If you’ve ever been 4WDing before, you’ve probably seen or heard of some horror stories about towing gone wrong. Someone hooks up to the wrong part of the car or tows incorrectly and all of a sudden, the bull bar is on the ground and/or the chassis is bent.
See or hear this enough and the idea of a tow truck can start to conjure up these same images of damage and destruction. The thing is, towing a vehicle the correct way is safe.
When you have a professional, trained towing operator who knows exactly what they’re doing, you get a clean, safe result.
When the job is done right, your car won’t get damaged on a tow truck
Loading and securing a vehicle correctly can take some effort and know-how to get it done correctly. That’s exactly why hiring a professional is a good idea, especially for longer trips.
We wrote a whole article about the dangers of towing your own car. That article isn’t there to scare people into calling a tow truck. It’s about highlighting the fact that something as simple as incorrect use of a tow strap can and has cost lives.
If you’ve ever attached a strap to a tow ball to tow a vehicle, you need to watch the videos in that article!
Use the right equipment, get the right result
Professional tow truck operators carry the right equipment to make sure your vehicle is loaded safely. For example, if you’ve broken down in an undercover car park, you’ll need the right type of truck to fit down there in the first place.
Not only that, you’ll often need jacks and a dolly to safely manoeuvre your car into a workable position. Not up against a wall, pillar or another car and definitely not needing to be dragged sideways.
The same goes for other types of towing as well. Low or damaged vehicles, oversized and unusual jobs, they all take the right equipment and know-how to do correctly.
Without that combination of tools and knowledge, you’re risking the safety of your vehicle.
Put it in neutral before loading onto a truck or trailer
One simple thing that can be done to remove some potential for damage is to put your vehicle in neutral. Whether it’s a 2WD or 4WD, neutral lets the wheels roll freely, independent of the driveline.
This is why a quality tow truck operator will always make sure the car is in neutral (where possible) before loading it on. It avoids potential damage to your driveline, tyres and suspension.
A properly secured vehicle doesn’t move
Once a car is secured on the back of a tow truck, it shouldn’t be able to move at all. If it does, it wasn’t secured well enough – simple as that!
In terms of potential damage, that means a car secured on the back of a truck shouldn’t be at risk. They should always be tied down firmly in position so there’s no load on the transmission or handbrake and no sliding around on the tray.
Take it easy
The final step to safe and secure towing is the drive itself. Once the vehicle is loaded up, take it slow. The one and only objective for a tow truck is to safely move a vehicle or piece of equipment from one location to another.
By driving safely and at a reasonable speed, this also reduces the forces apply to any part of your car. No additional side loading on the vehicle or added force to the chassis where it’s tied down.
All in all, the answer is ‘no’. Towing (correctly) does not damage your vehicle. Start to cut corners and you’re gambling with the safety of your car.
A Brisbane tow truck is probably cheaper than you think (here’s a look at our pricing structure) and could potentially save a big repair bill. Give us a call for an instant quote and we’ll get you moved safely from as little as $99.