Flatbed vs. Wheel-Lift Towing: Which Does Your Vehicle Need?
By Darrah's Towing
Introduction: Not All Tows Are Created Equal
When you call for a tow, you might not think much about how the truck actually gets your car onto it — but the method matters. Flatbed and wheel-lift towing are the two most common approaches, and using the wrong one on the wrong vehicle can genuinely cause damage. Here's how to know which one your car actually needs.
The Short Answer: Flatbed vs. Wheel-Lift
Flatbed towing loads your entire vehicle onto a flat trailer bed, so no wheels touch the road, while wheel-lift towing lifts just the front or rear wheels and tows the rest of the vehicle on its remaining tires. Flatbed is the safer default for most modern vehicles — especially all-wheel drive, low-clearance, and electric vehicles — while wheel-lift is a faster, more economical option for simpler front-wheel or rear-wheel drive vehicles being towed a shorter distance.
How Each Method Works
Flatbed towing: The truck's bed tilts and lowers, the vehicle is winched or driven on, and the bed returns to horizontal — the car rides completely off the ground.
Wheel-lift towing: A hydraulic lift cradles either the front or rear tires and raises that end of the vehicle, while the other end rolls on its own wheels.
Experience: Why We Default to Flatbed for Certain Vehicles
In our day-to-day dispatching, the vehicle type usually decides the method before we even arrive. All-wheel-drive and four-wheel-drive vehicles risk drivetrain damage if towed with only two wheels rolling, since the drivetrain isn't designed to have only some wheels turning. Low-clearance sports cars risk scraping their undercarriage on a wheel-lift ramp. And electric vehicles are increasingly a flatbed-only situation, since towing an EV with the wheels rolling can generate unwanted electrical current in the motor and damage the drivetrain — most EV manufacturers require flatbed towing for exactly this reason.
When Flatbed Towing Is the Right Call
All-wheel-drive or four-wheel-drive vehicles
Electric vehicles, which typically require flatbed per manufacturer guidance
Low-clearance or performance vehicles
Vehicles with significant existing damage
Longer-distance tows, where reducing wear and risk matters more
When Wheel-Lift Towing Works Fine
Standard front-wheel or rear-wheel drive vehicles
Shorter local tows
Situations where speed and tight-space maneuverability matter, since wheel-lift trucks are often more nimble
Does It Cost More?
Flatbed towing is often priced slightly higher than wheel-lift, reflecting the extra time and equipment involved, but the cost difference is typically modest compared to the cost of repairing a damaged drivetrain from an improper tow. If you're unsure which your vehicle needs, it's worth asking directly rather than assuming the cheaper option is the right one.
How Darrah's Towing Decides
We ask about your vehicle's drivetrain before we ever dispatch a truck, so you get the right equipment the first time — not a guess that risks damaging your car to save a few minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do electric vehicles need flatbed towing?
Almost always, yes — most EV manufacturers require flatbed towing because towing with the wheels rolling can generate damaging current in the electric motor.
Can all-wheel-drive vehicles be wheel-lift towed?
It's generally not recommended, since only some wheels would be rolling, which can stress a drivetrain designed for all wheels to turn together.
Is flatbed towing more expensive?
It can be slightly more, but the difference is usually modest compared to the cost of drivetrain damage from an improperly matched tow.
How do I know which towing method my car needs?
Tell the dispatcher your vehicle's make, model, and drivetrain (front-wheel, all-wheel, or electric) when you call, and they can confirm the right method before the truck arrives.
Not sure what your vehicle needs? Call Darrah's Towing and tell us your make and model — we'll send the right equipment the first time.
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