Pre-Release Testing Means Greater Customer Satisfaction

So when Chief Automotive Systems was preparing to launch an innovative pulling system called the impulse, the decision was made to leave nothing to chance.

"The impulse was a sharp departure from what the collision repair industry had come to expect from Chief Automotive Systems," recalled Chief's Engineering Manager Jeff Dobbins.

"Prior to the introduction of the impulse, most of the industry associated Chief with large pulling systems that came complete with all the bells and whistles.

"However," Dobbins continued, "in talking with shop owners, we discovered a need and desire for a pulling system that was affordable, small enough to fit in most shops, but powerful enough to tackle the jobs these owners face on a daily basis, including light trucks and smaller SUVs. The impulse was designed specifically to address these needs."

On paper, the impulse certainly looked like it fit the bill. At eighteen feet long and a shade over six-and-a-half feet wide, the impulse was the ideal size to fit in most shop bays.

Additionally, the system was equipped with two Chief-style towers that generate 10,000 PSI at the hook, providing plenty of power for even the most difficult pulls. And while the impulse isn't "loaded" with multiple accessories, the list of standard features remains impressive for a machine in its price category, including interchangeable drive-on ramps, two air-over-hydraulic foot pumps, a Universal Anchoring System and Chief's versatile deck design that boasts 172 steel-reinforced tie-down openings for virtually unlimited holding and positioning options.

But the feature that really raised the hair on the back of Chief engineers' necks was the "Sure-Lock" tower locking mechanism. This patent-pending design allows technicians to pin and secure each tower with one easy movement. Pulling down on the tower's Sure-Lock lever unlocks the tower from the deck, enabling it to slide effortlessly around the impulse deck.

Once the tower is positioned, a simply pull on the Sure-Lock lever locks the tower firmly in place. But that's only part of the story as the design also enables the impulse to provide true 360-degree pulling capability while allowing towers to be ganged anywhere around the machine — even at the corners.

So far, so good. The impulse had the look of a winner as Chief put the system through its paces with an extensive battery of internal tests designed to take the system to the limits of its capabilities and to quickly illuminate any chinks in the machines' armor.

"When we conduct tests of this nature, what we're really attempting to do is break the machine by making it complete tasks you normally wouldn' t ask the machine to perform," Dobbins explained. "In each case, the impulse passed with flying colors."

This is the point where a great many companies feel their product is ready for launch.

However, even the most grueling internal tests pale in comparison to what a machine will experience once it's "in the field." So Chief sought out a number of shops that would allow Chief to install an impulse in their shops with explicit instructions to punish the machine as much as possible.

One shop that accepted the challenge was Miracle Workers Auto Collision Center in Lincoln, Nebraska. An 11,000 square-foot facility that typically handles more than 70 vehicles each month, the shop was already familiar with Chief equipment as it has a Chief EZ Liner that it purchased in 1993, as well as a Chief Genesis computerized measuring system.

"The first thing that struck me about the machine was the tower design," said Miracle Workers Owner Steve Rexroth. "The 360-degree pulling was a big feature in my book. You can pull anywhere without moving the vehicle or using accessory rams. Plus the towers roll so easily around the deck that set-ups are a breeze."

Through a seven-week period, the shop used the impulse on a wide range of vehicles featuring a multitude of collision damage including side hits, suspension and front end damage.

"We put a lot of pressure on it, especially on the side hits," stated Shop Manager Brian Van Slyke, "and there was no movement in the towers at all. We're definitely getting the full 5-tons out of the towers, and it seems to have more than enough power for our needs."

Rexroth agreed, stating that the impulse was ideal for city shops where they see a lot of unitized passenger cars and lighter trucks and SUVs.

"Smaller shops have to have structural pulling, while larger shops like ours that have more than 10 techs, have to have more than one rack to keep up with the volume," Rexroth explained.

"This is not a niche product since it can be used on virtually any job a shop will see. It's one of the best designs we've seen come down in a long time. It's definitely Chief quality, but it falls into a price category that Chief doesn't usually fit into."

Both Rexroth and Van Slyke said that durability played a big factor in their opinion of the machine and that, as long as you were careful with the collar position, the impulse appeared to be virtually maintenance free.

"You can easily spend twelve grand on a disposable machine that' s good for a couple of years, but that just doesn't make sense," Rexroth said. "With very little care, I can see the impulse lasting for decades. Dollar for dollar, there's just no comparison."

Rexroth added that follow-up and service also were big considerations when assessing the real-world viability of the impulse, and that the bottom line is that equipment is only as good as the vendor. He said that in his 20 plus years in the business, Chief has always had the key people in place to take care of any problems or service issues he's had.

"That's huge in my book although, quite frankly, with the impulse I don't think I'll be seeing much of them. That thing is a tank!"