Types of Tow Trucks
Several types of tow trucks cater to different hauling applications, from moving disabled vehicles to providing essential roadside assistance. Tow truck companies often rely on a few main types of tow trucks and wreckers for daily operations. These include flatbed or rollback tow trucks, hook-and-chain trucks, integrated tow trucks, and wheel lift tow trucks.
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Whether you intend to start a towing fleet or expand an existing one, understanding the mechanisms of the different types of hauling vehicles and their specific roles can help you make an informed investment for your organization.
Discover everything you need to know about the main types of tow trucks in this guide.
Table of Contents
- Flatbed or Rollback Tow Trucks
- Hook-and-Chain Trucks
- Integrated Tow Trucks
- Wheel Lift Tow Trucks
1. Flatbed or Rollback Tow Trucks
These tow trucks incorporate a flat-topped empty bed on the rear end to carry vehicles. When a vehicle needs to be mounted on the bed, hydraulic mechanisms shift the flatbed up or down vertically.
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Once the operator is ready to pick up a vehicle, they position the flatbed on the ground so the vehicle can drive forward to board the truck. If it is inoperable and can’t be driven, the operator will use chains and a winch to haul it onto the bed. Then, the tow truck’s robust hydraulic system elevates the bed into a secure position behind the cab.
Since flatbed trucks are easy to operate, they are a popular choice for roadside assistance. Recovery towing companies usually use them to pick up and transport vehicles involved in accidents and support drivers stranded due to engine malfunctions, empty fuel tanks and other issues.
With a flatbed tow truck, you don’t put harmful pressure on towed vehicles or cause them to drag on the ground. Instead, flatbed tow trucks provide valuable protection for the duration of the journey.
2. Hook-and-Chain Trucks
Companies often use hook-and-chain tow trucks to tow disabled, wrecked, improperly parked and otherwise indisposed vehicles. These trucks use a heavy-duty hook and chain to move vehicles. The operator connects the hook to the vehicle’s end, and the towing mechanism hoists it into the air, leaving the wheels on the other end on the ground. This position allows the truck to move the vehicle by dragging it. However, it can cause damage to the towed vehicle.
The lift and drag position puts strain on a car’s parts. It is not a suitable solution to tow four-wheel or all-wheel drivetrain vehicles. Companies usually only employ these trucks to tow wrecked vehicles and cargo that isn’t fragile. Hook-and-chain trucks are also ideal for moving heavy cargo within worksites.
3. Integrated Tow Trucks
Integrated tow trucks recover and tow heavy-duty vehicles, like buses and rigs. They can quickly latch vehicles and are commonly used to haul vehicles for repossession, illegal parking and other illicit actions.
Because these vehicles need to haul disabled and large vehicles, they are often designed with wheel lift and boom interaction features, an extra axle, and internal arm systems. The latter components help the truck withstand the strain of hauling heavy loads by providing essential reinforcement.
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Operators can board vehicles from their cab. This benefit allows quick collection for repossession and other time-sensitive hauling processes.
4. Wheel Lift Tow Trucks
As an evolved model of the hook-and-chain truck, a wheel lift tow truck lifts the rear end of a vehicle to leave the front wheels on the road. It can then drag the car to its destination. These trucks are commonly used to transport disabled vehicles and those that require repairs.
Unlike hook-and-chain tow trucks, which use heavy-duty chains, these use a metal yoke. A pneumatic hoist of a hydraulic lift then elevates the vehicle. This drag position puts minimal strain on towed vehicles, making wheel lift tow trucks a suitable solution for moving fragile vehicles to repair shops.
Wheel lift tow trucks offer versatile hauling solutions to tow vehicles in tricky locations due to efficient towing mechanisms. They are often smaller than flatbed trucks and other models, making them an accessible choice for road accident support.
Lift and Tow’s Hidden Wheel Lift Models
At Lift and Tow, we offer hidden wheel lift models for you to outfit your towing company. Our hidden wheel lift towing kits are easy to install, making it simple to turn pickup trucks into towing machines. We’re proud to offer hidden lift models that are compatible with most medium-duty and heavy-duty pickup trucks. Since our towing systems attach to a truck’s underbody, they’re completely hidden from view when not in use. This feature makes them a seamless fit for most types of trucks.
If you select our Z series towing unit, your operators don’t have to get out of their truck to pick up a vehicle because the equipment is self-loading and remote-controlled. This self-loading feature makes the system perfect for repossession agents who need to pick up vehicles quickly. Many of our clients choose our wheel lift models for their affordable price and durable, high-quality design.
Browse our hidden wheel lift models to purchase a tow truck that meets your hauling service needs. If you have any questions, contact us today.
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