Nobody wants to deal with the hassle of having to tow their vehicle. Road accidents and vehicle breakdowns, on the other hand, can occur at any time. When they do, you will require the assistance of a professional towing company.
But here’s the thing: towing companies are not created the same. Most towing companies can rescue and assist stranded sedans and minivans, but what if you’re driving something much bigger?
This is why you must understand the distinction between light-duty and heavy-duty towing.
Heavy-duty and light-duty are used to describe the types of trucks that tow vehicles. These are also terms associated with the services provided by towing companies.
This blog compares and contrasts light-duty and heavy-duty towing.
What Is The Difference?
Both light-duty and heavy-duty towing are assigned duties, and their names are assigned based on what they do. Accredited towing companies when providing heavy-duty towing services will provide all the necessary safety precautions.
Towing sedans, assisting victims of roadside assistance, removing abandoned vehicles, towing coupes and smaller cars, and towing vehicles from private properties are all services provided by light-duty towing trucks. Light duty towing trucks are assigned light duties, meaning they deal with smaller vehicles like cars.
Heavy-duty towing trucks are responsible for towing heavy-duty vehicles, meaning that they will deal with larger sized vehicles like rigs and RVs. They have a 25-ton boom lift and can easily transport large cars. They tow large loads and tow large cargoes, requiring a lot of horsepower and torque.
Light-Duty Vehicles
It’s not uncommon to find standard tow truck routines when it comes to light towing services. These responsibilities should typically include the following:
- Abandoned vehicle removal
- Removing vehicles from privately owned properties
- Recuperating from mishaps
Towing smaller sedans and “city driving” cars is typical of light-duty work. These vehicles are considered “light duty” tows, and the truck and driver dispatched will be one that handles smaller vehicles.
Various truck types work best for this, but most should be lighter and easier to drive. When a huge truck is on the job, the tow takes more time and resources than it could have otherwise.
Light-duty tow trucks are frequently used for roadside assistance and routine services like engine stalls, flat tires, and jumpstarts. These trucks have a modern wheel system that keeps the vehicle and tow truck from colliding. The wheel system lifts the car off the road – either the front or rear wheels – while the two remaining wheels remain on the ground as the vehicle is towed and transported.
Some light-duty tow trucks use the dolly towing technique, which involves attaching an extra dolly to the truck to act as an extension.
Light-duty tow trucks usually weigh between 8,600 and 10,000 pounds. To enable efficient towing, they employ a cable system and a winch.
Heavy-Duty Vehicles
Larger heavy-weight vehicles will necessitate the use of a much larger truck. It all comes down to a combination of torque and horsepower, which allows you to pull while also moving. The smaller the vehicle, the less torque and horsepower you will require. At these levels, however, more is better.
Tow trucks that operate in this capacity must have specific features to pull these cars. These are some examples:
- A Boom Lift Weighing 25 Tons
- A pulley
- 6-Ton Wheel Lift
Heavy-duty tow trucks are designed to tow large vehicles. These tow trucks typically weigh around 26,000 pounds. They’re ideal for large vehicles like shipping containers, semi-trailers, garbage trucks, dump trucks, and farm machinery.
Several requirements must be met by these tow trucks as they will be removing heavyweight vehicles, they must be appropriately equipped. A 6-ton wheel lift, a 25-ton boom lift, and a winch should be standard on heavy-duty tow trucks.
They should also be able to transport an entire vehicle. Their frames must be larger and more robust, and their engines must be stronger than standard tow trucks. Heavy-duty tow trucks will also have a lot of torque and horsepower.
Important Considerations
Heavy-duty tow trucks and light-duty tow trucks have distinct characteristics that set them apart. They each have their specifications for lifting and towing equipment. If you are still deciding on which of these two types is best for your vehicle, the best thing you can do is find a towing company with extensive industry experience. A good reputation (especially among clients), the right equipment, and a towing license are all significant factors to consider when selecting a towing service operator.
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Car Towing Melbourne is Melbourne’s finest, fastest, and most trustworthy tow truck service provider. We have been providing the finest towing services to our customers for a long time. We ensure that we have the appropriate tow vehicle in our fleet for your towing and transportation conditions.
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