In this two-part article, we’ll look at how to tow a car.
It’s very important to have a basic knowledge of car towing. If we aren’t aware of the safety precautions we need to take while towing, we may be a danger to ourselves and those who share the road with us. It’s also important to note that different towing options should be employed for different types of vehicles. If we choose the wrong method or equipment for towing our car, we may end up causing serious damage to our vehicle.
In the first part of this article, we’ll look at the different equipment that can be used to tow a car and discuss which options are best-suited to which types of vehicles.
Tow Dollies
If you’re on this site, it’s likely because you’re interested in renting a tow dolly to pull your car. But it’s important to be aware of the fact that tow dollies are most suited to be used with front-wheel drive cars. Basically, we want to avoid towing our car while the drive wheels are on the ground, as this can cause serious damage to our car. So if you try towing your four-wheel drive vehicle with a tow dolly, be prepared to be out thousands of dollars for a new transmission (i.e. don’t try this!).
Tow Trailers
Tow trailers are trailers which hold all four wheels of a vehicle off the ground. This is a good option for any car, but is especially suited to towing four-wheel drive vehicles. If you are worried that you don’t know how to tow a car and may damage your transmission, you’ll always be safe with a tow trailer (as long as you observe on-the-road safety precautions). Because tow trailers are more expensive to rent or buy than tow dollies or tow bars (see next section), they may not be the best option for towing a front-wheel drive vehicle.
Tow Bars
Tow bars are bars that attach to the towed car’s bumper and pull the vehicle with all four wheels still rolling on the ground. This option is less expensive than tow dollies or tow trailers, but should only be used with manual vehicles that can be put in neutral so as to avoid transmission damage. (Actually, tow bars can be used with other vehicles, but more preparation must be done. This will be covered in a future article).
Please stay tuned for the second part of this article which will discuss the step-by-step process of how to tow a car.
