Making Your Car More Comfortable

Important Details To Impart To Your Towing Company

16 May 2017

Rodney Torres

Nobody wants to think about their car breaking down on the side of the road. Unfortunately, accidents do happen and you may find yourself stranded. In many cases, you will need to call a tow truck to retrieve your vehicle. If you need this type of assistance, then you should provide the tow truck service with as much information as you can. There are a few important details that you need to impart to the business. Keep reading to learn about a few so you know about them well in advance of an emergency situation.

The Weight Of Your Vehicle

Tow trucks are rated to tow a certain amount of weight. The trucks are typically rated and given a specific class designation. This class determines the weight that the vehicle is able to tow both safely and legally. State regulations determine class and weight, and each tow truck must be registered under its specific class. If the tow truck carries weight that exceeds the class, then the tow company may be fined. While this is true, some tow trucks can be provided with a special permit to tow weight outside of its class in an emergency situation. When this happens, the vehicle will be taken to the nearest safe area until another tow truck can be dispatched to the scene. 

All of these class distinctions and regulations may seem confusing. But they are something that your tow company will need to figure out when dispatching a truck. You will need to provide information that helps the business figure out which truck is needed to tow your vehicle. Make sure to be specific about the make and model of your vehicle. If you have a heavy duty truck, then mention this when you call. Also, if you happen to be moving big and heavy items or if you have a separate trailer on your vehicle that also needs to be towed, then this information should be provided as well.

If you know the weight of your vehicle, then this information can help too. All you need is a ballpark figure, so take a look in your manual and try to commit the weight to memory.

The Drive Type Of Your Car

If you are in rush to get the tow truck out to your destination, then you may not provide critical information. The drive type of your vehicle is one part of this information. If your vehicle is a front wheel or rear wheel drive type, then a more basic tow truck can be dispatched with a wheel lift. The wheel lift elevates and holds the drive wheels off the ground so the car can be pulled by the non-drive wheels.

If you have a front or rear wheel drive vehicle, tell the tow company which you have. This way the tow truck can pull up to the correct end of your car so the drive wheels can be secured quickly. For example, if you have a rear wheel drive vehicle, the tow truck will need to reposition itself if it pulls up to the front of your car. Repositioning may be difficult or unsafe if you have broken down in heavy traffic. 

If your vehicle is a four wheel drive one, then the tow company will need to dispatch a flatbed, so tell them this when you call. Since all four wheels are drive wheels, the vehicle cannot be towed with a wheel lift device. Your car will need to be pulled up on the flatbed with a winch and then secured in place. 

Other types of tow trucks may need to be dispatched if your vehicle is in a ditch, for example. Boom trucks are needed in this case to retrieve your vehicle, so make sure this information is given regardless of the drive type of your car. 

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