Oklahoma Towing and Recovery has added a new piece of equipment to our fleet. This is a 2002 F250 4×4 Crew cab Lariat, with a 7.3L Powerstroke Engine. Why such a little tow truck?
- It fits extremely well in smaller parking lots
- Short enough to tow from parking garages
- 4WD allows us to do some off road tows
- Crew Cab lets us carry 4 passengers
- More fuel efficient than a larger truck (14 mpg)
- Fifth Wheel and Gooseneck hitches let us offer trailer towing
So what exactly is this thing? Well, it’s a single rear wheel F250 with reinforced frame, upgraded suspension and a Western Hauler style bed. It also has a Hy-Tech Sneeker wheel lift. This truck qualifies as a General class tow truck under Oklahoma wrecker rules. It’s not meant to work crashes, but it can definitely serve as a support vehicle when needed. With 275 HP, an air bag suspension, fifth wheel and gooseneck hitches, and a Prodigy electric brake controller, it’s set up to tow any type of camper trailer, as well as most horse trailers.
The Hy-Tech wheel lift and In The Ditch dollies allow this truck to tow a wide variety of vehicles. All wheel drive? No problem. Flat tires? We can do that. The crew cab configuration lets us safely carry 4 passengers in comfort, while most tow trucks can only legally carry two. The fact that the truck is only 81 inches tall means we can come into nearly every parking garage to remove your car when needed.
What can’t it do? Well, we’re not going to be towing any large pickup trucks with this unit. After all, safety is paramount. Anything larger than a half ton pickup will require that we dispatch a larger truck. This truck lacks a recovery boom, so rollovers are out of the question. We plan to add a hydraulic winch in the very near future, and more emergency lighting. Also on the wish list is a set of Rickerson wheels, and upgrading to larger tires. For the present, it’s just another tool in the toolbox that allows us to serve your needs more efficiently, and with many diverse situations.
