Omaha Towing Co
402-607-8936
Tow Truck in Omaha NE
Tow trucks have a long and proud history of serving the community. When you need a tow, you need not only the best and up to date equipment, but experienced and competent operators to drive them. A lot of design and engineering goes into making a tow truck to protect you, your family, the tow truck driver, and your vehicle. It is amazing the strength of the materials and hydraulics used to tow disabled vehicles large distances. Ever wondered how towing got its start?
The first cars were built in the late 1800s. Henry Ford built his famous Quadricycle in 1896. He didn't get his fame until he revolutionized the production of vehicles with the assembly line, but we'll save that for another time. You would think that with the invention of cars, tow trucks followed close behind. With any new technology, it was bound to have flaws. You'd be surprised to learn that the first iteration of the tow truck wasn't invented until 1916!
In Chattanooga, Tennessee, a man by the name of Ernest Holmes Sr. found the need for a tow truck after noticing it took 6 men and a series of blocks and ropes to recover a vehicle from a creek. He understood that using another vehicle with mechanical advantages would be safer than using the strength of 6 men. If you're curious what this first version of the tow truck looked like, you can visit the International Towing and Recovery Hall of Fame and Museum in his hometown of Chattanooga. There are restored wreckers, equipment, and pictures of the early days of towing.
Today, towing looks much different than it did in the early 1900s. There are different types of tow trucks that are used in different areas of the world as well as for different applications. The first type is the traditional hook and chain tow truck. For the most part, these tow trucks are no longer in use. The hook and chain were prone to cause damage to the vehicles they towed. With advances in technology, it wasn't necessary to continue damaging cars like this. If you've ever seen the Pixar movie Cars, one of the characters is a traditional hook and chain tow truck.
The next design is an updated version of a hook and chain tow truck. It's called a wheel-lift tow truck. Instead of using a chain and a hook, it uses a large metal yoke that can be placed under the drive tires. Most sedans are front-wheel drive, so you see most cars being towed by the front wheels. If you see these tow trucks towing cars by the rear wheels, it's because it's a rear-wheel drive car. These tow trucks are most common in Europe, but you'll see them roaming around the states.
The other common European model is the lift flatbed. It is basically a normal flatbed truck with a crane on it. Most European cars are smaller. This means that you can pull up to a car in a tight spot and lift it directly up and on the bed of the truck. It's very efficient for the tightly packed streets in Europe.
The American equivalent would be an integrated tow truck. These trucks are used by many different towing companies, but are a favorite for repossession companies. These repo trucks can pull up to the vehicle, slide underneath and drive off without the operator having to leave the cab. Towing companies can easily tow cars that are illegally parked from busy locations. Safe and convenient.
The next truck is the most commonly seen tow truck in the United States along with Omaha. The flatbed, or "rollback," is a tow truck that lifts the entire vehicle off the ground. This adds a level of security to vehicles being towed. It also adds a level of versatility. If the vehicles are badly damaged and not operational, you can pull the wreckage off the ground and drive away. The ingenuity comes from the bed of the truck's ability to move back and tilt down. This allows for a ramp for the vehicle to be pulled up onto. If the axels are broken, the vehicle can be dragged onto the bed. This feature is the reason why flatbed tow trucks are the most common in the U.S.
The last tow truck is the wrecker. These massive trucks can do it all. They tow the biggest vehicles on the road like semis, busses, and RVs. They also are used for recovery for vehicles that have rolled into a ditch. If vehicle recovery isn't as straightforward, you might need a wrecker. Have you ever seen pictures of an overturned semi? You need a wrecker to fix that mess. These tow trucks can cover anything and are relied on for heavy-duty towing.
Not sure what kind of tow truck you need? When you need a tow truck in Omaha, NE, call Omaha Towing Co!