4 Different Types of Tow Trucks and Car Carriers You Can Purchase

Tow Trucks and Car Carriers

When operating a trucking business that deals in car carriers, towing, or anything that requires a moderate to heavy truck, it’s wise to know what type of tow trucks you’ll need for your specific type of business. For instance, you wouldn’t be needing a heavy-duty wrecker if you’re interested in opening a repo business. If instead you need to haul heavy machinery, a heavy-duty wrecker or an industrial carrier is going to be more appropriate. For those wanting to work with car dealerships, a car carrier would be the ticket.

It’s a matter of knowing what type of business you’re in and what you’ll need, since the right vehicle will help a business to grow and expand in a number of ways. To help figure out which truck is the right one for you, you first need to know what trucks are available to purchase, and what their differences are. We break down just some of the car carriers and trucks you can purchase for your business.

Flatbed Tow Trucks (Rollback Trucks, Car Carriers)

Types of Tow Trucks and Car CarriersAmong the many different tow trucks, rollbacks and flatbeds are one of the most commonly and widely used vehicles around since they’re capable of carrying a heavy load in one of the safest ways possible. Car carriers aren’t exactly the same as a traditional flatbed, since some car carriers are enclosed to keep the cars away from the elements. You can opt for open car carriers and 4-car carriers, which are typically exposed flatbeds that secure the cars for transport. A flatbed, however, is a very versatile truck since they use hydraulics to move the bed up and down and they can typically transport cars or other vehicles if needed. As far as safety goes, flatbeds are among the most reliable vehicles on the road that you can opt to buy.

Hook and Chain Tow Trucks (Heavy Duty Wreckers)

types of tow trucksA large number of trucks can be listed as hook and chain tow trucks, and heavy duty wreckers are one of the best known. Hook and chain tow trucks used to see a lot of use in the past and they still do, but now owners and drivers are aware that these models of trucks put a lot of pressure on the vehicle being towed. The chains can also damage the vehicle, as seen by repo trucks and snatch trucks that used to use this method extensively since it is the quickest and easiest route to go. These days, hook and chain tow trucks are primarily only recommended when the car being towed is going to a junkyard and additional damage won’t be an issue if any were to occur.

Despite the propensity for damage to the vehicle being towed, heavy duty wreckers are still one of the more prominent types of vehicles that might be found in certain regions. As tow trucks go they’re not typically as expensive, but the drivers of the trucks are sometimes kind of picky about the jobs they accept due to the limitations and heavy use the tow truck incurs.

Integrated Tow Trucks (Heavy Duty Wreckers)

Types of Tow Trucks and Car CarriersIntegrated Tow Trucks are usually brought in for heavy-duty purposes and tend to be a lot more specialized than other tow trucks. Heavy duty wreckers can serve this purpose since they can tow heavier rigs thanks to extra axles that are there for added stability and strength. Plus, the arm of these trucks is more firmly embedded within the core of the truck, meaning that it’s less likely to cause any added strain since it’s much more solid.

Wheel-Lift Tow Trucks (Repo and Snatch Trucks)

Types of Tow Trucks and Car CarriersThe mechanism on a wheel-lift truck is similar in a lot of ways to the hook and chain tow trucks, but they use a metal yoke that causes less damage to the vehicle being towed. These types of trucks are great as repo trucks and snatch trucks since they allow the worker to get in, get the vehicle hooked up, and then leave in short order. The downside of these trucks is that they’re not quite as safe or as protected as other tow trucks, but they are fairly inexpensive by comparison. Quite often these will be used a犀利士
s repo trucks since, for smaller to mid-sized vehicles, a wheel-lift tow truck will be perfect since it’s less of a headache to “hook and book”, as some people like to say.

Wrapping Up

Picking the right tow truck or car carrier for your business is vital since the kind of business a person will do depends on whether or not they have the right tools. While most of these trucks will do the job fairly well across the board, there are a few that are far better for certain tasks than others. Plus, depending on what kind of business you’re running and what kind of vehicles you are towing or transporting, some of those listed above might be woefully under-powered for your needs. The knowledge of the trucks and the jobs they can accomplish is something that a business owner needs to know in order to make the best-informed decision when it comes time to buy, so compare smartly and discuss your options with local tow truck experts in your area.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
No Comments

Post A Comment