A car tow truck is a type of special equipment. It is based on a platform on which a crane is installed that performs evacuation, that is, emergency removal of a car by loading it. Car tow trucks that exist today differ in many ways, such as the type of loading platform, load capacity, design of the gripping device, etc. Organizations providing services for the removal of faulty vehicles and cars that have lost the ability to move independently as a result of an accident must have in their fleet various types of special equipment.
A tow truck with a hydraulic lift truck is much more expensive than one with a winch. However, traffic police officers, when it is necessary to evacuate illegally parked vehicles, primarily use this equipment. The reason for this is the best features that this type of tow truck provides.
Platform device
In a vehicle such as a tow truck with a crane, the platform can be the usual stationary or sliding one. In the first case, it is fixed to the frame and remains motionless during loading. To load evacuated vehicles onto it, special bends (fractures) are used.
The number of these kinks present on the platform increases the convenience of loading, but at the same time affects the high cost of evacuation services. If there is only one fracture, only a car with sufficient ground clearance can be safely loaded onto a tow truck. Moreover, the fact that the plane is fixedly fixed on the chassis makes it possible to significantly reduce the risk of damage to the towed vehicle in the event of displacement.
A tow truck with a hydraulic manipulator on which a sliding working plane is installed is more relevant in situations where the chassis of the vehicle is inoperative due to any breakdowns or accidents. In this case, loading is carried out by completely tilting the plane onto which the vehicle is pulled in using the CMU.
The towed vehicle is delivered to the loader using an appropriate mechanism. Relatively recently, it was a winch, but today crane-manipulator installations are increasingly used.
Linear traverses
The simplest and cheapest design, at the same time distinguished by considerable functionality and ease of use. It is made from a metal channel or I-beam (beam) or a piece of round pipe (respectively, pipe). At the ends of the traverse there are loops for attaching slings, in the center there is a bracket or eye for connection with the hook on the lift cable.
Linear beams are ideal for handling loads that are small in width but long in length - for example, pipes or long boards. In this case, the cargo is tied at two points in its central part; The length and material of the slings are determined by the nature of the load. In addition, the product can be used to move containers and other cargo.
More on the topic: Advantages of vacuum traverses
Among the modifications of this device is a traverse-balancer, ideal for working with loads of non-standard dimensions, regardless of their width (as a rule, the balancer is an auxiliary equipment or is used together with another balancer).
It consists of two beams connected to each other in the central part; in this case, one beam is a movable element and can be positioned in the most convenient way for slinging the load. This makes it incredibly convenient when you need to lift a load whose attachment points are at different levels.
Equipped with CMU
In recent years, a tow truck with a crane-manipulator installation has been deservedly considered the most universal type of transport, designed to move almost any faulty vehicle. At the same time, it is possible to transport machines of any type, regardless of the tonnage and the degree of damage or malfunctions received.
A tow truck with a CMU consists of a horizontal loading platform fixedly mounted on the chassis and a crane installed between it and the driver’s cabin. The most important component of such a tow truck is the crane, on whose functional qualities (load capacity, boom reach, maneuverability) the operation of the entire system as a whole depends. Loader cranes are supplied by various manufacturers and vary in price and quality. When ordering from a crane, you must pay special attention to the parameters of the crane, its origin, the possibility of obtaining spare parts for the crane, and the terms of service and warranty of the crane.
The most important advantages of this type of tow truck are increased mobility and maneuverability, compact dimensions and wide functionality. Such tow trucks can be used in a wide variety of areas. A crane loader will come to the rescue in a situation where a regular one with a winch simply cannot perform its functions, for example, it is impossible to approach a faulty vehicle or it is in a hole, on a curb, or in another similar situation.
To simplify the solution of such problems, auto tow trucks with CMU are equipped with various additional equipment, such as:
- winch;
- wheel type grip;
- various platforms, etc.
To load a car onto a straight or broken type device, a crane with a retractable boom is used, which allows you to move loads. The radius of movement for various models of equipment can be from 5 to 10 meters. At the same time, this method of transportation on a platform is considered the most effective and reliable today due to a number of undeniable advantages.
Advantages of special transport: the ability to transport vehicles with significant damage, such as blocked doors or wheels, breakdowns of the gearbox, engine, steering, etc., as well as the ability to evacuate almost any type, including heavy and large vehicles.
Advantages
- The ability to safely load a vehicle to be evacuated in the presence of obstacles on the road (other cars, structures, snowdrifts), as well as from hard-to-reach places (ditches, failure of the roadway, etc.).
- Ability to load with wheels locked by the brake (without the participation of the owner) or due to severe damage.
- Possibility of unloading onto an elevated platform or pedestal for repairs or exhibition presentation.
- Ability to work in confined spaces (no space required for traveling, extending ramps, etc.).
- Possibility of transporting other goods (construction materials, goods in boxes and containers, etc.).
What type of platform should a motorist choose if he needs to tow a car?
When such a situation arises, it is unlikely that the motorist himself thinks about such details as the type of platform. Many people don’t even understand this and don’t even suspect that they can be different. When they require the services of such special equipment, they just need to call the company that provides them and has a large fleet of vehicles.
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This will allow you to select the appropriate special equipment with the right platform, depending on the situation in which the client finds himself and the problem that needs to be solved. After all, among other things, the dimensions of the car itself, the place from which it will need to be rescued, etc. are also taken into account.
The main thing is that the chosen company is reliable, able to provide high-quality services by selecting suitable special equipment. And it is better to write down the telephone number of such a service in advance and save it, so as not to Google it in a hurry, already finding yourself in a force majeure situation. Indeed, in some places the network may not catch at all.
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Application
At the moment, the most common type can be considered a tow truck with a lift, which has a straight metal platform and is equipped with a hydraulic control unit. The length of the boom of this installation allows for the evacuation of vehicles at a distance of up to 5 m. Such vehicles have high road stability and are highly likely to ensure the safety of transported vehicles, the weight of which reaches 3500 kg.
| Varieties | Device | Application |
| Straight Deck Tow Truck | It works on a fairly simple principle. The lifting mechanism is a CMU with a full-rotary rotator, which provides the installation with rotation around a vertical axis, and a traverse, a device that ensures a constant horizontal position for the raised vehicle. The machine is carefully installed on the platform and secured with special fasteners to ensure the safety of vehicle transportation. | Such tow trucks are used in the process of transporting passenger cars of appropriate sizes and weights. |
| Another option is to use tow trucks with a broken platform. | A structure that has a bend and is equipped with ramps, that is, retractable rails used for loading evacuated vehicles, as well as an electric or hydraulic crane. Broken - is a frame structure with two bends and a steel corrugated flooring. The rear part is equipped with retractable ladders. | The design and configuration features allow the use of tow trucks with a broken base to remove cars even in difficult conditions, such as a malfunction of the chassis or steering, and even serious damage received in an accident. |
A tow truck with a straight platform is characterized by compact dimensions and a low loading height, which allows it to be successfully used even in cramped conditions.
How to make a radio-controlled tow truck model
Good day to all, dear friends! In today’s article, I would like to look at a very interesting homemade product with you. This homemade product is perfect for leisure activities and just lovers of light modeling. In general, today we’ll look at how you can make a model of a tow truck from scrap materials. This model will be interesting to assemble with your child. Assembling this model will free your child from computer games and take up all his free time. By assembling this model, the child will receive minimal knowledge about the operation of technical and electrical devices. The homemade budget will be relatively small, since mainly improvised materials and electronic components purchased from our Chinese friends in a popular online store will be used. Well, let's not delay with a long preface, let's go. And so, to assemble a model of a tow truck from corrugated cardboard and other materials we will need:
- Wooden rulers 50 cm at least 5 pcs - Ice cream sticks - Wheels 4 pcs. (set from Arduino) - Electric motors with gearboxes 7 pcs - Battery compartment for 6 AA batteries - Sheet of cardboard - Hairpin - Nuts - Round body from a ballpoint pen - Wooden kebab skewer - Sewing thread - Small carabiner (for example, from a bag strap) - Switch — Multi-channel radio equipment and a receiver for it (you can use electronics from a tank or helicopter) — 6 AA batteries.
We will also need the following tools:
— Wire cutters — Pencil — Hot-melt adhesive — Super end — Scissors — Heat shrink — Plastic ties — Boring machine.
First, we need to make a frame for our tow truck, on which the entire structure will actually be assembled. For the frame itself, we will need three wooden rulers of 50 cm each (the length of the rulers is selected individually, but I do not recommend using less than 50 cm as it will be inconvenient to assemble the components on a small frame). To begin with, let’s take one ruler and glue crossbars to it, which we will cut from another exactly the same ruler (the length of the crossbar is also selected individually, like the length of the rulers, that is, the longer the crossbar, the wider the wheelbase and vice versa), we will glue the frame together, using hot glue. And after we have glued the crossbars, we will glue a second exactly the same ruler to them so that we get a frame (see photo below).
Cut out a rectangle from cardboard, the width of which will be equal to the width of the frame, and the length is about 10cm. Glue the cut out rectangle to the front of the frame using hot glue. All electronic components of the model will be attached to this platform. We glue two printed circuit boards onto the platform; apparently these are boards from an old radio-controlled toy, namely a tank. But you can also use ordinary radio equipment with a receiver and speed control; most importantly, the more channels it has, the better. We connect all the wiring according to the instructions of the electronics you have chosen. When connecting wires, do not forget to use heat shrink.
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In order for the body to raise and lower it needs an axis on which it would rotate. To do this, in the back of the frame, we drill two through holes parallel to each other, take a wooden kebab skewer, and push it through the holes, first placing a square from a ruler on it, then a tube so that the square does not go away, and then the second square. We cut off the excess from the skewer and fix it with hot glue.
The next step is to assemble the cargo platform itself and the winch. We will make a winch from an electric motor and a reel, which should be fixed to its shaft. We glue the winch to another wooden ruler so that the reel is in the center. We glue the ruler with the winch to a sheet of cardboard, which will serve as a loading platform. For some pathos, the author added an arch above the winch. We glue the platform to the frame and wind a thread onto a spool, and attach a carabiner to its other end.
Well, thank you all for your attention and good luck in future DIY projects! Source
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Car evacuation
Evacuation of a car using a crane takes only a few minutes. First, the crane boom is extended for loading. Then the vehicle to be towed is attached to the crane cables using wheel hooks. After this, a hydraulic device lifts the load and transfers it to the platform. All that remains is to secure the towed vehicle and begin transportation. Unloading occurs according to a similar principle.
Loading and transportation using a crane almost completely eliminates the possibility of damage to the vehicle and ensures its delivery to the specified location in the same condition as it was in before loading.
How to make a traverse for a tow truck with your own hands?
Often, to lift passenger cars, it is enough to use a conventional linear traverse - in this case, it will not be difficult to make it yourself, having a relatively small “arsenal” of equipment.
As a traverse body, you can use an ordinary metal pipe with a length of 2.5 to 3 meters. The optimal pipe cross-section is 80-100 mm, metal thickness is 3-5 mm. You can use structures of both round and rectangular cross-section - it will not have a particular impact on the lifting process.
After processing the pipe, four eyes are welded to it - two each in the upper and lower parts. The upper ones will subsequently be used to place the structure on the lift cable (you can use only one eye in the center, however, this will reduce the stability of the structure as a whole). Carabiner loops for slings will be attached to the lower ones using bolts.
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Kinds
With fixed platform
What is a fixed platform? This is a specific structure with a specific frame shape (rectangle). The decking of this platform is usually made of steel - it is a corrugated decking. The front part is a monolith, and the rear has two ramps that allow you to load the car. Winch tow trucks can be equipped with different winches. Mechanical and hydraulic winches operate from the power box, but the electric winch operates from the vehicle's electrical system. Many auto companies produce tow trucks. Here are examples of those chassis on which stationary platforms are installed: HYUNDAI HD 72, ISUZU NQR 75, FOTON 1069, GAZ 33104 (Valdai), HYUNDAI HD 78, etc.
Manufacturers produce devices with either one fracture or two. What is the difference? More precisely, what is the advantage of one over the other? A base with two fractures receives more preference because a low-slung vehicle can be loaded onto such a platform. And is it important. Today, many passenger cars find themselves in situations where they need the help of a tow truck. Another advantage of two fractures is the change in the center of gravity directly due to the ladders.
Stationary is used to evacuate “classic” cases, that is, minor damage, problems with the steering wheel or movement. After the car is loaded onto the platform, it is secured with special rollers (anti-recoil). A tow truck with a stationary platform allows you to load a car, keeping it in the same condition in which it was loaded onto the platform, that is, without causing new damage.
With hydraulic platform
Another type of tow truck is special equipment with a hydraulic platform. This type of tow truck is most often used by evacuation services, it is more popular. The popularity of this type of tow truck is explained by the speed of loading. The operation of a tow truck with a hydraulic platform is simple: the car is loaded onto the evacuation platform using a winch, and then the platform itself is lifted onto the chassis. Why is it loaded onto the chassis? Because this type of device is significantly narrower than others. Among the disadvantages of a hydraulic platform are:
- High center of gravity, which can lead to a rollover;
- Not a wide platform;
- High price.
A crane can be installed on tow trucks with a hydraulic platform, which expands the capabilities and capabilities. Such a tow truck requires more power since it can transport all types of passenger cars (from simple sedans to minibuses). Capable of transporting cars with any degree of damage in almost any conditions. Tow trucks with hydraulic devices are the safest and most convenient to use. The hydraulic platform can be used to transport cars with low ground clearance.
Tow trucks with a hydraulic platform are universal in nature because they are capable of loading and transporting cargo and vehicles with any degree of damage. By type there are full and partial loading, and according to the possibility of equipment - perfect any. Likewise, a tow truck with a hydraulic platform can come complete with dolly trolleys. This is one of the common types. The car is placed on such a tow truck carefully, carefully, but quickly. A tow truck with a hydraulic platform can be equipped with a sliding winch, which must be equipped with a steel cable and a hook. As with any other type of tow truck, a tow truck with a hydraulic platform will (or should) have special belts and an awning, which, if necessary, will protect the vehicle being transported.
Often on the roads there are tow trucks transporting several cars at once. In professional language, they are called car transporters or two-level tow trucks. So, a platform with a hydraulic drive can also be installed on them. This type of platform on two-level tow trucks allows you to load the first car, and then, by raising the platform, load the remaining cars. The work period is reduced, and the number of loaded vehicles increases quickly and efficiently.
With broken platform
A special feature of this type of tow truck is a fixed platform, tightly attached to the chassis frame. The towed vehicle is rolled onto the platform along a retractable ramp using a winch. This is possible due to the working surface of the platform being curved in bends (kinks). This version of the tow truck is technically the simplest and therefore cheapest.
What should be the number of bends on the platform?
The more bends (fractures) of the stationary tow truck platform, the easier and safer the loading. If the platform has only one fracture, difficulties cannot be ruled out when loading low-slung vehicles. Please take this into account when operating the tow truck in the future.
Winch for tow truck
The quality of the winch is extremely important for the operation of the tow truck. At the same time, it must provide the necessary traction so that the capabilities of the tow truck are fully realized. There is a wide range of winches on the market from different countries. Don't go cheap when choosing a winch. Be sure to check the name and origin of the winch manufacturer when ordering a tow truck.
Winches vary in operating principle; they can be electric or hydraulic. In the latter case, the winch will be more expensive, but also more reliable and will not break if the load is too heavy.
The process of loading onto a tow truck
At the beginning of loading, mobile ramps (ladders) are extended from behind the tow truck. Then unwind the winch cable and attach the hook at the end of the winch cable (hitch) to the tow hook of the vehicle being towed. After this, the winch mechanism is turned on and the car is loaded onto the platform. The final touch is to secure the vehicle to be towed with special belts and secure it with wheel chocks. The vehicle can now be transported.
This type of tow truck is the cheapest (almost one and a half times cheaper than a tow truck with a sliding platform). For example, a tow truck with a sliding platform (superstructure only) on a Hyundai 78 chassis can cost 250 thousand rubles, and the price of a tow truck with a broken platform for the same car is 180 thousand rubles. Since such equipment is relatively simple to manufacture, many factories undertake its production. But not everyone can provide high quality. When choosing a manufacturer, take into account the scale and authority, and best of all, rely on the advice of a person who has already purchased a tow truck from this production.
With sliding platform
The main components of this type of tow truck are a horizontal platform, a hydraulic mechanism for moving it and a winch for loading the vehicle to be towed. In addition, the kit includes wheel chocks and straps for securing cargo. The movement of the platform is controlled automatically via a control panel from the driver's cabin. The mechanisms can operate in different modes depending on the situation.
Loading onto a tow truck with a sliding platform
Loading a car onto a tow truck with a sliding platform consists of several stages. First, hydraulic cylinders raise the front part of the platform to the angle required for loading. Then the platform “slides” down to the road surface and is fixed at the initially specified angle. After this, the winch cable is attached to the tow hook of the towed vehicle, and with the help of a winch it is pulled onto the platform. After loading, the platform is returned hydraulically to its original position.
Advantages of a tow truck with a sliding platform
Unlike a similar device with a broken platform, this tow truck has a number of advantages. Firstly, it allows the loading of vehicles with a lower landing and a greater degree of damage. When loading onto a stationary platform, damage to the front part of the hood and the lower part of the body cannot be ruled out. Loading onto a tow truck with a sliding platform is much simpler; it does not require extending ramps, using dollies, etc. In addition, a tow truck with a sliding platform has smaller dimensions, which means that it is easier to find a parking space, garage, etc. The rear overhang of such a tow truck is high, so it can drive onto curbs, for example.
I would also like to note an important feature of this type of tow truck during industrial assembly. The demand for this equipment is quite unstable, but production after ordering requires considerable time. To reduce the time between the date of order and release, some manufacturers manufacture some of the components of the tow truck (including the platform) in advance, to the warehouse - in anticipation of a future order. If these parts are already in stock, order fulfillment takes much less time.
Popular models and prices
GAZ-3309
The GAZ-3309 cargo tow truck is equipped with a straight platform and is capable of transporting cargo whose weight does not exceed 4,000 kg. To simplify the loading process, a hydraulic winch is installed here.
Technical indicators:
MAZ-4370 is a vehicle with a broken cargo platform and a crane installation - a manipulator. This tow truck also includes a hydraulic rotator, crossbar and side ladder.
Specifications:
KamAZ-4308
KamAZ-4308 is equipped with a broken-type platform, a manual tensioning mechanism, a deck made of corrugated steel sheet and retractable ramps.
Technical data of the model:
Hyundai HD-78
Hyundai HD-78 is capable of transporting cargo weighing 3,500 kg. The transport is equipped with an all-metal platform with rear hydraulic thrust mechanisms, as well as holes that are used to secure the transported vehicle. The total weight is 10 tons.
Manufacturing and installation of a broken towing platform with retractable ramps. Products are certified. Minimum prices.
Professional conversion into a truck tow truck
A tow truck is a type of special equipment that is designed to transport or tow various vehicles in the event of their breakdown or violation of traffic rules. If you need this special vehicle, which is reliable and durable, then you can order it in the required configuration from our company, which specializes in the production of tow trucks of various types.
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Broken platforms and other devices for the manufacture of tow trucks
This special vehicle consists of two main parts: a chassis with a loading platform and a loading mechanism, which can be a crane or a winch (electric or hydraulic). In principle, a tow truck can be made from any suitable truck. It is the conversion of trucks into a tow truck that is one of the main activities.
Most often, our specialists convert trucks into winch tow trucks, since they are more in demand than tow trucks with loader cranes. However, the matter is not limited to installing a cargo winch alone - it is also necessary to re-equip the loading area, which is usually used for such tow trucks on a broken platform.
It is a stationary loading platform, the flooring of which has one or more kinks. Together with special entrance ramps, this design greatly simplifies the loading of the vehicle to be evacuated, especially if it has a low landing.
If the car is able to move, then it drives onto this platform under its own power; if not, it is pulled there using an installed winch. On the platform itself, the car can be secured with special belts or fixed with wheel stops. Entrance ramps are most often made removable and stored in special niches, without protruding beyond the dimensions of the platform.
Features of tow truck production
The production of this special equipment by converting trucks includes several main stages. First, you must obtain permission from the traffic police to convert the vehicle. Only after this our specialists get down to business.
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For each converted truck, a broken platform (frame, decking, wheel tracks, retractable ramps) is manufactured and adjusted individually, in agreement with the customer. In the production of the platform, only metal is used, the quality of which is confirmed by relevant certificates.
The scope of work also includes preparing the site for the winch, installing it, installing all the required side lights and carrying out the necessary painting work. As a rule, we install electric winches on tow trucks, which are more economical to operate, but if necessary, a hydraulic winch can also be mounted on the chassis.
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Upon completion of the conversion into a tow truck, the client receives a complete set of documents necessary to register the vehicle with the traffic police.
Legislative nuances
The modified vehicle must be registered with the traffic police.
Registration
You can register the vehicle yourself or seek help from a lawyer. Specialists from companies involved in equipment conversion also offer the customer additional services for preparing registration documents with the traffic police.
What rights are needed?
To drive a tow truck based on a GAZelle, you need a category B license.
