Towing is a big industry and is not limited to towing only specific types of vehicles. Rather, it has been used for ages to tow vehicles, trailers, and other trucks. That’s why tow trucks are required to have different power, capacity, and strength to tow almost every kind of vehicle.

There are different types of tow trucks, and a professional company with expertise will know and own them all. AAA Towing offers quality towing services from light-duty towing to heavy-duty. We provide round-the-clock towing services and roadside assistance services to all of our customers in Calgary, Alberta.

This blog post highlights the different towing types and their applications.

Types Of Tow Trucks

Flatbed Tow Truck

A flatbed tow truck is the most common type of towing truck and one you have probably seen before on the road. It is also called a ‘rollback’ truck and has a long empty bed at the back. Cars and other vehicles can be secured on this bed. This type of truck uses hydraulics to move the bed upwards and downwards.

The bed of the trucks goes down to ground level, and the car is pulled on the bed to secure it tightly. However, there is a weight limit, and you should not exceed it. Flatbeds are most commonly used for transporting completely damaged vehicles or those that have broken down. It is one of the safest methods of towing.

Hook And Chain Trucks

As the name suggests, this type of tow truck contains a hook and a chain to tow a vehicle. It is the oldest method of towing any car, and previously, ropes were used instead of chains. It used a chain attached to the hooks of two other vehicles to drag the car behind. However, this puts a lot of pressure on the towing vehicle and is less commonly used now. The chain may also scratch the vehicle’s body, so it is best to ask for a professional towing company to tow your vehicle.

Wheel Lift

Is somewhat similar to the hook and chain, but it involves yokes to carry the vehicle with its front wheels. A yoke is like a bar that is attached to the back of the towing vehicle and goes under the towed vehicles’ front wheels. Wheel lift trucks are simple, easy, and safe for towing small to medium-sized vehicles. They also keep your car safe from any scratches. This type of method uses the front wheels, but in some cases, you can also use the rear wheels of the car.

Boom Trucks

A boom truck uses a hydraulic arm which is called a boom. It is an adjustable hydraulic arm used to recover cars from a ditch and over an embankment. It uses a hook and chain system to lift the object and is useful for heavy-duty recovery or towing. Nowadays, tow truck operators use slings and belt lifts to tow as they are safer to use.

Integrated Tow Truck

An integrated tow truck uses two technologies of towing i-e a boom and a wheel lift. These two technologies integrated into one truck make it a versatile choice for many vehicles. This truck can be used for recovery as well as towing purposes. The integrated truck is often used for illegally parked vehicles. This truck has axles for extra strength, and arms that are embedded in the trucks’ core.

Final Words

Each towing truck has a different mechanism suitable according to the need at hand. A professional towing company will know all about the different truck types and facilitate its customers with the most relevant towing truck. All tow truck drivers must understand the truck they drive to ensure a safe towing experience.

About AAA Towing

AAA Towing is offering its towing and roadside assistance services in Calgary, Alberta. We have highly qualified and experienced staff who know how to handle any incident effectively. Contact us for a fast and reliable tow now.