When your vehicle needs a tow, the type of truck used matters more than most people realize. The wrong method can damage your drivetrain, scrape your front bumper, or stress your suspension. Here is what you need to know.
What Is Wheel-Lift Towing?
Wheel-lift towing hooks under two wheels (usually the front or rear) and lifts that end of the vehicle off the ground while the other two wheels roll along the road. It is fast and works fine for standard front-wheel-drive vehicles being towed short distances on smooth roads.
What Is Flatbed Towing?
A flatbed tow truck loads the entire vehicle onto a flat platform so all four wheels are off the ground. The vehicle is driven or winched onto the bed and secured with straps. This is the safest method for virtually any vehicle and is the only recommended method for several vehicle types.
When You Should Always Request a Flatbed
- All-wheel-drive (AWD) and four-wheel-drive (4WD) vehicles -- wheel-lift towing can destroy the drivetrain
- Luxury and exotic cars -- flatbeds eliminate scraped bumpers and body damage during loading
- Lowered or modified vehicles -- standard ramps scrape; our extended low-angle ramps load without contact
- Motorcycles -- always need a flatbed with wheel chocks
- Vehicles with automatic transmissions that cannot be placed in neutral
- Any vehicle with significant front or rear damage from an accident
Pro tip: If you drive an AWD vehicle and a tow company shows up with a wheel-lift only, ask for a flatbed. Towing an AWD car with two wheels dragging can cause thousands of dollars in transmission and differential damage.
Our Recommendation
At Next Level Towing, we dispatch flatbed trucks by default because they are safer for your vehicle and eliminate the possibility of loading damage. If you are not sure which method is right for your situation, call us at (916) 234-8697 and we will advise you based on your specific vehicle.