A wide variety of evacuation equipment is used to transport vehicles. Various types of tow trucks have their own functional purpose, which determines their technical features and equipment.
Tow truck with winch
A tow truck with a winch is a specialized vehicle for moving another vehicle, entering or pulling it into the platform for transportation using a winch.
To simplify the loading process, retractable inclined ramps are used. They can be adjusted to the width of the car’s wheels, for this their design provides for the ability to move in the horizontal direction. In addition, special extension cords may be supplied, which are necessary in order to load a vehicle with low ground clearance.
So this tow truck is suitable for low cars.
The advantage of the winch is the ability to move laterally, this allows you to pull any vehicle to the tow truck, regardless of the side of the tow hook.
Tow trucks of this type can be additionally equipped with seats for passengers.
The lifting capacity of a tow truck with a winch ranges from two and a half to seven tons. It depends on the type of chassis on which the tow truck is located.
The winches that are now installed on tow trucks, mainly electric, also use mechanical and hydraulic devices.
Electric winches have significant advantages, they can work even when the tow truck engine is not running, consuming energy from the battery.
A mechanical winch has more pull than an electric one.
For loading large vehicles it is better to use hydraulic winches.
If the mass of the evacuated vehicle exceeds the carrying capacity of the tow truck, such a winch will simply stop and not break down.
Tow trucks with hydraulic manipulator or tow trucks loader cranes
A tow truck of this type consists of two parts – a crane and a cargo vehicle platform, which are combined into a common mechanism.
Equipped with a loader crane, a tow truck is able to load a broken car onto its platform in a short time and transport it from the scene of a traffic accident.
They also have the ability to transport new cars, evacuate vehicles with broken ignition locks, doors that cannot be opened, steering out of order, with a gearbox on the block, pulling cars out of a ditch.
Tow trucks with a hydraulic manipulator crane are divided into two types: tow trucks with a straight platform and a crane and tow trucks with a broken platform and a crane.
Tow truck with straight platform and crane
The tow truck of this type has a manipulator crane and a one-piece metal platform of a straight type. The distance at which evacuation work can be carried out is determined by the long boom of the full-slewing loader crane. The tow truck is equipped with a traverse (crossbar), with its help, vehicles and loads with different center of gravity are kept in a horizontal position.
The straight platform tow truck does an excellent job in populated areas. This is possible due to the fact that it has been brought to the minimum loading and overall height. The presence of additional rear stabilizers makes it possible to fully utilize the crane’s lifting capacity. A tow truck with a straight platform and a manipulator has the ability to retrieve vehicles from a ditch, carry them over obstacles or evacuate from a narrow, cramped space where the platform cannot be extended.
Tow truck with a broken platform and a crane
Such tow trucks are equipped with a manipulator crane and an all-metal platform of a broken type with retractable ramps and an electric winch.
The platform of this type of tow trucks has a double bend.
The distance at which work can be carried out is determined by the long boom of the full-slewing loader crane.
Tow trucks of this type are equipped with a traverse, with its help they hold in a horizontal position loads with different locations of the center of gravity.
This type of tow truck is the most cost effective.
Tow truck with sliding platform
Tow trucks of this type are equipped with a sliding platform with an electric or hydraulic winch. Additionally, they are equipped with rolling carts, additional ramps, a set of fastening belts with tensioning devices.
This type is perfect for transporting cars with a low ground clearance or an automatic transmission by a tow truck.
The main difference between such tow trucks is the type of platform that has the ability to move. The movement of the sliding platform of the tow truck is carried out by means of the operation of special hydraulic cylinders. During loading of a faulty vehicle, the platform is lifted. This is necessary in order to achieve an advantageous slope during the entry of the damaged vehicle.