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The Difference Between Light-Duty Towing and Heavy-Duty Towing

The Difference Between Light-Duty Towing and Heavy-Duty Towing

When your commercial breaks down and you need support, calling a tow-truck is likely the first response. But it’s not just any tow truck that will show up to help with your emergency towing. There is a difference between a light-duty and heavy-duty tow truck. As the two perform different functions, it’s valuable to understand those differences.

What is Light-Duty Towing?

This type of towing typically handles vehicles that weigh less than 10,000 pounds. Vehicles include sedans, pickup trucks, and motorcycles, for example. When helping with light-duty towing, the vehicle is loaded onto a flatbed truck and secured before being towed. Light-duty tows are also often used for short distances and small vehicles. The trucks themselves are also smaller than their heavy-duty counterparts, making them much more maneuverable in tight spaces or sharp turns. It’ll also cost less when the incident requires a light-duty truck.

What is Heavy-Duty Towing?

As its name suggests, a heavy-duty tow truck is there for heavy vehicles. It also requires special equipment and training to drive, so not every tow truck driver can drive a heavy-duty truck. Typical vehicles that need this type of service include semi-trucks, buses, and construction equipment. Unlike a light tow truck, these tow trucks can carry more than 26,000 pounds of weight.

However, that extra load capacity means they can’t navigate tight spaces or make sharp turns easily. Because of the training needed for heavy-duty emergency towing, the cost also tends to be higher. A heavy-duty tow truck is the best choice if you need towing over long distances, such as from one state to another.

Which One is Right?

Choosing between the two towing options comes down to a matter of weight, distance, and the type of vehicle. If you aren’t sure about the best option, don’t worry. Our trusty Team-Pro has a team of experienced and reliable professionals who can help. We have trained personnel to handle both light and heavy-duty towing and can help with any breakdown or accident.

Backup Required for Trailer Fire Recovery

Backup Required for Trailer Fire Recovery

On December 26, 2021, Team Pro-Tow responded to a call from the Washington State Patrol. A trailer had caught on fire. It was the second trailer on a set of doubles and required immediate trailer fire recovery and accident cleanup.

This accident recovery was definitely a job for our heavy-duty wrecker. We got all the equipment together and set out to the scene. The weather was unfavourable, and we drove carefully due to icy road conditions.

Calling in Backup for the Burnt Trailer Towing

We saw that the fire had completely destroyed the tires when we arrived. Talk about burning rubber! Because of the damage, we needed to turn the dolly around for safe towing. Due to the extent of this trailer fire recovery, we had to call out for an additional person to help out.

Once they arrived, we could hook up the front of the trailer and maneuver the dolly around. Then, we could secure the dollies and tow the trailer from the scene using the ICC bumper.

Time for Accident Cleanup

Our Pro-Enviro division assisted with the extensive accident and road cleanup required for this recovery. A significant amount of debris was on the road surrounding the area. Team Pro-Enviro got to work clearing the debris and cleaning the roadway. Once complete, WSP opened the road back up to traffic.

Winter Conditions Cause Delays

Unfortunately, the road conditions were still poor due to winter weather. Pro-Tow drove slowly with chains on the tires to return that burnt trailer to the secure storage yard. Unfortunately, we could not tow it further because the roads were so bad. In addition, the trailer was so damaged from the fire that it wasn’t stable for safe transport.
So we dropped the trailer off in our yard to reassess. In the meantime, we could recondition our equipment and clear the call.

Mushrooms Down Accident Recovery

Mushrooms Down Accident Recovery

In this incident, on November 23, 2021, a truck and trailer carrying a load tipped over and needed help. Team Pro-Tow was called to the scene for the accident recovery, so we set out immediately.

Once we arrived, our team did a routine scene inspection to decide the best approach. Using our large inflatable lifting bags and some rigging would do the trick in this incident. The trailer load also appeared to be a mushroom product that needed some straightening.

Accident Recovery with Lifting Bags

Our team started by sliding the inflatable bags all along the underside of the trailer and then began inflating them. As they raised, it started lifting the truck and trailer. Once it was up enough, we could get some strap rigging on the unit to lift everything back onto its wheels fully. Our accident recovery task was completed with the trailer ready to roll and the mushroom product reloaded.

Trailer Recovery Methods

When it comes to rescuing trucks and trailers, our team has a few different approaches. While it comes down to the nature of the incident, we always bring our equipment and trained personnel for the job. However, in this case, with the trailer flat on its side, we couldn’t simply lift and rig the unit.

Instead, we utilize clever rescue mechanics when needed. As in this incident, we used inflatable air cushions to help out. These handy lifting bags can easily slide underneath a truck or trailer. Once in place, our team then begins slowly filling them with air. As the cushion fills up, it slowly lifts the unit into the air. We do this just enough to use our other equipment, whether rigging, a bobcat, crane or other tools. Once the bags have done their job, we can safely and efficiently finish the trailer recovery process and call it a day.

Leaning to the Left Box Truck Recovery

Leaning to the Left Box Truck Recovery

On June 11, 2021, Team Pro-Tow was called to help with a commercial box truck that had gone into the ditch. State Patrol requested a Class B Wrecker to help handle the heavy-duty towing, which we dispatched to the scene.

Box Truck Recovery

Once we arrived at the scene, we assessed the condition of the box truck. The truck had left the roadway and climbed the embankment on the right side of the highway before rolling over onto the driver’s side. With approval from WSP, we dispatched an HD Rotating crane to help in the recovery.

Team Pro-Enviro deployed the rigging on the rear of the casualty and lifted it with the HD Rotating Crane Style Wrecker. We placed the truck’s rear on the roadway shoulder, repeated the rigging on the front and shifted it to the shoulder.

Heavy-Duty Towing & Spill Cleanup

When the vehicle was ready for heavy-duty towing, Team Pro-Enviro stepped in to handle the cleanup. First, we dispatched an Environmental truck, Flatbed Truck, and Vac Trailer to clean up the fuel and oil spill in the ditch. Then using containment socks, absorbent pads, and vac trailer supplies, Team Pro-Enviro cleared and cleaned the spill.

They also removed approximately 1900 gallons of mixed contaminated soil and liquid. As with any clean-up job, Team Pro-Enviro worked carefully until everything was back to normal.

Meanwhile, Team Pro-Tow took the casualty back to the storage yard and unloaded it in a secured storage area. We also placed a contamination containment pond under the vehicle to catch any drips or spills. Finally, all equipment to its original location and condition and completed the paperwork. This box truck recovery was complete!

Read more details of how Pro-Enviro handled the spill recovery.

Jackknifed Semi-Truck Needs Accident Recovery

Jackknifed Semi-Truck Needs Accident Recovery

In this incident, on January 7, 2022, we received a call from Washington State Police about a jackknifed semi-accident west of Davenport, WA. Because of the icy road conditions, we stopped by the shop to get an appropriate truck and bring a Rotating Crane Style HD Wrecker. 

Accident Recovery

Once we arrived at the scene, our team spoke with the Trooper to plan. Team Pro-Tow used Special Equipment Support Unit to block the westbound lanes while the Trooper blocked the eastbound lanes. With traffic secured, our team got to work.

We set up the Rotating Crane Style HD Wrecker and the rigging needed for the accident recovery. Team Pro-Tow put one rim sling on the trailer bogies and another strap on the rear axle. Then, working carefully, we pulled the truck and front of the trailer up and onto the road. Once we could reposition the truck, we could open the westbound lane for traffic to flow.

Heavy-Duty Towing

With the truck in position, Team Pro-Tow put away the rigging and repositioned the truck to hook up to the tractor. As we were hooking up, we noticed the fuel tank was compromised. To prevent any further spillage, we contained the fuel before continuing.

We cleared the road closure items and moved to the next safe turn spot to break the unit apart for heavy-duty towing. While our team waited for the truck to arrive, we kept the trailer supported because of damage to the landing gear.
When the heavy-duty truck arrived, we hooked up the truck to the trailer and returned to the yard. Once back, we unloaded the tractor put some pond under the truck to collect any oil and liquid that could contaminate the yard.

Team Pro-Tow successfully cleared this Davenport accident recovery.

Accident Recovery on a Leaky Semi-Truck

Accident Recovery on a Leaky Semi-Truck

On April 23, 2021, Team Pro-Tow received an emergency dispatch from Washington State Police about a bobtail tractor collision. Without any other information, we set out with a requested C-class heavy-duty wrecker.

Heavy Duty Towing Service Required

We arrived at the scene, performed a scene evaluation, and found the bobtail tractor resting precariously against the guard rail. Not only that but the engine oil pan was also damaged and had already lost 10 to 15 gallons of engine oil. That was a big problem that we needed to address immediately with special accident recovery care.

We put together a recovery plan, including calculating weights and distance for the safest and quickest recovery. Team Pro-Tow handled the work of recovering the bobtail tractor by using the HD Crane-style rotating wrecker. We brought in additional equipment to complete the recovery safely, and our skilled operators got to work. We safely recovered the casualty without any additional spills or damage. Then provided a heavy-duty towing service to remove the casualty from the scene so fuel spill cleanup could begin.

Fuel Spill Cleanup

The next step in the accident recovery was the fuel spill containment, cleanup, and some debris cleanup. Again, team Pro-Enviro was on the scene taking care of the spill recovery. 

Meanwhile, WSP informed the Washington State Department of Ecology about what was involved in the accident recovery and cleanup. We also dispatched additional equipment required for the cleanup. Our team worked with efficiency and speed to clean up the debris and spill on the road. Only once the roadway was back to its original condition was the job complete. 

We got to the storage yard and returned all the equipment to its original location and condition. Once we completed the paperwork, we gave the cleared call on a heavy-duty towing service and cleanup job well done.