Car wrecker: types of equipment, differences, what tasks are solved

Many motorists at the word «tow truck» becomes uncomfortable. After all, often such a technique is used to pick up a wrongly parked car. However, tow trucks can be very useful if the car broke down or got into an accident. Let's look at the main types of this loading equipment and their differences.

A tow truck with a winch

This is the most simple design of the tow truck. It consists of a platform and a winch that pulls the car onto it. The cargo is fixed with belts and other types of fasteners.

Advantages:

• A spacious platform allows you to position both passenger and truck or special equipment.
• The winch lifts cars not only from the road surface, but also from ravines and snowdrifts.
• System components are simple and durable. They are easy to maintain in working order.
• Such equipment costs less than other types of loading equipment.
• You can transport cargo over long distances.

Of the disadvantages of tow trucks with a winch is that it is not always possible to load a badly damaged car on them. In order for the forklift to be able to lift the car, it is necessary to have access to it from the front or back. A tow truck with a winch is a large vehicle, and it is difficult to operate it on a tight road.

A tow truck with a sliding platform

This tow truck differs from the classic model in that the platform is located on hydraulic elevators and moves forward so that it touches the road. This is very convenient if you need to load a car with low clearance, a damaged car or cargo without wheels, such as a boat.

This platform design speeds up the loading of cars with blocked wheels, less effort is required. In addition, the distance for lifting the load is reduced. Once the car is placed on the platform, the base slides in with it and locks into place.

Tow truck with crane-manipulator

The most expensive type of tow truck is the one with a crane instead of a winch. This is a multifunctional powerful elevator. It is used in hard-to-reach places and to lift a severely damaged vehicle. This can be done even among densely parked cars. The wrecker can be positioned at the side of the load. It can carry concrete blocks, long fittings, bricks, boards and much more.

From the disadvantages of tow trucks with a crane-manipulator can be noted such features:

• Managing this technique requires experience.
• There is a risk of damaging the vehicle during loading. If it falls off the crane-manipulator from a height, it can crash. The cargo slides more smoothly on the winch and the force of the impact on the ground will be less.
• The complicated crane system is much more expensive to repair than the winch.
• These wreckers have a smaller payload capacity.

Tow trucks with partial loading

When it is necessary to transport a car through the narrow city streets, use maneuverable special equipment. Tow truck with a partial load is equipped with a short platform and winch. Only the front or rear part of the car is lifted to the platform. The peculiarity is that at least two parallel wheels should not be blocked, because the car will move on the asphalt with them.

Loading the car is significantly faster than using a full-loading tow truck. However, if the car is badly damaged and the wheels are blocked, it is not possible to use a technique with partial loading.