No matter if your car is stranded or you need to transport heavy equipment, finding the right towing service can save you time, money, and stress.
Each towing job has unique requirements, and tow trucks come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. That’s where the need for light-duty, medium-duty, and heavy-duty towing arises.
In this article, we’ll break down the differences between these types of towing and when and where they’re used.
Light-Duty Towing
Most roadside emergencies and smaller vehicles can be handled by light-duty towing. The list includes passenger cars, motorcycles, SUVs, and a few smaller pickup trucks.
What It’s Used For
- flat tire changes
- jump-starts
- lockouts
- towing vehicles from driveways, parking lots, or accident sites
- transporting compact cars and motorcycles
Equipment
Hook and chain systems and wheel-lift mechanisms are common in light-duty tow trucks. Because they are faster and gentler on vehicles, wheel-lifts are the preferred method. Flatbeds are the typical option for light-duty towing when all four wheels need to be lifted, e.g., for an electric vehicle.
Weight capacity
Light-duty towing usually handles vehicles up to about 4,500 kg.
Medium-Duty Towing
Medium-duty towing is used for larger commercial vehicles that are too big for regular tow trucks but not large enough for heavy-duty equipment.
What It’s Used For
- box trucks
- delivery vans
- small buses or RVs
- work trucks (such as utility vehicles or small dump trucks)
- some construction equipment
Equipment
These trucks are stronger and frequently include extended wheel-lift systems, booms, and winched flatbeds. Unlike light-duty tow trucks, these vehicles offer increased power and stability for effortless handling of heavier loads.
Weight Capacity
Medium-duty towing is generally suitable for vehicles between 4,500 and 11,800 kg.
Heavy-Duty Towing
Designed for the biggest, heaviest road vehicles, heavy-duty towing offers the most powerful service. This is when real strength is needed.
What It’s Used For
- tractor-trailers
- dump trucks
- garbage trucks
- cranes
- buses
- large RVs and motorhomes
- tankers or other multi-axle heavy machinery
Equipment
Heavy-duty tow trucks are designed for maximum strength and durability. Fitted with powerful hydraulic winches, strengthened frames, large booms, and integrated wheel-lift systems, they can lift and tow massive vehicles. Certain models feature rotators, enabling complete 360-degree truck rotation. This is particularly helpful during complex recoveries in confined urban spaces or on highways.
Weight capacity
These trucks can tow around 12,000 kg and beyond.
Choosing Your Best Fit
Understanding the differences between light-, medium-, and heavy-duty towing is more than just towing jargon. This knowledge will help you prevent delays, reduce damage risk, and ensure your vehicle is handled safely.
While you’ll know if you need heavy-duty towing, the lines can blur between light- and medium-duty towing.
Light-duty towing is generally suited for compact cars, sedans, and some smaller SUVs. However, larger SUVs, vans, or pickup trucks like the Ford F-150 or Hummer may weigh more than expected and could require medium-duty towing.
Refer to your owner’s manual to find your vehicle’s curb weight, which is the weight of the vehicle without passengers or cargo. Then estimate your vehicle’s gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR). This figure is curb weight + passengers + cargo + any equipment.
Although passengers won’t be travelling in your vehicle while it’s being towed, you may have cargo and equipment that can’t be unloaded. If your vehicle’s curb weight nears the upper limit for light-duty towing, you may want to consider medium-duty towing.