Patent ID: 8070411

Claim:
A vehicle carrier for loading and unloading disabled vehicles, comprising: a motorized truck having an operator compartment and a primary vehicle frame with frame rails and rear wheels; a subframe mounted to the vehicle frame of the motorized truck, the subframe: (a) comprising a second frame supported by the vehicle frame; (b) supporting a slidable platform mounted to the subframe which may be used to carry the disabled vehicles, the platform being slidable in a generally horizontal direction relative to the subframe; (c) having rails interposed between the frame rails of the vehicle frame and the rear wheels; and (d) being tiltable relative to the vehicle frame; and the vehicle frame having an airbag suspension system mounted at least in part outside the vehicle frame rails; wherein the interposition of the subframe rails between the vehicle frame rails and the rear wheels enables a lowered platform height and an increase in payload height in comparison to other vehicle carriers whose subframes are located above their frame rails.