Unlocking an Abandoned Semi & Towing It Away For CHP

In today's video Trent jr is called out by CHP to tow away a truck that has been abandoned. The owner of the truck was contacted and e said he doesn't want it anymore. Trent Jr has to unlock the vehicle using lockout tools to allow the CHP officer to get information off of the truck such as VIN. Enjoy!
Thanks for watching as always LIKE, COMMENT, SUBSCRIBE, and SHARE the HECK out of this video!
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Trent Butzlaff
83827 Tamarisk Street
Indio, CA 92201
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- - - - Frequently Asked Questions - - - -
Q:What camera do you use?
A: I use the Go Pro Hero 7 Black Edition primarily. Often times you will see auxillary cameras in use. Those cameras include The Go Pro Hero 6, Hero, and DJI Mavic Pro Platinum
Q: How big Is your rotator?
A: It is a 50 ton Miller Industries Vulcan 950
Q: Does the carriage slide back like Ron Pratt's?
A: No, the carriage doesn't slide back due to strict weight laws in California. The sliding carriage will make the truck to heavy in CA
Q: Why do you only have 3 winches on the rotator?
A: Comes down to weight again as stated above
Q: How many trucks Does Plaza Towing have?
A: Currently more than 30
Q: Why must the driveshaft be removed to tow a vehicle?
A: When vehicles are not running the transmission is not receiving circulating lubricant. If the driveshaft is left installed, the transmission, which is not receiving lubricant, is still spinning. This allows it to get very hot which eventually will cause major damage to the transmission. Therefore, removing the driveshaft completely eliminates the transmission from spinning. Simply leaving it in neutral is not sufficient since the transmission still spins in neutral.

[@plazatowing]

The reason we did not hook it from the rear is there is debris directly behind the truck that would inhibit us from getting perfectly straight with the unit. Yes we can hook from different angles but sometimes it’s just not worth the hassle. Additionally the combination of it being abandoned and it being 50 miles from our shop leave us to believe it is safer to tow from the front, with 8 tires on the ground rather than from the rear with only 2 tires on the ground. This and the taken apart steering Column lead us to believe-front towing was the best option. We appreciate you watching!

[@dhunter48951]

Thanks for answering my question before I asked. As a medium duty driver(20 ton) I try to tow from the rear whenever I can.

[@brucebannerman6848]

Can't help but wonder how far that truck already went with only two tires on the ground at the front end. I bet it could make 50 more miles.

[@zaidynmiller9549]

9113

[@ncrtransport5993]

@@brucebannerman6848 but you don't want to bet when people lives could be at risk you want to be sure your choices are best possible given the known facts.

[@roshanmanilal5315]

What will happen with the truck. Will you own it ? nice video

[@doristhomson3082]

I'm a 73 yr old woman, and, for some strange reason, I LOVE these big rig tow and rescue videos. Thanks for posting !!!!

[@mactastic-gh1pd]

Im 34 an i love it

[@russellreed3683]

30 minutes and situation assessed, unlocked, spring brakes bypassed, driveshaft disconnected, hooked up and rolling. True Professional!

[@Xander_Zimmermann]

Tow trucks are more complex than I thought. 😀 stay safe.😀

[@bradbozarth1822]

Xander Zimmermann not all, that’s a VERY nice truck he has :)

[@pyotty]

One thing is certain, this dude earns his pay.

[@stuarth43]

very organized,

[@iFulixzer]

imagine doing this in the winter, watch ice road rescue

[@cesarestrada1706]

And they are not cheap..if this would of been a service call, at least $500 depending on how far you want them to go

[@ooglieguy6469]

@@iFulixzer come to a snowy climate and try it out!

[@mrcaboosevg6089]

I bet he could do it on a cold rainy night in Stoke

[@JR-bj3uf]

As I watched that hook up I was thinking how big a pain it must be to do that all in the freezing cold or with it pouring down rain.

[@BobbyTucker]

Been there, done that.

[@Tim316]

Check out a program called 'highway through hell' ;)

[@Dr.Westside]

Being that he's in a desert it's probably not that bad for him .

[@kevinmackay5233]

Dr. Westside in the winter lol

[@adammoorby99]

Tim Norman thats even worse 👀 plus the vehicles are crashed,stranded or unlocked 😂😂

[@pax84111]

*me "yeah i got a lock out kit" as i search the ground for a rock.....

[@DucatiQueen]

pax84111 right 😂😂😂

[@Dodgersmi]

In liverpool🇬🇧 they are posh use hammers lol but you only ever find a bit of glass no car ever again.

[@neilmacleod5371]

Pistol butt would have had it unlocked real fast

[@fulf]

i would have picked the lock.

[@GilmerJohn]

It might be useful to get some "lock picking" skills.

[@Trunp]

When you request the emergency assistance service in American Truck Simulator

[@encolumned2528]

(or Euro Truck Simulator 2)

[@B711HD]

😂

[@shogunatepena5302]

If you have the right mods you wont need one 🙃

[@jaxson9310]

KeysOfHappiness RBLX nah ats bc this is American

[@robloxnerfdude9574]

when convoy starts playing and you crash through the unexpected event in your route on American truck simulator

[@danv6192]

My discomfort level when you took that key off the ring... Thanks for putting it back right away or I would have been distracted thinking about it.

[@eva.cassidy]

Same here - my OCD would've kicked in!

[@sayujraphael]

Nobody: KZbin: Let's watch a professional towing a truck .....and I watched the whole video

[@roberthenderson83]

Just fonud your channel by accident, you give a really interesting perspective to your work mate !! Keep on Towing !!

[@tobyjo57]

Your truck and equipment is so amazing

[@StuffedDonut]

idk why the hell I watched this whole video but good job I guess lmao

[@justinhartbrown3333]

Same

[@user-is2mj2ig4v]

Same

[@anilcinar35]

Really same

[@scottprendergast2680]

StuffedDonut yeah nice comment - go back to your beer now, rehab man.. Justin, ivan.. follow suit .

[@toib.7143]

I watched it also in its entirety. it popped up in my suggestions as I watched virtual railfan. I kept asking myself why I was. for some reason it fascinated me, I suppose because I have two brothers, and a number of acquaintances who drive those huge rigs

[@techwolflupindo]

To open subbern hoods, unlatch both sides. Lift on one side, then go to the other side and lift. Keep switching sides doing that until hood frees up. They often bind and are hard to get open.

[@dunbartuason5443]

You are a hard working man, much respect to you from me. People dont understand the dangers of a heavy tow driver. You are one of the greatest thank you for rescuing us out there.

[@slimjim340]

Loved this video...no walk in the park for wrecker operators. Good show.

[@supermarioisacat]

What a trip, "breaking" into a truck with a Cali Highway Patrol trooper looking over your shoulder!

[@sistergoldenhair4595]

Was a wrecking yard owner back in the day with a 70 Chevy 1ton w a Holmes 440 bed on it. Fascinated with these big tow trucks very 👍 nice

[@ooglieguy6469]

You could still do many of the smaller jobs today with a Holmes 800 lol

[@lances8460]

It is amazing how many people don't realize there is a proper way to use a wrench. Hearing you say that got you a thumbs up. 13:30

[@billydarley6925]

i found it amazing all the things journeyman pipe fitters and welders didnt know. primarily the proper names of tools or shall i say which was which.

[@TombstoneHeart]

About ten years ago, I worked on a mine site in the Pilbara region of Western Australia with a bloke who had lived and worked in the U.S. for a while, mostly in road transport. He told me that one job he had was working for a business that recovered abandoned trucks. He said that guys would get a job driving long distance, get a load, take it to wherever it was going and then decide that they didn't like the job, so they'd just walk off and leave the truck! He said he didn't much care about the motives of these idiots, especially when you take into consider that because of these people, he got to visit every state in the union except Alaska and got paid for it! My kinda job, I reckon.

[@nsort3009]

Wait, he did that in Hawaii? I mean, I figured the owners could just walk over in a few hours

[@nathan12291]

I have never seen a truck like this getting ready to be towed. You earn your money just getting ready to go. Was very interesting to watch. Thanks for sharing. ( I do like the fact you didn't keep talking. Sometimes it's just good to watch not hearing someone going on and on about everything. Thanks Be safe

[@cazhacker7]

holy crap that's a lot of work!!! That in the cold Canadian winters would be a nightmare.good video!!

[@jeffhicklin4653]

I can appreciate all of the double checks that he performed. Even if you’re a seasoned driver such as myself, distractions can occur and throw you off. Once I forgot to release the parking break on the truck, and luckily when I got onto the highway a motorist honked his horn and gestured to the rear of the truck. When I pulled over and checked it out the brake rotor was red hot, and may of been possibly very close to bursting into flames.

[@ajrobus4592]

I'VE BEEN TOWING FOR 25 YRS. I WAS VERY IMPRESSED . GREAT JOB ON SAFETY BEING #1.

[@erniew5805]

crawling under a vehicle supported by hydraulics?

[@SandpiperN121PP]

There is alot of work that goes into getting it ready for tow. Great video and your truck is awesome!

[@gortnewton4765]

Nice job, quick, efficient, love how you did it all.

[@desertrat8322]

Watching you use the packing strap to unlock the door reminds me of when I used to run Autoclub calls doing lock outs

[@gudfarfar]

Thanks for another good video, Trent. Very nice to have the comments coming from you, as you go along. That way the ordinary public can follow what is going on, and it is also much more entertaining.

[@aznboycols]

My first time here. It's evident that you know what you're doing. Keep up the good work!!

[@jcprov9481]

Love watching pros work. I would be absolutely clueless on how to go about towing that thing. Learned something today.

[@billydarley6925]

cheah, takes for ever to hook and book. damn sure aint as simple as a passenger car.

[@Gender1979]

im just happy to see it being rescued and possibly fixed properly not half asses.. or used as a parts vehicle..thanks for the service in keeping these girls safe.

[@oskars2481]

I didn't think that towing a semi was that complex!!

[@rgarlinyc]

Surprisingly entertaining to watch! Thanks for video'ing it!

[@MrJordanwain]

KZbin recommendations bought me here. Love this sort of stuff. Anyone else watch highway thru hell?

[@DeadInsideButStillSmiling]

Watching it now 😁

[@threynolds2]

I watched it on Netflix.

[@jimmyjames7809]

Yes but this is IRL, much better imo

[@ooglieguy6469]

It's okay but it is not a good representation of what us heavy duty tow operators do on a daily basis. Some of the things that some of the guys do on that show, would get many operators fired on the spot.

[@rodolfo_bandeira]

This is the first time in I saw the procedure of towing a truck. Awesome video! God bless you!

[@wintersnow3089]

My grandpa owned a towing company before he passed, it was one of the top towing companies in Oregon in 2008 or before? I'm not sure, been decade so forgive me if it's wrong. The company was 99 Towing, use to be in Tigard Oregon but it's now somewhere else or it could be gone by now. Grandpa built that company from the ground up, only to have it fall after he passed. 'Grandma'/Step-mother took over the company after Grandpa passed. My mom was a dispatcher for them for years and was fired a year after his passing with no real reason. That was around 2009 so I'm not sure what happened after all these years to be honest. These videos make me smile, I'm glad I came across these.

[@TR4zest]

I learned a lot seeing you get set to tow this rig. Well done, very instructional.

[@davemiller6893]

Just found your channel, I'm glad I did. Very professional approach to your job. Regards from the UK.

[@pieropiana6962]

First time I see something like this. You did a great job, and working in an awesome way. Thanks for sharing

[@Akfordmn]

That's what a true professional looks like right there! Well done..

[@ColdCars61]

its interesting to see how you guys do it, so much similarity yett some differences, i worked 16 hours straight with several incidents yesterday so its good to sit down and watch somebody else do it :D gretings from a hevy tow truck driver in norway

[@KB-gs8zi]

Sir Trent !!! That's a ''PETE'' ,,You could have tried the key from your wrecker to open the door as there are only 4 combinations of keys for most trucks !!! Have used International pro star key to unlock 8 out of 16 same trucks on yd many times !! Also ,,used same key to unlock other drivers doors from other companies with same tractors !! Also, watch 1 of JBG Travels videos where he uses 2 Boot lases tried together with a loop in the center & work the lases down the door from the top to catch the door lock inside !!! Good trick that I didn't know about till saw him do it !!! Anyhows,, enough rambling !!!! Have a good day & KEEP IT SAFE !!!!!

[@cheeseburger9232]

It wouldn't make a good video if he used a key lol

[@plazatowing]

K B good to know! Thanks!

[@KB-gs8zi]

@@plazatowing Sir Trent !!! Now that you have the ""PETE"" on your yard ,,try the spare keys you have & see if they work to open the doors ????? KEEP IT SAFE

[@cheeseburger9232]

You ever watch youtuber reponut he's a master at opening cars he stopped the repo business, his videos are still there

[@samuelcantley5500]

K B theee

[@theonefrancis696]

Stumbled on this channel by accident. I'm so happy that KZbin recommended this. Very informative.

[@braydontweed1402]

I had no clue hooking up to a tractor was that complex... I thought about heavy rescue for a while but not after talking to a friend and watching this haha... Thanks for keeping us rolling! Stay safe out there

[@CurtParish]

I had some success getting rid of abandoned cars we towed in by seeing if they had a lien against them. I would call the lien holder and they would gladly pay the bill to get the car back.

[@Tangoram]

Hey guys from Plaza Towing. Just found your channel here on youtube and it's really great and interesting. Much more realistic than the well known Towing TV Shows. So keep save out there and greetings from Germany.

[@PlinioLisboa]

Stumbled on this channel by accident. I'm so happy that KZbin recommended this. Very informative!

[@OyugiGGregory]

Damn! Never see such a process for just a tow.....All in a days work. Thumbs up

[@mypeeps333]

I gess be couldn't afford Tires either ! Did you see the tires on that truck ? WOW

[@dewaynemiguel3349]

Another reason i loved my 1979 pete cabover ,if it broke but it never did i could fix it myself no sensors ,computers none of that garbage

[@yahel092100]

You know what i like about this guy? It just goes to show that you can do any kind of work and have fun , honestly i think his having way more fun than all those high tech jobs

[@cmichaelhoover8432]

Not sure why I, as a 73 year old electronics engineer, found this video fascinating, but I enjoyed every second of it.

[@michael7423]

Cool tow operator gets a new subscriber, great personality

[@bsm1th99]

And in today's episode, i'm going to teach you how to break into a semi lol

[@th3kwaiiapotato858]

Brian Smith lol

[@thatsmyrc]

Some hard and sometimes unappreciated work involved in this field great job man 👍🏼

[@madmanmechanic8847]

Very professional I am impressed of all the safety you went through securing the truck to your rig nice job!

[@chrisj3186]

0:59 thought that was a handgun 😂

[@danrussell3439]

Great Video, I’m exhausted from watching you work😁 Stay Safe.

[@pilotdave9442]

Its been 30 years since I turned wrench on heavy trucks... brought back memories of the fail safe nature of air brakes in the USA...

[@GoodOlBoy1976]

Most of the trucks I have seen being pulled were being towed backwards. This is the first time I have seen it this way. Keep up the great work and stay safe out their on the big road.... God bless all truckers big and small.

[@Ivansgarage]

Watch out hauling backwards, the fairings on the cab will catch the wind, and rip them off.. not made to do 60 mph backwards....

[@TWX1138]

This is the first time I've ever seen someone ask law enforcement, "Good to start hookin'?"

[@plazatowing]

TWX1138 its a respect thing. We let them finish their duties before proceeding

[@Mike...p]

Thats what she said

[@Digipengi]

I was looking for this comment as soon as I heard him say it XD

[@thefutureofyesterday8136]

😂😂😂

[@MsUltrafox]

I find working very interesting, I can watch it for hours.

[@trucker60ohio65]

Public has no idea how much you guys mean to keeping America rolling. I really appreciate the risks you all take day to day. It may seem like just another day to some but when you're stuck on the side of the road you're all angels. God Bless!!

[@FReeDOM6k]

I admire your work, it’s so complicated really. Few people will be able to do this, well done, beautiful job, sir.

[@plazatowing]

Thank you for watching!

[@manguydude287]

Thanks for bringing us along! For a 30 minute hook, I bet that made some money

[@robertdominguez8705]

hour each way plus 30 at the site.... I'm guessing $1K easy

[@aliabtahi2313]

@@robertdominguez8705 consider the cost of his truck and all the equipment ??

[@macwolf7802]

You should get a Pick Kit for these situations. Honestly most Freighters you can pick the locks super easy and not risk damaging the frame...

[@michaelmaciejewicz7534]

Thank you sharing this Nice work

[@anraegodley-cooper6321]

Great video, I learned a lot just from watching, thanks for sharing, Blessings to you all and your families.

[@ronaldwarren5220]

I live in NW Arizona and recognize the spot where that tractor was abandoned from my travels. Small world!

[@davejradkins6564]

How u just gonna leave a 60 to 90,000$ truck and say tow it I can't fix it it must belong to the bank still.

It might be a $5,000 truck. Depending on mileage and what is wrong with it. This one is probably a clunker.

[@turbanwearersblow]

Dave Jr that truck is worth 10k at most in running condition. That is a 387, nobody wants them

[@imapaine-diaz4451]

No Doubt about that. probably one of those drivers who fell for the "lease to own" scam that trucking companies run on sucker drivers.

[@gearjammer4779]

Dave Jr It’s easy! Just do it!

[@Torchedini]

You don't know the repair cost. It could need so much work that getting it back will cost you more then a second hand truck that is already running.

[@Eremon1]

What a pain in the ass to tow a rig. It's one thing on a sunny day, but in the rain or winter that has to suck extra hard. Kudos to the hard work this guy puts in.

[@Ehrngtn]

I salute you for educating these young minds. God bless you!!

[@j2b261]

Wow, that was cool. Never realized how much work that would be. You didn't waste a second.

[@Physhi]

"This is the LockingPickingLawyer and this lock is a- and has a fatal flaw- and can easily be opened like so or can be opened using a- and we have an open. Thanks for watching and cheers."

[@sayujraphael]

Sounds like a Master lock lol😂

[@johnc221]

Much Respect for you, I drove tow truck for 6 years... In Canada in the harshest weather -55c, we finally passed the law last year for people to move over and slow down in our province. Just a reminder to everyone if you see a tow truck on the side of the highway, MOVE OVER AND SLOW DOWN. Just like everyone else they have family and a life too and they'd like to return home safe!

[@djAnakin]

No idea why youtube suggested this, but I dig these types of videos. I am amazed at how easily the tow truck can tow that heavy truck. Amazing. Nice work!

[@romeo6749]

FYI...SOMETIMES, on those 387's, they originally came with hood release on floor next to seat. Eventually they would fail to keep hood latched. Solution was installing rubber latches. It could still inadvertently latch on its own. Hope it helps. Keep up good posts young man!

[@plazatowing]

lol you are correct I found this release when I was dropping it off

[@gordmcdonald2807]

Well that answers my question. Thanks.

[@bigdogbandal]

You're right. The release cable breaks, but there are emergency release cables on both sides up under the wheel opening. It's just a wire loop hanging through a hole in the plastic.

[@starsky459]

thank you trent for another great video keep em coming the best you can thanks god bless you paul garrison

[@DarthBlazer.]

Those sockets at 11:15 are beautiful

[@agentofficerthomasa.porter107]

Memories On The Roadways & Hi-Ways...You Do A Great Job!

[@apegues]

A trick I learned years ago is call a glass shop and have them remove the window just forward of the roll down window. It costs a lot less than a locksmith or tow truck (if you’re the truck owner)

Or just knock it out. Later get one at junkyard.

[@NishraRama]

Going west on I-10 I know exactly where you are. be safe out there.

[@MrShanghai34]

my knees hurt just watching him get down and work under the truck.... blessed are you who have good knees..

[@achong007]

Thank you for showing this. I was always wondering how you go about towing a truck and why it takes so long get it hooked up. Well, you have answerd my question. Thanks again :)

[@2amProFilms]

Why the hell did I just watch a 30min video on big rig towing?

[@killersushi99]

I cant tell you...but I did too. XD

[@Drache191200]

pfft, idk, maybe cuz it is cool

[@lakaboy-ps7co]

because you clicked on it

[@NicholasLittlejohn]

2x

[@adammoorby99]

I also did and honestly this looks alot easier than some of the mechanical sides of bikes 😂😂😂

[@ghostshadow9046]

I've seen them attempt to tow and FORGET the air brakes, my 1964 dodge dump truck was a frankenstein truck, air and hydraulic

[@poker_18rs92]

That's a lot of work by yourself sir, great job!

[@NJEvoMR]

Awesome work! Thanks for posting this!

[@just-us7]

Boy you make it look easy. You're a true professional and God Bless you!

[@bashkillszombies]

Euro Truck Simulator has come a long way!

[@erroristmusic]

More like American Truck Simulator

American Truck Simulator, more precisely. I believe the truck that's being towed is actually available in the vanilla version of the game.

[@lakaboy-ps7co]

Its American Truck Sim NOT ETS2

[@GeorgHaeder]

@ Yeah, the truck is in the game it's the Peterbilt 579.

[@marcogonzalez2303]

Georg Häder the one in the game is more than likely not that I think it’s a 387

[@philhiggins4922]

You came up as a video to watch on my feed. Great video. You seem like a really nice, friendly and very knowledgable driver. I’m watching this in Germany while on tour with a Major British vocal artist. My turbo went on this 2012 daf second day I had it. Had mechanic the wrecker driver help me with total professionalism and courtesy. I was on a tight schedule to get to Vienna for pre production and th y got me fixed and there in time.

[@LACTS-be7pr]

That terrain is like Afghanistan with better roads. I did the same shit with full kit, bullets flying over head sometimes, and 120 degrees. Good job man...

[@yorkazuna5934]

The truck is too old to comply with updated CA emission laws so many truck owners are simply abandoning these old trucks or if they are smart, selling them out of state.

[@ohwell2790]

And, CA wants to outlaw all diesels by 2030. How will all the products be delivered?

[@Glibzer]

Yorkazuna FUCK COMMIEFORNIA and anyone who lives there is an imbecile

[@cosminogloocosy1154]

Stupid emission horseshit laws :/

[@DuffyNightingale]

@@cosminogloocosy1154 yeah mr smart man go suck on a diesel exhaust pipe jack ankle while we drive electric trucks faster more powerful and breathe clean air.

[@markshropshire5995]

You were to close to the door bolt. Try wedging the top corner of the door were it bends easier.

[@raybeecool]

Very professional ! 🏁🏆 thanks for all you do !👍

[@mrpaulgrimm6129]

Drove doubles for UPS 39 years. You guys towed me a few times. Thanks

[@skoolrocks1991]

great content really enjoyed this! Thank you!!!.....:]

[@rivertoreeffishing4510]

Lol same highway that I’ve speed down on gta 5 💀

[@prodesign8189]

Sub'd because I found myself drawn in to watch because I miss the years of doing recovery in western NY. Winters were a blast. Keep up theses vids please!

[@jimjenkins673]

Love that tow rig. It’s the ultimate EDC!