Check
Sign in
All checklists

Tow Trucks

Wheel Lift Tow Truck Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

A guided, do-it-yourself pre-purchase inspection checklist for used wheel-lift and wrecker-style tow trucks on Ford Super Duty, Ram HD, Chevrolet and GMC HD and Isuzu chassis, with Jerr-Dan, Miller, Century, Vulcan, Holmes and other units. No mechanic needed: each check tells you what to look for and what counts as a fail, from the engine, transmission, brakes and tires to the wheel-lift, crossbar, boom, winch and hydraulics, including a drift test, plus known problems by make. For flatbed car carriers, use our Rollback Tow Truck checklist.

Buy this checklist

$29.00

90 days of access. Inspect and compare up to 12 items of this type.

Secure payment by card. No account needed: you create a password after paying.

Need a mechanic to inspect it?

Tell us where the vehicle or machine is. We'll put you in touch with a local mechanic or professional inspector, even if you are far away.

Find a local inspector →

What you get

  • No mechanic needed. Most checks need only your eyes, a flashlight and a tire gauge; a few optional deeper checks go further if you have the tools or bring in a mechanic.
  • A guided checklist written for this kind of purchase: every question says what to look for and what counts as a fail. Ready to use the moment you pay.
  • Inspect on your phone: answers save as you go, with photos and notes on any question.
  • Send it to a mechanic, supervisor, colleague, or employee by text or email. They need no account.
  • A report that puts the problems first, with photos, times and location.
  • Inspect and compare up to 12 vehicles, machines or trailers of the same type with one purchase, side by side, before you decide.

Known problems, checked

Includes 15 checks for known problems with this kind of purchase, marked so none is missed.

Comes with a guide to the known problems and red flags to watch for.

How it works

  1. Choose a checklistPick the one that matches what you are buying, and pay by card. No account to set up first.
  2. Add what you are inspectingEnter the item, the asking price and where it is. Add as many as you are considering.
  3. Inspect it, or send itWork through the checklist on your phone, or send it to a mechanic, supervisor, colleague, or employee to do for you.
  4. Read the report and compareSee the problems first, with photos. Put your options side by side and decide.

What it covers 88 questions

  • Identity, Engine and Exhaust12 questions
  • Transmission and Drivetrain12 questions
  • Suspension, Steering and Brakes12 questions
  • Wheels and Tires10 questions
  • Electrical, Electronics and Cab11 questions
  • Frame and Chassis3 questions
  • Air Brakes5 questions
  • Wheel-Lift and Hydraulics11 questions
  • Ford Super Duty Only3 questions
  • Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra HD Only3 questions
  • Ram Heavy Duty Only3 questions
  • Isuzu NPR and NQR Only3 questions

A sample of the questions

  • VIN matches the vehicle
  • Transmission stall test
  • Ride height, left to right
  • Tire tread depth
  • Charging voltage under load
  • Frame rails and crossmembers
  • Air pressure build-up
  • Crossbar pivot pin play

This is a sample. The full checklist is yours when you buy.

Before You Start

You don't need a mechanic or to be a mechanic to conduct this inspection. Most questions need only your eyes, a flashlight and a few low-cost tools, and each one tells you exactly what to do and what counts as a fail.

Allow about two hours, including a road test and lifting a vehicle if you can.

For wheel-lift (self-loading and wrecker-style) tow trucks on pickup and medium-duty chassis: Ford Super Duty, Ram HD, Chevrolet and GMC HD, Isuzu NPR and NQR and similar, with Jerr-Dan, Miller (Century, Vulcan, Holmes) and other units. For flatbed car carriers, use the Rollback Tow Truck checklist.

Before you go, ask the seller to:

  • Leave the engine cold. Some checks need a cold start.
  • Have the title, keys, service records and the last annual (DOT) inspection report ready.
  • Park the truck on level ground with room behind it to work the wheel-lift.
  • Have a vehicle you can lift, if possible, for the drift test.

Go in daylight, with the parking brake on and the wheels blocked.

Never get under the truck or a raised wheel-lift without proper supports, and stand clear of the winch cable under load.

Answer every question as indicated. Skip sections for air brakes, a winch or a make the truck does not have (answer Not applicable).

Questions marked "Deeper check" are optional extras that need special tools. Skip any you can't do, or ask a mechanic to do them.

Write readings in the note, and add a photo of anything that fails.

Bring:

  • A flashlight
  • A tape measure and a watch or phone timer
  • A tread depth gauge and a tire pressure gauge
  • A basic multimeter, for the battery and charging voltage
  • A code reader for the port under the dashboard
  • A clean card, for the blow-by test
  • A 7-pin trailer plug tester
  • Gloves and paper towels
Tools for a Deeper Inspection (Optional)

You don't need any of these to use this checklist. For the questions marked "Deeper check", or if you bring in a mechanic, these are the tools needed, as well as those in Before You Start:

  • A scan tool that reads every module and live data, including injector balance rates and transmission codes
  • A cooling system pressure tester
  • A hydraulic pressure gauge set (0 to 5,000 PSI), for the wheel-lift, boom and winch
  • A dial indicator with a magnetic base, for the crossbar pivots and wheel bearings
  • A brake lining gauge and a brake fluid tester
  • A floor jack rated for the truck, and jack stands
  • Optional: oil and hydraulic fluid sample bottles and a lab
Sources and Standards
  • FieldDone pre-purchase inspection protocol for wheel-lift tow trucks (October 2026)
  • Your truck's own owner's manual and the wheel-lift maker's operation and service manual, matched to the VIN and unit serial number
  • US Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations, annual inspection standards (49 CFR Part 396, Appendix A)
  • NHTSA recall lookup
  • Jerr-Dan
  • Miller Industries (Century, Vulcan, Holmes)
  • Ford Pro manuals, guides and certificates
  • Mopar vehicle information and owner's manuals
  • GM manuals and guides
  • Isuzu TruckService portal