The Simple Basics of Towing Services
Everyone who has been on the road probably knows what towing services are. These are services that are generally offered by emergency highway operators. Emergency highway operators can be private companies or public bodies. In the event of traffic accidents and emergencies, collisions, breakdowns, parking violations, among others, towing services are responsible for “towing” the vehicle to vehicle repossessions.
Towing services are very popular these days as a form of business. This is because on a day-to-day basis, there are hundreds of traffic accidents that occur on America’s highways. In addition, there are also more than a thousand drivers who commit parking violations and there are also almost 200 vehicles that crash or break down. These incidents have contributed greatly to the rapid flourishing of the towing industry in the United States.
The various types of towing equipment.
In general, there are five types of towing equipment that are being used by major emergency highway operators in both metropolitan areas and rural areas. The type of towing equipment to be used for each situation depends on the size of the vehicle to be towed.
Boom – This equipment is not specifically designed for towing trucks only. However, many towing services make use of these adjustable arm pulleys to recover vehicles that have been stuck in ditches and cesspools.
Belt lifters – This refers to the looped chains that are attached to the vehicles. This allows the crane to pull the vehicle by the axle. However, belt lifters are not used often these days because they can cause scratches on the vehicle’s bumper. If you want to use this equipment, make sure the vehicle to be towed has a steel bumper.
Wheel Lifts – These lifts are the latest versions of the hook and chain combinations that were used in the early years of hauling and towing. These refer to those huge metal yokes that can be attached under the vehicle’s wheels along with a hydraulic hoist.
Slide – This towing equipment refers to that “bed” that is placed at the rear of the tow truck. The hydraulic system of the slide allows the “bed” to move at ground level to pull the vehicle by means of a winch.
Quick Pick – Quick Pick serves as an integrated towing kit combining the features of a boom and wheel lift. Basically, this type of towing equipment can be used to recover vehicles or transfer illegally parked vehicles. Among the five types of towing tools, the quick pick is the most reliable for light and heavy duty trucks.