How Many Tow Trucks Can A Tow Truck Tow If A Tow Truck Tows Tow Trucks?
Tow trucks are built with a lot of hauling power in mind. They are able to haul things as small as a two-passenger mini-car and things as massive as a double sleeper cab semi tractor. So, the question is, if you need to tow tow trucks in for repair (and it does happen!), how many tow trucks can one tow truck tow? The answer follows.
The Answer Is: Three to Five Standard Trucks
If you have one heavy duty tow truck as the towing truck, three to five standard tow trucks can piggy-back onto the first truck. It depends on whether or not all of the trucks being towed have fully functional tire bars and whether or not they all have functional rear wheels. The first truck hooks up the towing bar and tire bars to the first disabled tow truck, the first disabled truck to the second disabled truck, and so on. The heavy duty tow truck in front is used to hauling about eight to ten tons of heavy duty commercial truck, so the line of tow trucks behind it is nothing.
How the String of Tow Trucks Maneuver
Not surprisingly, a string of tow trucks has to maneuver very carefully. With the way tow trucks are designed, the vehicle directly behind the truck doing the hauling can swivel and sway so as to turn properly behind the lead tow truck. This is very similar to towing a utility trailer in that the trailer also has to pivot and swivel behind.
When there are three or more disabled tow trucks behind the heavy duty lead truck. the driver has to make sure there is adequate space to get through traffic. It is also important that not one of the trucks behind it smacks into other drivers on the road as they go around on a turn. For the very same reasons, this string of tow trucks cannot drive on the highways and must go through town.
Why Any Towing Company Would Want to Attempt This
Tow trucks cannot fit onto a car carrier trailer. They are just too big. They could fit onto special flatbed trailers for transport, but then they could only be transported one at a time. That would get really expensive and be quite time-consuming. Having all the tow trucks that need to head in the same direction towed by one lead heavy duty tow truck just makes good sense.
For more information, contact a business such as River's Truck Center.