When you want a tow truck that can pull you out of a bad situation, you most likely want a wrecker. It uses a winch and chains hooked to the underside of your car to drag your car out of wherever you are stuck. This type of tow truck usually works the best for getting your car unstuck.
This video shows a wrecker making a recovery of a pickup truck that is in a tough position in a ditch. It required two winches and some specialized gear to anchor the wrecker to get it out.
Thanks to stevevenablewrec for the YouTube video
The second type is known as a flatbed and it tilts the deck and pulls the entire car onto it’s bed as seen in the picture to the right.
The third type of tow truck uses a hydraulic arm to scoop up and secure the wheels rather than hooking to the underside of the car.
While both the flatbed and hydraulic arm trucks usually have winches, they can only handle relatively simple recoveries.
The video below shows a tow truck that is both a flatbed and has a hydraulic arm to scoop up and secure the wheels of the car. This kind of tow truck can actually handle two cars at the same time.
Thanks to Gary Sorrells for the YouTube video
When calling for a tow truck, the company should ask you several questions before agreeing to rescue your car.
- What year, make and model of car is being towed?
- What type of problem are you having? Accident, breakdown, stuck, etc.
- Do you have insurance that covers towing? If not, how will you be paying?
Conclusion: The final cost for a tow truck can be pretty expensive, especially if you have to pay out of your own pocket. Even with insurance, you may have to pay a hefty fee if you exceed the insurance-allowed towing distance or have a co-pay fee.