Tow Engineer

NRC Recovery Roller Guide attaches to the approach plate and allows the operator to utilize the car carrier winch to perform recovery work.

Recovery with the Car Carrier

by Terry Abejuela

Field Editor Terry Abejuela has 40-plus years of light-duty towing and recovery experience. He is also a light-duty Level 1 instructor for the California Tow Truck Association. There has long been a debate among tow truck operators about whether or not you can use a car carrier to perform recovery work. Some say you should not use a car carrier to perform recovery work and others say I do it all the time without any issues. In this article I am not trying to convince anyone to do one or the other but just to provide some food for thought on this subject.

I believe that it is risky to use equipment in a manner that is not consistent with the original equipment manufacturers (OEM) intended use for the equipment. Manufacturers design equipment for an intended use. They design the equipment and conduct testing to ensure that it will perform the job safely and as intended. When equipment is used in a manner that is not consistent with its intended use it may cause stress in areas where stress was not anticipated and cause damage or a catastrophic failure of the equipment. I recommend you consult the manufacturer before using any equipment in a manner that is not described in the OEM operation manual or other OEM published information.

Whenever possible I recommend that a tow truck that is designed and intended to perform recovery work should be dispatched to recovery jobs. However, I realize that we are not always provided enough information and may respond in a car carrier only to discover upon arrival that the vehicle must be recovered back to the roadway or up-righted before transport.

First let’s look at using a car carrier that was not intended to perform recovery work and does not have any additional equipment intended for recovery work.

The deck winch on a car carrier was intended and designed to load and unload vehicles for transport on the car carrier ◀

Miller Industries Approach Plate Roller Guide Attachment is designed to work on 2018 and newer 10, 12 and 16 series steel car carriers. The guide is easily attached to the approach plate on the bed with a bolt and allows side pulls when the bed secured in the bed locks. Inset: Zip’s Side Puller Recovery Tool is designed to work on Miller 10, 12. and 16 series steel decks. It easily attaches to the steel deck, utilizing the standard key hole slot, a hitch pin and a hairpin cotter pin. It will also work on Miller aluminum decks but requires the drilling of a mounting hole.

deck. Many are equipped with a 50 foot long winch rope limiting the reach with the winch line. Of course, if you intend to use your car carrier for recoveries you can carry additional rigging including chains, straps and/or ropes to extend your reach. On most car carriers the winch is mounted at the front center of the deck and low to facilitate loading and unloading vehicles. When the line pull is parallel with the length of the deck the winch is stable even when the deck is not secured in the bed locks. Winching when the line pull is not parallel with the deck and the deck is not secured in the bed locks is more unstable. The deck sub-frame is only secured to the frame of the cab and chassis at the deck pivot points and at the hydraulic tilt rams.

At the rear of the car carrier sub-frame are pivot pins that allow the deck to tilt. Care must be taken to avoid damaging these pivot pins when performing recovery work with a car carrier. When the deck is lowered and securely held by the bed locks this pin is not likely to be damaged. However, if the deck is not secured in the bed

When equipment is used in a manner that is not consistent with its intended use it may cause stress in areas where stress was not anticipated and cause damage or a catastrophic failure of the equipment.

This is a custom made side puller designed and manufactured by Crockett Interstate Towing in Eugene Oregon. The unit utilizes synthetic rope.

The use of lumber, shown here, to prevent the twisting of the deck is a technique that is taught in WreckMaster classes to perform a single lane upright. locks damage can occur. One way tow truck operators protect this pin is by placing a 4X4 piece of lumber between the sub-frame of the car carrier deck and the frame of the trucks chassis to prevent the sideways movement of the deck during a side pull using a snatch block at the end of the deck. I have also seen tow truck operators use a ratchet and strap to prevent the twisting of the deck. This could also be done using a chain and chain binder. A chain may be even better than a synthetic strap since there will be some stretch in a synthetic strap. Multiple tie down locations with multiple slots at different angles increases the options for different angle pulls from the deck using snatch blocks. Equipment is available for car carriers to improve their ability to effectively, efficiently and safely perform recovery work. Side pullers are an excellent way to provide recovery capability on a car carrier. This equipment is designed and intended for use in recovery work. It is mounted directly to the frame of the truck chassis separate of the deck and it has its own winch. Side pullers are equipped with stabilizer legs and attachment points for snatch blocks or securing the winch rope hook. Most side pullers have a wide range of options for direction of pull. Elevated center ◀

Jerr-Dan SRS (Side Recovery System) on a Somerset Hills Towing car carrier to enhance the recovery capability of their car carrier. This side puller features a boom on the mast that is capable of swiveling 180 degrees.

Side pullers

are an excellent way to provide recovery capability

on a car carrier. This equipment is designed and

intended for use in recovery work.

pulls from the mast in a 180 degree arc to the rear and the ability to pull multiple angles to the front, side or rear of each side of the truck and at multiple heights including ground level for the stabilizer leg foot.

Some car carrier manufacturers make an attachment with rope sheaves that is secured to the approach plate of the car carrier and allows the rope to make side pulls at the end of the deck. These are designed to be used with the deck secured in the bed locks. There are also after market attachments that attach to the side rails or are secured in the removable side rail stake pockets to facilitate side pulls.

Some equipment manufacturers offer a car carrier that is capable of swiveling the deck to either side of the truck. This can significantly improve the recovery capability of the car carrier.

A winch mounted at the front of the car carrier would allow light recovery work from the front of the truck. Some tow companies have mounted winches on the sides of the cab and chassis frame to perform side pulls.

Law enforcement may insist that an overturned vehicle be loaded on the car carrier on it’s roof to avoid the extra time it would take to up-right the vehicle first. Make sure that you know your companies policy on this so you will be prepared ahead of time when this happens. Some companies have a policy of notifying law enforcement that this should not be done and the vehicle should be up-righted before loading and if law enforcement still insists follow the instructions of law enforcement and notify your employer afterwards. Some have a strict policy of never loading vehicles on the deck on their roof.

Tow truck operators often use the wheel lift to stabilize the truck for recovery winching. I do not recommend this unless the manufacturer approves this. Some manufacturers make scotch blocks that allow the wheel lift to be used to anchor a car carrier for recovery work.

If you decide to use your car carrier for recovery work make sure you consult the original equipment manufacturer first and take all precautions to ensure a safe, efficient and effective recovery.

Using snatch block to minimize winch line fleet angle.