Most of the time, when you call a towing company the operator will have a good idea of whether they will have a towing rig large enough to get the job done after asking a few questions. Even though it only takes the operator a few seconds to determine the size of the vehicle that needs towing, most drivers have no idea what weight category their vehicle falls into. If you don’t know if your vehicle requires normal, medium, or heavy-duty towing, then this is the article for you. Perhaps you recently purchased a big F150, which is advertised as a heavy-duty vehicle and is larger than most of the traffic on the road, so you are under the impression that you may need a heavier-duty towing service if you are ever in a tight spot. the truth is, most non-commercial vehicles fall into the lightest category when it comes to towing.
Heavy vs medium duty towing
The defining characteristic of any vehicle that determines its duty level is the GVWR. GVWR stands for ‘gross vehicle weight rating’, which takes into consideration the gas, passengers, and potential for additional cargo. This number should indicate the maximum operating mass of the rig. The classification system for towing has 9 levels, divided evenly into 3 main categories. The GVWR is used to determine which class the vehicle falls into. Just to help you visualize the scale, the majority of the cars on the road are levels 1-3, and dump trucks are level 7.
Towing Categories
The first 3 levels, comprising cars, trucks, and vans, are considered light duty. The middle category is made up of small busses and moving vans. The final category that requires heavy-duty towing includes vehicles like semi-trucks, buses, tractors, trailers, and garbage trucks. The light-duty vehicles have a GVWR of 1400lbs or less. The medium-duty category includes GVWR’s of 14001lbs to 26000lbs. The heavy-duty category is vehicles with a GVWR ranging from 26001lbs to 33001lbs.
Towing heavy trucks is a delicate process so the company you hire must have the right trucks for the job. Most of the calls for light-duty vehicles can be handled with a dolly towing truck. Medium-duty towing will need a truck capable of loading 9-22 thousand pounds. The most common towing vehicle for this class is flatbeds. Though they aren’t as common, these trucks are the most reliable for light-duty towing as well. Heavy-duty towing needs heavy-duty trucks called wreckers. These wreckers need strong reinforcements and large frames so that they can handle towing tractors, trailers, buses, and even airplanes in some cases.
Massey’s Towing and Truck Service
Here at Massey Towing and Truck Service and truck service, we are dedicated to making sure that your truck can get back on the road as soon as possible. We offer 24/7 towing services as well as truck repairs. If you or someone you know needs a towing company they can rely on, call us at (214)- 682-7558.
