Flatbed vs. wheel-lift towing: which does your vehicle need?

How a flatbed tow works

A flatbed, also called a rollback, has a long steel deck that tilts and slides back until its end touches the ground.

1. The driver lines the truck up in front of the car and lowers the deck.
2. The car is winched up the deck, or driven up if it runs and steers.
3. Each wheel is strapped or chained to the deck. Toyota’s manual, for example, calls for tire strapping belts on a flatbed (Toyota).
4. The deck levels out and the car rides the whole way with all four wheels off the road.

Because nothing on the car turns during the trip, a flatbed works for any passenger vehicle. More on flatbed towing in Toledo.

How a wheel-lift tow works

A wheel-lift truck has a metal arm with a cradle at the back. The arm slides under the front or rear tires, clamps around them and raises that end of the car. The other two wheels stay on the road and roll behind the truck.

It replaced the older sling-type tow truck, which lifted cars with chains and a sling. Toyota tells owners not to use a sling-type truck because it can damage the body (Toyota). A wheel-lift touches only the tires, but the end still on the ground needs enough clearance; Subaru’s manual for its Solterra warns that without it the vehicle could be damaged while being towed (Subaru).

Side by side

There is no price rule that applies to every operator in Toledo; see what affects the cost of a tow.

When a wheel-lift is fine

A wheel-lift is a reasonable choice when all of these are true:

• The car is front-wheel drive or rear-wheel drive, not AWD or 4x4, and the owner’s manual allows towing with two wheels down. Lift the drive wheels if the manual says so.
• It rolls and steers normally: no locked brake, no broken axle, no flat tire on the end that stays down.
• It is not a hybrid or electric vehicle.
• It is not lowered or fitted with a low front spoiler that could scrape.
• The trip is short, for example across town to a repair shop.

Some manuals are stricter than you’d expect. Toyota tells owners of the two-wheel-drive Tacoma pickup to transport it with all four wheels raised, the same as the 4WD version (Toyota). If you are not sure what your manual says, say so when you call and ask for a flatbed.

When to insist on a flatbed or dollies

Sources: Subaru, Toyota, Kia AWD, Kia EV, Tesla. Our AWD towing guide goes model by model.

Dollies: the in-between option

Tow dollies are small wheeled platforms placed under the axle a wheel-lift doesn’t raise, so all four wheels are off the road. Toyota’s manual describes exactly this: towing from the front with a dolly under the rear wheels, or from the rear with a dolly under the front. Kia accepts a wheel lift with dollies for its AWD models.

Dollies are most useful where a flatbed can’t go: a parking garage with a low ceiling, a narrow driveway or a crowded lot. They suit short moves. Tesla’s US Model Y manual, for example, allows wheel lifts and dollies only for up to 35 miles and recommends a flatbed (Tesla).

What to ask for when you call

You don’t need to know truck types to get the right one. Give the dispatcher the facts and let them match the truck:

• Year, make and model, and whether it is AWD, 4x4, hybrid or electric
• Whether it rolls, steers and shifts into neutral, and whether you have the key or fob
• Any damage, flat tire or locked wheel
• Where it is: street, parking garage (with the posted height), driveway or highway shoulder
• Where it is going and how far
• “Please send a flatbed” if any of the conditions above apply, or “Is a wheel-lift OK for this car?” if you’re not sure

If you are on a roadside now, see emergency towing, or call (419) 329-4502 and your request goes to a local provider. For a trip to another city, ask for a flatbed so the wheels and drivetrain aren’t turning the whole way; see long-distance towing. Our checklist of what to tell a tow truck dispatcher covers the rest of the call.