Flatbed towing means your vehicle rides on a flat, hydraulic bed with all four wheels off the ground. The bed tilts and slides back to the pavement, the car is driven or winched up, and the bed returns level for the trip. It’s the safest way to move all-wheel-drive vehicles, EVs, low cars and anything damaged. The other common method, wheel-lift towing, lifts one end of the car and lets the other two wheels roll on the road.
How flatbed towing works
- The operator backs the truck up to the vehicle and tilts the bed down until its rear edge touches the ground.
- The vehicle is driven up, or pulled up with the winch if it doesn’t run. The winch line attaches to proper recovery points, not the bumper cover.
- The bed slides forward and levels out.
- The vehicle is secured at all four corners, typically with wheel straps, so it can’t shift.
- At the destination, the process runs in reverse.
Flatbed vs wheel-lift towing
| Flatbed | Wheel-lift | |
|---|---|---|
| Wheels on the road | None | Two, unless dollies are used |
| AWD, 4×4 and EVs | Recommended | Only with dollies under the other wheels |
| Low or damaged cars | Better choice | Risk of scraping or more damage |
| Tight spaces and parking lots | Needs room to tilt the bed | Very maneuverable |
| Long trips | Better choice | Fine for many 2WD cars over shorter distances |
A wheel-lift truck is not the wrong tool. It’s quick, handles tight lots well, and is fine for many front- or rear-wheel-drive cars when the drive wheels are the ones lifted. The problem comes when the wheels left on the road are connected to the drivetrain of a vehicle that isn’t designed to be towed that way.
When to ask for a flatbed
- All-wheel-drive and most 4×4 vehicles, unless the owner’s manual allows another method
- Electric vehicles (see how EV towing works)
- Lowered cars, sports cars and vehicles with low front splitters
- Crash damage, broken suspension, or a wheel that won’t turn
- Long-distance trips
- Classic, collector or high-value vehicles
- Motorcycles (see motorcycle towing)
If you aren’t sure, check the towing section of your owner’s manual or tell dispatch the year, make, model and drivetrain. A good dispatcher will send the right truck.
Does a flatbed cost more?
Some companies charge more for a flatbed. Skyline’s posted local tow rates are the same whichever truck the job needs: $125 in Wayne County and $145 in Oakland County, with 5 miles included and $4 per mile after that. See our towing prices for details.
Related guides
Need a flatbed?
Skyline runs flatbed towing across Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties. Call (248) 832-6000 or book online.
Skyline Towing, 6450 E Hancock St, Detroit, MI 48207. (248) 832-6000.