Best Tow Trucks, Top 3 Types

Posted on 27th Nov 2022

                                                                Best Tow Trucks, Top 3 Types

Tow vehicles are not all made equal.

There are various different kinds of tow trucks accessible, and it is crucial to pick one that is compatible with your car based on your requirements or circumstance.

When you ask for a tow truck, you could receive the first one available, but if you like a certain type, it helps to be aware of your options.

Tow truck types

A tow truck with a flatbed

• A flatbed tow truck will look somewhat different from the standard tow vehicles that you are used to seeing. An entire car can fit on the spacious flatbed of a flatbed tow truck.
• The flatbed truck’s back is what makes it possible to put an automobile onto the flatbed and has the capacity to tilt down after sliding out.
• When the flatbed is slanted and, on the ground, a car or other type of vehicle can approach and park on top of it.
• A winch can be used to secure the car once it is on top of the flatbed tow truck, after which the ramp will return to its initial position.
• Hydraulics power the flatbed truck's rear, and there will be weight restrictions that you won't be able to go over. The flatbed tow truck's ability to keep cars entirely off the ground is one of its best features.
• Compared to a car traveling along the road, this lowers the risk of damage to the vehicle. If your car ended up being totaled, that would be one of the situations where you would need a flatbed truck. Sometimes a totaled car cannot be made to move along the road on its own; instead, it must be lifted and loaded onto a flatbed truck.
• The remaining parts of the car will be dragged onto the flatbed truck's top if it is unable to drive on its own any longer.

 

Chain-and-Hook Tow Truck

The most common type of tow truck is the following one.

• This is the truck you will most likely be thinking about and considering when you imagine your car being pulled down the road. A hook is located at the back of a tow truck with a chain.
• The hook will be fastened to the axle or bumper of the vehicle. The car's frame will then be encircled by the chains.
• When everything is ready, a boom will lift the car off the ground while maintaining the position of the back wheels. The back end of the car can be on the ground while being towed by this truck.
• Although the towing industry was founded using this hook-and-chain tow truck design, it is no longer widely used due to the harm it causes to automobiles. There is a lot of potential for damage when all those chains are wrapped around and the car is lifted up.
• You will see the hook-and-chain type truck used in those circumstances quite frequently because it is still excellent for totaled cars. Using a hook-and-chain tow truck with a 4x4 vehicle is not a good idea because it will harm the rear wheels. When a car gets stuck in the mud or a ditch, these hook-and-chain tow trucks can be used.

Tow trucks with a wheel lift

• The wheel lift tow truck and the hook and chain tow truck are very comparable.
• The wheel lift has the advantage of not requiring any hooks or chains, which is good news. A device known as a yoke, which is a component attached to the back of the tow truck and passes underneath the front wheels of the car, will be used by wheel lift trucks.
• It can lift the vehicle and tow it once it passes underneath the front wheels, leaving the rear wheels on the ground. There is much less chance that the front bumper will sustain damage because there is no chain in place. The ease, speed, and simplicity of wheel lift tow trucks is one of their many great features.
• This is a great truck to take into consideration if you need to quickly remove your car from the highway. One of these trucks can be hooked up and pulled away in a matter of minutes if you watch a skilled tow truck driver.
• Sometimes you'll see these trucks pulling a car on their front wheels, and other times you might see them with their back wheels raised. The front wheels are typically suspended in the air for the majority of the time, but the back wheels can be used if the car is in a difficult-to-remove location.

 

What Tow Truck Should I Use?

Having a better understanding of the various tow truck types, you must now choose which one you might require. Any worries you may have should be voiced to the towing company when you call. A flatbed truck with the car elevated above the ground may be what you want if you have a high-end vehicle and are concerned about damage. When you call to have your car towed, be sure to mention if you have an all-wheel-drive vehicle.

You might need something with a strong winch if your car is in bad shape and the breakdown is not a straightforward one in order to be able to pull the car down the road.