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Tow Trucks

Rollback/Flatbed Tow Truck Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

A guided, do-it-yourself pre-purchase inspection checklist for used rollback (flatbed car carrier) tow trucks on Ford, Ram, Isuzu, Freightliner and International chassis, with Jerr-Dan, Miller, Century, Vulcan and other beds. No mechanic needed: each check tells you what to look for and what counts as a fail, from the engine, transmission, brakes, air brakes and tires to the bed subframe, slide and tilt hydraulics, winch and cable, plus known problems by make. For wheel-lift-only trucks, use our Wheel-Lift Tow Truck checklist.

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$29.00

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

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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 13 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
  • Rollback Bed and Hydraulics11 questions
  • Isuzu NPR and NQR Only3 questions
  • Ford F-450 and F-550 Only3 questions
  • Freightliner M2 Only3 questions
  • Ram 4500 and 5500 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
  • Bed slide channels and wear pads

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 loading a vehicle onto the bed if you can.

For rollback (car carrier) tow trucks on Class 4 to 7 chassis: Ford F-450 to F-650, Ram 4500 and 5500, Isuzu NPR and NQR, Freightliner M2, International and similar, with Jerr-Dan, Miller (Century, Vulcan, Chevron) and other beds. For trucks with only a wheel-lift, use the Wheel-Lift Tow Truck checklist.

In the US, a truck rated over 26,000 lb needs a CDL to drive. Check the rating before you go.

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 to slide the bed fully back and tilt it.
  • Have a vehicle you can load, if possible, to test the bed and winch under load.

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

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

Answer every question as indicated. Skip sections for air brakes, an under-lift 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 with a dual-wheel head
  • A basic multimeter, for the battery and charging voltage
  • A code reader (a heavy-duty one for Class 6 and 7 diesels with a round 9-pin port)
  • A hammer, for tapping the bed subframe
  • 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 commercial-vehicle scan tool that reads every module and live data
  • A cooling system pressure tester
  • A hydraulic pressure gauge set (0 to 5,000 PSI), for the bed, tilt, winch and under-lift
  • An ultrasonic thickness gauge, for the bed subframe steel
  • A dial indicator with a magnetic base, and a brake lining gauge
  • 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 rollback tow trucks (October 2026)
  • Your truck's own owner's manual and the bed maker's operation and service manual, matched to the VIN and bed serial number
  • US Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations, annual inspection standards (49 CFR Part 396, Appendix A)
  • Commercial driver's licence manual (your state or province), air brake inspection section
  • NHTSA recall lookup
  • Jerr-Dan
  • Miller Industries (Century, Vulcan, Chevron)
  • Ford Pro manuals, guides and certificates
  • Isuzu TruckService portal