Tow Truck 101: Know The Differences

towing service

Every motorist’s worst nightmare is breaking down, but it is something that will happen to every driver at some point.  When this happens, it is important to stay as calm as possible. The first thing that people should remember to do is ring a towing service as soon as they have walked to a safe place away from the road.

The tow truck will be able to take the car to the nearest mechanic in order to have the problem fixed completely. This is the safest way for broken-down cars to be transported. It is not advisable to have the car hitched to another motorist’s vehicle because something could go wrong.

People often think that there is only one type of tow truck, but in fact, there are several different vehicles that are used. Each type of tow truck is designed to transport the damaged car in a different way. Read this helpful guide in order to learn more about the differences.

Tilt-Tray

The tilt tray tow truck is used so that the car can be driven onto the back of the truck without being lifted completely off the ground using a winch. This type of truck can be used if there is only damage to the bodywork or the windshield. The tilt tray is extremely quick, meaning that the car can be loaded rapidly and then taken along to the nearest garage for fixing. Hire a quality tow truck in Perth from Executive Towing Services

Flatbed

The flatbed tow truck elevates the damaged car off the road so that it doesn’t have to be towed along behind. This is especially useful if the axels or the tyres of the car have become damaged during a crash. The car is winched into place onto the back of the truck and can then be taken off again.

Hook And Cable

The hook and cable tow truck are used to tow cars behind the recovery vehicle. The hook attaches onto the frame or axle of the damaged vehicle. The car then is pulled along as the tow truck drives. The owner of the car will need to be behind the wheel so that they are able to steer. Otherwise, the unoccupied car could veer into other traffic, which could cause another accident.

The cable should be tested to make sure that it is fastened securely to the car before the tow truck sets off. This will ensure that the journey can be completed safely.

Wheel-Lift

As the name suggests, the wheels of the car are lifted off the ground by a metal piece of apparatus. This will cause less damage to a car than the original method of using a cable and a hook. This also ensures that the vehicle travels in a straight line. The owner of the vehicle is not at risk because they will be able to sit in the front with the driver.

Use this guide to learn about the different types of tow trucks.