Car & HGV loading

Correct loading of cars and HGVs

Depending on the situation, cars can be loaded onto a car transporter, a towing flatbed or a trailer using various aids. Cars that are ready to drive (e.g. new or used cars) can drive onto the transport vehicle under their own power. Loading ramps can compensate for any differences in height between the location of the vehicle and the loading area. This makes it easy to drive onto the vehicle during loading. Cars that are not roadworthy, on the other hand, must be loaded manually. Recovery services are well prepared for these situations. As already mentioned, there can be many reasons why a car is not ready to drive. The car comes to a standstill due to a breakdown. An accident damages the car and it becomes unroadworthy. The vehicle is parked in a no-parking zone or is blocking traffic. And these are just a few possible situations. In these cases, there are two options for loading the vehicle onto the lorry or trailer: pulling the vehicle with a cable winch or lifting it with a crane. The cable winch is used to move rolling vehicles during loading. They must therefore never be blocked by an engaged gear or an applied handbrake. If vehicles are blocked, a lifting crane with the appropriate lifting equipment is used for safe loading. This lifts the car and places it on the transport vehicle. After loading, the car must be correctly secured.

Loading with drive-on aids

Loading aids are required to overcome height differences when loading vehicles. They are particularly necessary when using trailers. In comparison to mobile towing platforms, trailers cannot normally be lowered to road level. The transport surface of the trailer is approx. 40-50 cm above ground level, and this height difference must be overcome during loading. Loading aids such as loading rails or loading ramps can be used to drive or pull the vehicle to be transported onto the transport vehicle.

Loading with winches

Vehicles that are no longer roadworthy are pulled onto the transport vehicle during loading. However, they must be able to roll. Blocked wheels can be made ready for loading with sliding wedges or wheel skates. Cable winches are required for the loading itself. Cable winches are available in manual, electric or hydraulic versions. Manual cable winches are mostly used in the trailer area if a vehicle is only pulled onto the trailer from time to time. Here, the user must operate a mechanical crank. If, on the other hand, the vehicle is frequently loaded onto the trailer or lorry, electric or hydraulic cable winches are often used. In this case, the pulling process is performed by motorised winches. The user simply controls the function of the winch.

Loading by crane

Crane loading is used for vehicles involved in serious accidents or for vehicles parked in a no-parking zone. In this case, it is not possible to pull the vehicle with a cable winch. Special transport vehicles with a crane are required here. In conjunction with a lifting sling including special lifting equipment, the HGV driver can load the vehicle or motorbike properly and quickly. The professional equipment ensures that additional damage to the load is avoided.

Tie-down straps

Slippery jims

Wheel dollies

Wheel skates and wheel dollies

Towing vehicles

Load securing