Types of Tow Trucks

Tow trucks are used for a variety of uses, such as moving automobiles that are having mechanical issues. However, tow trucks are varied tools, and several types of tow trucks are used for specific use cases. What are the types of tow trucks used for? Here is a brief overview of the different types of tow trucks. 

Light Tow Trucks

These tow trucks are the smaller ones you commonly see towing cars, small trucks, and motorcycles. These are classified as Class A vehicles and the conventional and roll-back wrecker are two examples of light tow trucks. They can tow up to 7,000 and 11,000, making them suitable for passenger vehicles. An advantage of light tow trucks is that they are easy to drive and move around, which means they can get into places where cars commonly break down, such as ditches, the side of the road, or a parking lot.

Medium-Duty Tow Trucks

These are larger tow vehicles and are capable of towing much larger amounts of weight, between 7,000 and 17,000 pounds. Medium duty tow trucks often take the form of flatbeds and are used in situations where you need to tow cargo, heavy machinery, large industrial vehicles, or multiple passenger automobiles. These Class B trucks are also used in situations where a light tow truck could be used, but accessibility isn’t an issue.

Heavy-Duty Tow Trucks

As Class A vehicles, these tow trucks are the largest types available and are used in jobs where towing more than 17,000 pounds is needed. A heavy-duty truck is used when multiple cargo containers, very large industrial equipment, or when several vehicles need towing. For example, while a light truck may be able to tow a single car, a heavy-duty one would be needed in situations where a multiple-car pileup occurs.

Tow Truck Designs

Tow Trucks are also defined by how they are designed as several configurations can be used to move vehicles, industrial equipment, and other items. The most common types include flatbeds, hook and chain trucks, integrated tow trucks, and wheel lift tow trucks. Flatbeds are noted for their safety; hook and chain trucks are often used for severely damaged automobiles as they don’t need to be treated gently. Integrated tow trucks are heavy-duty trucks and are used to move heavy jobs such as buses. Lift tow trucks are an updated (and safer) version of the older hook and chain model; they are chiefly used to tow damaged automobiles that can be repaired.

Categorised in: Tow Truck Service

This post was written by admin