Karen
Most people think that there is no considerable difference between a regular truck and a tow truck. But in reality, it’s quite the opposite. The 4 x 4 wreckers have numerous distinct features of their own. And as the tow truck markets expand in Australia, one must know about these features before investing in one. A tow truck cannot be considered to be a regular truck because it has sophisticated features.
This article will help you learn about these features of tow trucks and understand what makes them different from other trucks.
Table of Contents
Capacity
The most notable feature of a wrecker is its towing capacity. Ordinary trucks have only passenger or loading capacity, which is starkly different from a towing capacity.
It is imperative to note that the towing capacity of a tow truck must be more than the vehicle that is to be towed to prevent the risk of damages.
Factors that determine towing capacity are horsepower it carries, the strength of its body, and the torque it creates.
Curb Weight
Curb weight can be defined as the total weight of the truck with a full fuel tank. Wrecker truck drivers know that the efficiency of a tow truck needs to be managed by having the entire body weight of the truck in control.
This seemingly complex understanding of the weight aids ratio calculation to determine the truck needed to tow a specific vehicle.
Wheelbase Distance
Distance between the front wheel axis to the rear wheels is known as the wheelbase distance. This is an important attribute that distributes the weight of the towed vehicle on the front or rear wheels.
If this distance is not balanced, the truck is highly likely to fail in carrying a heavy vehicle.
Drive System
A wrecker truck has three central driving systems. These are rear or front-wheel drive, four-wheel and all-wheel drive.
These drive systems can undertake different tasks based on the terrain, the weight they’re carrying, and the fuel efficiency that is to be maintained.
Design of Chassis
Regular truck drivers often ignore the design of the chassis. It is essential in increasing the strength of the tow truck’s frame. This is one very distinct feature that is immensely helpful whenever tow truck owners have to tow vehicles on an emergency basis.
Gears and Transmissions
Wreckers have a different set of gears and transmissions than regular trucks. The purpose of a tow truck’s transmission is maximum traction made possible by low gears with more strength.
This minor feature stabilises the truck overall and creates more push and pull while towing the vehicle.
Comfortability
A tow truck is not as comfortable as a car but is still comfortable enough for the driver to easily drive them around carrying heavy vehicles.
The comfort is assessed by judging the number of vibrations created while the driver is lifting or dragging weight.
Prices
Before buying a tow truck, you must search and analyse the market thoroughly. The prices of wreckers differ greatly based on their sizes, horsepower, capacity, and so on.
Ideally, you should shortlist some trucks that meet your requirements and then compare their prices. In this way, you can get a cheaper tow truck with maximum utility.
Summing Up
There’s a lot that you probably don’t know about 4 x 4 wreckers. This article talks about 8 factors that make tow trucks different from regular trucks.
You must critically assess all of these factors before investing in a wrecker truck to make the most of your money.
