Although the services of majority of towing companies involve SUVs and smaller cars, trucks and other larger vehicles may need towing as well. This is where heavy duty towing is most handy and useful. Large and heavy vehicles that need towing require a heavy duty tow truck with great horsepower and torque in order to for them to be properly towed.
Heavy duty towing is imperative and essential as a typical tow truck isn’t designed to do or handle each and every towing job there is out there. Although standard tow trucks can efficiently and safely haul certain vehicles, they struggle or cannot handle heavier, bigger and/or bulkier vehicles.
Tow Truck Classifications
In different states and counties in the US, the requirements for classification of tow trucks differ. However, the guidelines they follow are somewhat similar.
Light duty tow trucks, which are also termed as Class A trucks, are typically best to use when towing vehicles weighing 7,000 lbs (3,175 kgs) or less. The total gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the truck, which includes the weight of the towed vehicle, should be between 10,000 lbs (4,535 kgs) to 14,000 lbs (6,350 kgs).
Class B trucks or medium duty trucks handle vehicles that are a bit heavier than those in Class A. They typically weigh from 7,000 lbs (3,175 kgs) to 17,000 lbs (7,711 kgs). The GVWR of medium duty trucks are between 22,000 lbs (9,979 kgs) to 26,000 lbs (11,793 kgs).
Heavy duty trucks, also referred to as Class C trucks are able to tow or pull vehicles over 17,000 lbs (7,711 kgs) with a GVWR of more than 46,000 lbs (20,865 kgs). In some places, they have trucks classified as Super Heavy Duty and are able to tow or pull over 52,000 lbs (23,586 kgs) of weight. With that, let’s have a look at the kind of vehicles that heavy duty tow trucks are able to tow or pull:
- Busses such as tour busses, school busses, and city busses
- Large trucks and vans like package delivery vans, and delivery trucks that comes with a trailer
- Motorhomes such as RVs as well as other mobile residential vehicles
- Vehicles for city services such as garbage trucks, fire trucks, roadwork vehicles, fuel transport vehicles, Semi-trucks, and big tractor equipment