A wrecker is a vehicle used to transport disabled vehicles. It has a bed, winch, hydraulic lift, truck cab, frame, and emergency lights. The bed is made of high-quality steel and has a hydraulic lift to pull vehicles onto it using a winch. Safety features include chains, hooks, stabilizers, and reflective cones or triangles.
A wrecker is a vehicle used to transport other vehicles that are disabled or otherwise unable to move from a current position. This large vehicle is similar to a tow truck in that it transports vehicles, but the wrecker’s design is quite different from that of a tow truck. Some parts of the wrecker include the bed, winch, hydraulic lift, truck cab, and frame. Other parts of the wrecker include the winch cable, hook, emergency lights, and tool boxes to hold hand tools used in the towing process.
The most recognizable parts of wreckers are at the rear of the vehicle. The bed is a large, flat surface on which the disabled vehicle will rest during towing. This platform is usually made of high-quality steel for strength and durability. Below the platform, other demolition pieces are used to raise or lower the structure. A hydraulic lift is mounted on the truck frame and on the bottom of the bed; When this lift is activated, the front of the deck will rise up, thus tilting the rear of the deck down. This allows the operator to pull the vehicle from the ground onto the platform using a winch.
The winch is mounted at the front of the platform. This system features a long cable wrapped around a round drum. When the drum, which is mounted on a frame, rotates in one direction, the cable is ejected so it can be connected to the disabled vehicle. When the drum rotates in the other direction, the cable retracts, thus pushing the disabled vehicle onto the platform. Once the vehicle is placed on the inclined platform, the hydraulic arm can be lowered, thus returning the platform to the horizontal position.
Other parts of the wrecker are used for the safety of the operator and for passing motorists. The emergency lights are mounted on the roof of the cab of the truck, as well as on the rear of the truck. Chains and hooks are used to secure the disabled vehicle in place once it is in position on the deck of the wrecker. Other blocks and stabilizers can also be used to prevent the vehicle from coming loose and rolling off the bed during transport. A wrecker operator will often carry safety indicators, such as reflective cones or triangles, which will be set up on the roads if the wrecker will be in position for an extended period of time.
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