Vehicle Towing: What Type of Tow Truck Do I Need?

Vehicle Towing: What Type of Tow Truck Do I Need?

March 5, 2020

If you find yourself stranded on the side of the road with a disabled vehicle, it can be a remarkably stressful experience. Cars are probably zipping by, you’re not sure what the problem might be and you’re worried about your family inside, and all of this can be made decidedly worse if it happens at night. Your last thoughts might be about what kind of tow truck you need to call, but it’s actually more important than you might think for a number of reasons.

There are a variety of towing services in Centre County, PA, but you want to make sure you’re picking the one with the right trucks for any job. Letting the tow company know more information about your vehicle is a critical part of the towing and repair process, so we’ve enclosed some tips here to help you navigate choosing the right tow truck for the job.

Two-wheel drive matters

If you have a two-wheel drive car, you should let your tow truck company of choice know immediately. S & R Repairs Towing & Recovery Inc. is prepared to work with any number of vehicle types, but it’s well worth your while to ask questions of whomever you wind up speaking with. Most companies will ask the year, make and model of the car that you’re calling about, but it’s critical that you also inform them if your car is front- or rear-wheel drive only. The drive wheels need to be lifted, so that a rear-wheel drive car is towed with its front wheels on the ground, and vice versa. Towing a car by the drive wheels can damage the transmission, even if the car is in neutral when towed.

Flatbeds can get the job done

Given that it can be destructive to tow a car by its drive wheels, all-wheel drive (AWD) vehicles need to be towed with all wheels off of the ground to ensure no damage is done to the car. There are a variety of towing services in Centre County, PA, but the one you’ll want to choose for this scenario needs to have a flatbed truck at its disposal. This is really the only option for moving an AWD vehicle without running the risk of damaging it further, so it really is a necessity.

Other types of tow trucks

Other types of tow trucks can help get damaged vehicles off the road and starting the repairs that they need. A hook or chain vehicle (more commonly called a “wrecker”) is the most conventional type of tow truck. They hook up to the underside of the car and move it with chains. This runs the risk of causing some damage, so this might be an option to avoid for newer cars. Wheel lift tow trucks have a powerful hydraulic yoke that lifts the vehicle up, helping to avoid damage to the exterior.

There are a number of options that you can consider for a tow, but the important part is that you want to be informed ahead of time and be sure that you’re giving your tow truck company all necessary information about your car when you call for assistance.

For a full variety of towing services in Centre County, PA, reach out to S & R Repairs Towing & Recovery Inc. today.

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