A tow truck, also known as a wrecker, is a vehicle designed to move disabled or illegally parked vehicles. The word “tow” is used to describe the act of pulling or hauling something behind a vehicle.
Tow trucks come in many different sizes and types, from light-duty to heavy-duty vehicles. They are usually equipped with a winch, wheel-lift mechanisms, and a flatbed.
Light-Duty Tow Trucks: Light-duty tow trucks are typically smaller than their heavy-duty counterparts and are used for lighter jobs such as moving cars that have broken down or have been involved in an accident. They are also used to tow illegally parked vehicles. Most light-duty tow trucks use wheel lift mechanisms and come with either an open or enclosed bed.
Heavy-Duty Tow Trucks: Heavy-duty tow trucks are larger than light-duty tow trucks and are capable of handling larger jobs such as hauling tractor trailers, buses, construction equipment, and even boats. They typically feature two axles with two extra wheels at the back for additional stability when hauling heavy loads. Heavy-duty tow trucks are usually equipped with hydraulic winches that can pull up to 10 tons and can be used to recover large vehicles from difficult locations.
Conclusion: Although both types of tow trucks serve the same purpose – moving disabled or illegally parked vehicles – they differ in size, capacity, and equipment. Light-duty tow trucks are typically smaller and less powerful than their heavy-duty counterparts but can still handle basic tasks such as moving cars that have broken down or have been involved in an accident.
Heavy-duty tow trucks are larger, more powerful vehicles that can handle much bigger jobs such as hauling tractor trailers and construction equipment. So when it comes to answering the question “Is wrecker the same as tow truck?” – the answer is both yes and no depending on what type of vehicle you are talking about!
