Smart Motorist » How to Tow a Car? (Tow Bar, Strap and Tow Dolly Methods)

How to Tow a Car? (Tow Bar, Strap and Tow Dolly Methods)

There are so many reasons why one can decide to tow their car. It might be to take the vehicle to a junkyard or to get it out of the mud where it got stuck. Whichever reason, it is best you should know how to tow a car. You can do this in so many ways, even when it’s clear some methods are better than others.

Here we will reveal to you different simple methods and steps on how to tow a car.

How to Use Tow Bar to Tow a Car

The tow bar will enable the four tires of the towed car to be on the road and bestriding at a slow speed. You might want to detach your driveshaft when you pull with a tow bar if you wish to preserve your gearbox. In most cases, you use a tow bar when moving a car across the country to a new location.

1. Ensure the Bands are Well Secured

When you’re towing with a tow bar, you should ensure to secure the band in a sturdy section of the car rim. This component could be just beneath the bonnet, where there is a provision for a tow bar. If no arrangements for such, you need to open up a hole in the car frame for such a purpose.

2. Inspect the Brake Lights

Ensure that you have fixed the brake lights and trafficators to function when needed before you attach the bar. You could employ detachable rear lamps, which you can buy from an automobile shop. You may want to purchase one that can harmonize the lighting of both vehicles.

This approach is a good option for those who tow their cars once in a while. With that said, no need for any permanent fittings. You can attach the removable lights when you need to pull and connect it to the electrical system of the tow truck. Regular cars use a 12N electrically powered structure, whereas you may need the 12S system for the RVs.

3. Connect the Tow Bar

Connect the Tow Bar

After getting the light handy, connect the tow bar to the holes you made in front of the car. First, you should fasten the bars on the towing truck solidly. You can do this by screwing some nuts at the edge of the belts that will connect the car. Fasten these nuts with washers and tighten with a matching wrench.

Now connect both bars of the towing truck frame to the bracket of the towed vehicle. Also, use the screws and bolts to secure it firmly to the bonnet of the car. The turning frame attaches to the drawback receiver or the coupler that connects the tow belts to the drawback ball.

Afterward, fasten the tow bar by connecting the safety lines from the tow truck to the turning frame beneath the bonnet of the vehicle you’re towing.

How to Tow a Car with Strap

1. Detach the Tow Belt and Keep it Before the Car

Using the tow Belt is one of the easy ways on how to tow a car with a truck. To do this, keep the tow belt end that will be joining the two vehicles in front of the car to be towed.

Undo any knotted part in the string while arranging it to run through to the two vehicles, it will help to organize both cars in the right positions to tow. Ensure that there are no knotted or engaged parts in the string.

2. Connect the Belt to the Towing Vehicle

Connect the Belt to the Towing Vehicle

There should be a connection spot on the towing vehicle for attaching the towing strings clip. Ensure you attach it to the appropriate place because that’s only when it will lock in securely.

The towing vehicle should have a noose fastened to its loop. You can check its manual guide if you can’t find it.

3. Attach the Other Belt End to the Towed Car

Attach the other end of the tow belt to the frame of the towed vehicle. You will find the frame below the bonnet of the car, where there is a provision for a joining clip. You may want to look at the user guide to ascertain the exact point, also make sure that the Belt lays straight.

It’s not advisable in any way to hook the Belt to any other section of the vehicle apart from the tow brackets. This measure is to avoid disruptions due to detachment during the tow.

4. Drag on the Car Gradually

Ensure that someone is in the driver’s seat of the towed vehicle to pop the brakes when there’s a need to do that. Pull the car slowly and try to harmonize with the driver in the towed car.

How to Tow a Car Using a Tow Dolly

The tow dolly enables you to tow a vehicle while letting its tires roll on the ground. This way, the towed car retains some of its weight and is, to an extent, an independent vehicle.

It works best on a car that has a veneer wheel drive because the back wheel or four-wheel drive needs you to detach the crankshaft while dragging. Also, using the tow dolly is one of the easy ways on how to tow car with a truck.

1. Attach the tow Dolly

Connect the coupler of the tow dolly to the looping ball of the tow truck. This approach entails hanging the coupler on the lop ball and fasten them with your hands until it’s sufficiently tight. Examine the connection by tossing the dolly backward and the truck forward.

Then connect the safety lines from the dolly to the truck tightly as it attaches the dolly to the tow car in case of detachment of the coupler. Regularly check the loop ball connection, though.

2. Assemble the Tow Truck, Towed Car and Tow Dolly on a Flat Surface

Move the truck with the attached dolly to the front of the towed car so that you can place the front tires on the dolly. If the vehicle rolls out of the doll, you may need to drive it into the dolly and lock. That’s why you should assemble three of them on level ground before attaching.

3. Drive the Towed Car into the Tow Dolly

Drive the Towed Car into the Tow Dolly

In the case that the towed vehicle always rolls off the dolly, carefully drive into the tow dolly. If you can’t, try to get an extra hand to nudge the car a little bit while you navigate. Stop the vehicle with the brakes once the vehicle steps on the dolly, so it doesn’t roll backward.

The wedge in the dolly won’t allow the car to move forward away from the dolly, but it won’t hold if the vehicle is still on the motion.

4. Fasten the Towed Car

When you have rolled the car to be towed into the wedges of the dolly, you should fasten the front wheels with the dolly clasps. Hitch the safety lines from the tow truck on the appropriate frame of the towed vehicle. Avoid contact with the brake cables and fuel tank so that it won’t spoil.

5. Detach the Driveshaft

You have to detach the driveshaft connection to prevent wrecking the entire gear transmission of the towed car. To do this, get a mat under the car to comfortably separate the driveshaft beneath the vehicle.

Beneath the car, you’ll see the point where the shaft joins the differential in a U-junction and loosen the screws holding it. Then pull the beam away from the junction. You can call an expert in case you don’t want to get dirty.

Helpful Tips

  • Ensure that you abide by all state laws of towing a car in any state like the appropriate use of side mirrors and towing lights
  • The towing truck should be at least 1000kg heavier than the towed car. Ensure it’s not below to avoid back pulling.
  • Ensure that the towed vehicle corresponds to the rating of the tow truck.
  • Call in the professionals to make the tow bar connection if you think you can’t fit them tightly on your own.

Final Word

The important part of knowing how to tow a car with a strap lies in mastering the connections. This guideline above elaborates on the needed ways and precautions to take while doing them. You can easily tow a car with

  • Tow bar
  • Dual Tow belt
  • Suitably connect the tow bar to the towed car
  • Ensure that the links are firm before you tow
  • Detach the driveshaft in a four-wheel-drive to preserve your gearbox.

If you can’t do these, at least know who to call to tow a car to get it done.