching your videos and I’m amazed to see how you can do everything alone! No wonder you can instruct all the crew on how to achieve victory on each job!! I’m impressed!

Adjust - Adjust - Succeed - Well done Sir

Good morning Ron Pratt and thank you as always for all the great videos.

Best truck I’ve seen in a while Everything organized in its place not just thrown in the compartments

Theres a few other rotator channels on RU-vid, but none of them work together as a team like yours, Ron.

Last one of them we did was so far in the mud that you couldn't get to the pin. Real nightmare

Love the set up in your rig. Neat tidy and well organised

Remind me to stay out of Missouri. Trucks seems to have trouble staying on the road. Keep up the good work.

Unfortunately towing and recovery is one of those jobs where you don't necessarily see or appreciate the inherent dangers unless you do or have done that type of job. My 14 yr old son asked the same questions Scott Perry did.... great job as always, very professional...and as always, stay safe, God Bless and ALWAYS watch your 6!!!!

When I was a kid in high school, I worked for an independent gas station chain in the area where I lived. They were married to a sister company, heavy equipment and construction. Two separate businesses, under the same roof, so-to-speak. Anyways, the equipment side of the company also had a few tanker trucks and trailers for hauling fuel to their job sites. Fuel tankers generally have compartments, to keep different product (regular, unleaded, premium, diesel, stove, etc.) separated. Well one day, one of the equipment guys went out and loaded just the very front compartment with diesel fuel. He then proceeded to park the trailer on the pad in the yard. As soon as he dropped the trailer and drove out from under it, it took a nose-dive. Miraculously, the dolly legs didn't fold up under the strain. There was the trailer with its entire tail end up in the air, nose-down on the pavement. So, after some pointing of fingers, some discreet laughter, and likely some words exchanged between workers and management, a big loader was brought around, a chain was strung from one side of the bucket to the other, looped behind the kingpin, and the trailer was gently lifted back horizontal. They then used another loader to hold the tail end down on the ground while the big one was removed at the front and a tractor could be backed under the trailer again. I heard that the only damage done was where chains or buckets touched paint, some minor scratches or dents, which I heard became the job of the "guilty party" to clean up and paint over, on the very next sunny day. I would imagine that they even had the paint on hand already, so other than some time and fuel, it probably didn't cost anything out-of-pocket. A valuable learning experience for all, though. As for dollies sinking into the ground, yeah, I've been involved in that on both ends. The one time I dropped a trailer on poor ground, I had only pulled ahead 3 feet and stayed where I was for the night, had the receiving manager knock on my door in the morning wanting the trailer in the dock, and luckily it had stopped sinking when the trailer's nose had settled on the rear wheels of my tractor. Had to do some fancy dancing and a lot of dolly-cranking to get it up high enough for me to get the fifth wheel back under the upper plate. Luckily, it was just a "dirt" lot, so no pavement damage, but again, a valuable learning experience. I've also come across many trailers that were sunk down past the point of saving, nothing you can do but advise management, and let them make the call. I learned my lesson, but got a VERY lucky break out of it. Never, ever drop a loaded trailer on anything except a concrete pad, or else use wooden pads or lumber to help spread the load a bit.

Ron, watching you get under that trailer made me nervous for you. I wrench on my own cars and I always get nervous getting under them. I use jack stands and chock the wheels and set the parking brake. I work as safe as I can, but it still gives me the willies. I’m glad everything worked out, please continue to work as safe as you can.

Third to comment from what I am seeing. Pleasure to watch Ron work at 5 in the morning. (My current Time)

Great video I’m glad you allowed to see what it is you do that otherwise we would never be able to see. I enjoyed it take care and God bless you and keep you safe out there!!! 👍👍💪💪

Great video Ron. Guess there is no such thing as light weight heavy equipment. LOL! with a smile.

Nice job there Ron and as always stay safe. I watch those heavy recovery towing on TV they're ok though I haven't seen in a few month's. I usually watch the one where the owner is Jamie Davis I think it's in Canada.

Hi Ron. That looked like one of your more creative solutions. Comes from having lots of experience I guess, not to mention the planning, skill and thought that goes in beforehand. BobUK

Ron, Up in Mi we would get sink holes in the road that would just about Swallow the Rotator!! One road was closed down for like three months while they fixed the hole!

Hi Ron you are awesome in my Book. Hello from Central California. Keep up the great work. My oldest daughter works for a towing called Epplers towing out Firebaugh CA

Thats a lot of boot leather miles round that 'tator', but it keeps you SAFE!

All of us here at the shop wish Ron and his crew A HAPPY HOLIDAY AND BE SAFE OUT THERE BUDDY. IF U NEED ANYTHING IM JUST A PHONE CALL AWAY . .👍 👍 👍 👍 👍 NASHVILLE TOWING & RECOVERY INC . . . (Nashville, Tennessee)

I was always taught to never drop a loaded trailer on asphalt or normal ground without putting timbers under the landing gear pads. Helps spread out the load and prevent the trailer from sinking.

Where was your help? You had a work out on this job. I like how safety oriented you are . Great video. I guess this video was taken back in the summer since you say it is so hot out.

I always enjoy your videos. Thanks for taking the time to make and share them.

You know Ron, I drive a tractor trailer for the last 30 plus years and when you walked between the trailers, I was ready to duck and roll to beat the domino effect. There was no guaranty you would have been able to roll to safety. Cant wait to finally meet when we are called home. As all ways, God bless you, family, and all your endeavors.

"If it'd sink more it would have done so already" Tell that to everything that has been sinking slowly over decades and finally decides to topple or sink another couple of inches. Leaning tower of Pisa for example. Buildings setting. Earthquakes triggering. Volcanoes erupting... Takes hundreds of thousands of years for some things to suddenly decide it's time to move another few inches.

That security officer u were talking to in the " nose dive trailer" was working for the same company i used to work for for eleven years

In response to " that wasn't so dangerous " I've been on a couple jobs that went sideways because the Operater didn't think it was dangerous. People got seriously injured because of it. This guy took every precaution possible and it worked out ok. He got the job done successfully. It comes from experience. Years of it. You only have to be wrong once.

Ron another great lift . You don't need a gym membership.

Slow snowy day at work. The Blue and yellow painted tow hooks look great!

Leverage is a wonderful thing... until it is working against you! Just hope they don't have a bigger issue where those legs sunk in. God Bless you and your family and crew Ron!

It sure looked like this wasn't your first rodeo. It is always great when we know what we are doing. You sure earned you pay on this one.

Out here in Norcal. Been watching Ron Pratt for many mouths & an amazed at the experience & knowledge you have. Enjoy your program because of the clean language & Faith in Our Savior Jesus Christ. Your personal sound effects are cool. The program is AWESOME! May Our Lord Bless you & Your in your continued Service. “When your in the service of your fellow man, ye are in the Service of Your God.” CWR

When you crawled under and inserted that big ass piece of metal on the hitch. Beast mode.

Definitely a simple LOOKING job that was VERY dangerous. Most people don't realize that a single gallon of drinking water weighs about 7 lbs. I'm sure that sugar water weighs even more. Then multiply that by how many gallons are in that bottle, AND, add that the liquid moves around in it. Dangerous indeed! Best of luck to that young security guard with his new family and their future! As always, God bless and be safe Ron and crew!

Awesome video as always. I do hope that you, your family, and all your employees have a safe and blessed weekend.

With you Ron, it always about the little things, such as that spray can. Most others would just have chunked out of the way, but EVERY job is about the smallest details. If you are going to do a job be proud to have your name on it. Great video and good job. Have a Blesed Day.