There are 6 kinds of tow trucks you’d find in North Lakes & District Towing. Wondering what they are? Then, read on.
If you’ve ever been in a situation where you had to call in a tow truck company, you probably wouldn’t be thinking about the kind of tow truck the driver pulls up in. Chances are you’d be more concerned about your vehicle – and rightly so.
But now that you’re not in too much of a hurry, you’d have more time to go through this article as we take a look at the various kinds of tow trucks available to handle various types of towing and lifting services.
When it comes to tow trucks, no one size fits them all (although later in this article, we would talk about one kind of tow truck that has multiple-use versatility), and the final decision of which tow truck to choose ultimately depends on your needs and preferences.
So without much ado, here are 6 different kinds of tow trucks you’d find in North Lakes and Districts
1. Rollback Tow Trucks ( Or Flatbeds)
You’ve probably seen one of these on the highway. They are one of the most popular kinds of tow trucks and they are mostly used to transport passenger vehicles from one place to another. Flatbeds are also commonly used to transport accident vehicles that have been so damaged, that they wouldn’t be able to move on their own.
The flatbed tow truck gets its name from the way it’s designed. This type of tow truck comes with a flatbed (hence the name) that can be maneuvered downwards to allow vehicles to get on it. When the flatbed is tilted, you can either drive the car up on it if it’s still roadworthy or you could pull it up using a chain and winch if it’s in no position to be driven.
Once the vehicle has gotten on the tow truck, the flatbed can then be tilted up till it’s levelled out and then properly secured for the remaining part of the journey.
2. Hook & Chain Tow Trucks
The “Hook & Chain” tow truck is what many folks automatically think of whenever they hear “towing”, and with good reason. These kinds of tow trucks achieved popularity for being one of the earliest tow trucks on the block. Hook & Chain tow trucks are more compactly built compared to their counterparts, flatbed trucks. This design makes them extremely suited for removing vehicles stuck in narrow spaces and towing them to a safe distance.
Today, Hook & Chain tow trucks are not as commonly used as before because their manner of operation can cause unnecessary damage to the vehicle’s drivetrain. Car bumpers can get disfigured from the chains attached to them, and the tires may get easily worn out from being towed from one place to another.
3. Wheel Lift Tow Trucks
Wheel Lift Tow Trucks are so similar to Hook & Chain Tow Trucks that they could pass as distant cousins – except for some subtle differences. While the latter deploys metal hooks and chains while towing vehicles, wheel lift tow trucks use a device that attaches itself to either the front or back tires of the car (the final position of attachment depends on if the vehicle operates a front-wheel or rear-wheel drive system).
As soon as the device is firmly attached, a hydraulic lift (or sometimes, a pneumatic hoist) lifts the car up into the air from where it’s attached to the device, after which the car can be towed away. Although these kinds of tow trucks may not cause the same damage to cars as Hook & Chain tow trucks, nevertheless, they may not be the best choice if you have to tow away a vehicle with an all-wheel-drive because they can potentially damage the vehicle’s drivetrain.
4. Integrated Tow Trucks
The Integrated Tow Truck is not the type of tow truck you’d typically call when your car breaks down – unless you’re driving a monster truck. These tow trucks are built to handle big vehicles which explains why they are so strong. So if you want to tow a large vehicle like a bus or truck that broke down, you’d only be able to do so using an integrated tow truck. Your average tow truck does not have the capacity to handle such heavy loads the way this kind of tow truck would.
Integrated Tow Trucks come with an additional axle that provides them with greater balance and power which makes them more suited for towing heavy vehicles out of difficult scenarios. The superior stability of integrated tow trucks means they are able to take on much heavier loads than what the tow trucks themselves weigh.
5. Boom Trucks
Boom Trucks are so named because the hydraulic arms these tow trucks use to attach to vehicles are known as “booms”. At first glance, these tow trucks would look like miniature cranes because of these hydraulic arms, but the inherent stability of this tow truck’s boom makes them incredibly useful for several purposes – one of which is towing vehicles.
Most boom trucks tow vehicles using slings or belts which are less likely to damage a vehicle’s certain the way a hook & chain tow truck (or wheel lift tow truck) might. Nevertheless, this kind of tow truck may not also be suitable for towing an all-wheel-drive vehicle, unless you don’t have any other choice.
6. Rotators
Rotators are the biggest, heaviest tow trucks you’d see on the road today. These gigantic machines are so big, that they are usually used for lifting and towing heavier-than-normal vehicles. If you’re thinking of oil tankers, fire trucks, and maybe other (smaller) tow trucks, then you have a pretty good idea of the kind of vehicles you can hire a Rotator to tow.
They’re designed and built like cranes and come equipped with massive booms that can extend 360 degrees in any direction, up to an effective working distance of 30 feet, making them extremely effective at lifting and towing heavy-duty vehicles from difficult situations.
So the next time your vehicle breaks down and you need to call in a tow truck, you can always contact us here at North Lakes & Districts Towing with your enquiries and we’d get you the right tow truck for your needs.
