Today a friend was stuck and I wanted to tow him out of a ditch. I have tow straps and a winch. Unfortuantly there was only one eye on the back of his car that seemed to be frame mounted, but the shackels that I had were too big for the his rear eye. What all have you used when towing cars not normaly equiped for towing?
Towing a passenger car
- Thread starter sfcowboy
- Start date
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Steve,
There is no simple answer to this question.
Basically, you have to be very careful and you want to attach to something on both vehicles that is solid. Finding a solid mount on our trucks is usually easy because most 4x4 Toyotas have hooks and loops. Many domestic trucks and SUVs will have something similar so you just have to look around for a solid mounting point.
The current crop of passenger cars presents a problem. The first thing that I would suggest is to have the owner of the car in trouble look through his Owner's Manual and see if there is a recommended place for towing. For example, my wife's G35 has a plastic piece on the front bumper that, when removed, reveals a threaded hole. In the tool kit in the trunk is a tow hook that screws into this hole. We discovered the same arrangement on a late model SAAB that I towed into his neighborhood during the recent snow storm in ABQ. Fortunately, my 1" shackles fit into the tow hook on the SAAB.
So, lets say your friend doesn't have a towing receiver thingy and you still need to get him out of the ditch. I would crawl under the vehicle and look for a place to attach my shackle onto his frame. If I could not find anywhere to attach to the frame then I would try to wrap the strap around his rear axle. (Don't do this on the front of an IFS vehicle.)
On the Saturday of the storm there was a GM van that was trying to get out of the neighborhood. I watched him struggle for a few minutes in front of my house, then walked over to see if I could give him some advice. He was going way too slow so I had him build up some speed. That got him about half way up the hill where he just couldn't move because it was too steep. I pulled out the 80, had him put the strap on what he considered a secure point, and pulled him very gently up the last 50'. The problem was that the only place he could find to secure the strap was to a sway bar. I knew that would bend easily but he didn't need a big pull; just a little help getting up the last bit.
Some general advice when novices and strangers are involved in a recovery:
1. If you are offering to help, then YOU are responsible for securing both ends of the strap and whether you like it or not, you would probably be responsible for any damage that results from the recovery attempt. I am not a lawyer but that is the way our society works.
2. Recoveries can be dangerous and if the *other* end comes loose during a hard recovery, then the metal bits that pull off the other vehicle, along with the shackle, will come flying through your window and smack you upside the head. Count on it.
3. Keep everyone clear while you do the recovery. Communicate clearly to the other driver what you want them to do and when you want them to do it. If possible, have someone block traffic while you get the guy unstuck.
4. Double check both ends of the connection before you pull.
5. Use as little force as possible during the recovery.
There are a lot of things that I am forgetting but others will chime in with advice.
A little story about that SAAB that I mentioned earlier.
On the Sunday following the storm, we are headed to the store for something. Most people are still digging out and little traffic is moving. I notice a small sedan (the SAAB) flying westbound down Menaul east of Tram. He is trying to build up enough momentum to get through a heavy patch of snow, turn right, and go uphill into his small neighborhood. We watched the first attempt and he failed miserably. I pulled over and asked if he wanted some help and the young guy driving said, "No, we're OK. We just need to shovel a little snow out of the way. We'll be fine."
We went on to the store and then to the gas station. On the way back, the guy was making another banzai run down Menaul and this time he flies past the intersection and into the curb which was buried under about 2' of snow. I asked again if he wanted some help and he says "No thanks" but the woman that was with him said "Yes!!" (I think it was his sister.) So we get his car off the curb and pointed where I could get a strap on the front hook (he knew it had one and how to attach it, thank goodness.) Meanwhile, I am moving the Cruiser out into Menaul as traffic is still coming downhill on the icy street. Many people are having trouble maintaining control so it was a dangerous place for me to be. I had to pull him in almost a 360-degree circle because he was past the street and the only recovery point was on the front. I asked the woman that was with him to block traffic as we pulled him across Menaul but she lost concentration or something and the next thing I know a 4Runner is barrelling downhill while we have a strap pulled tightly across the road with me hooked to one end and the SAAB hooked to the other. Fortunately, the 4R driver saw the bright yellow strap and got it stopped in time. Near disaster. Then I had Ross get out and block traffic while I completed the recovery and pulled him into his driveway (~200 yards.) A lot of other crap was going on too.... This guy driving the SAAB wasn't listening to me and he kept gunning the throttle and spinning the front tires. He also kept running over the strap and couldn't grasp the concept that if his wheel rolled onto the strap that his front end was gonna be toast. (Not to mention breaking my strap!)
Long story short... I should have kept driving and not offered to help as soon as I had realized the guy wasn't very bright. The overall situation was too dangerous but you don't realize that until you get committed and then its too late.
-Mike-
There is no simple answer to this question.
Basically, you have to be very careful and you want to attach to something on both vehicles that is solid. Finding a solid mount on our trucks is usually easy because most 4x4 Toyotas have hooks and loops. Many domestic trucks and SUVs will have something similar so you just have to look around for a solid mounting point.
The current crop of passenger cars presents a problem. The first thing that I would suggest is to have the owner of the car in trouble look through his Owner's Manual and see if there is a recommended place for towing. For example, my wife's G35 has a plastic piece on the front bumper that, when removed, reveals a threaded hole. In the tool kit in the trunk is a tow hook that screws into this hole. We discovered the same arrangement on a late model SAAB that I towed into his neighborhood during the recent snow storm in ABQ. Fortunately, my 1" shackles fit into the tow hook on the SAAB.
So, lets say your friend doesn't have a towing receiver thingy and you still need to get him out of the ditch. I would crawl under the vehicle and look for a place to attach my shackle onto his frame. If I could not find anywhere to attach to the frame then I would try to wrap the strap around his rear axle. (Don't do this on the front of an IFS vehicle.)
On the Saturday of the storm there was a GM van that was trying to get out of the neighborhood. I watched him struggle for a few minutes in front of my house, then walked over to see if I could give him some advice. He was going way too slow so I had him build up some speed. That got him about half way up the hill where he just couldn't move because it was too steep. I pulled out the 80, had him put the strap on what he considered a secure point, and pulled him very gently up the last 50'. The problem was that the only place he could find to secure the strap was to a sway bar. I knew that would bend easily but he didn't need a big pull; just a little help getting up the last bit.
Some general advice when novices and strangers are involved in a recovery:
1. If you are offering to help, then YOU are responsible for securing both ends of the strap and whether you like it or not, you would probably be responsible for any damage that results from the recovery attempt. I am not a lawyer but that is the way our society works.
2. Recoveries can be dangerous and if the *other* end comes loose during a hard recovery, then the metal bits that pull off the other vehicle, along with the shackle, will come flying through your window and smack you upside the head. Count on it.
3. Keep everyone clear while you do the recovery. Communicate clearly to the other driver what you want them to do and when you want them to do it. If possible, have someone block traffic while you get the guy unstuck.
4. Double check both ends of the connection before you pull.
5. Use as little force as possible during the recovery.
There are a lot of things that I am forgetting but others will chime in with advice.
A little story about that SAAB that I mentioned earlier.
On the Sunday following the storm, we are headed to the store for something. Most people are still digging out and little traffic is moving. I notice a small sedan (the SAAB) flying westbound down Menaul east of Tram. He is trying to build up enough momentum to get through a heavy patch of snow, turn right, and go uphill into his small neighborhood. We watched the first attempt and he failed miserably. I pulled over and asked if he wanted some help and the young guy driving said, "No, we're OK. We just need to shovel a little snow out of the way. We'll be fine."
We went on to the store and then to the gas station. On the way back, the guy was making another banzai run down Menaul and this time he flies past the intersection and into the curb which was buried under about 2' of snow. I asked again if he wanted some help and he says "No thanks" but the woman that was with him said "Yes!!" (I think it was his sister.) So we get his car off the curb and pointed where I could get a strap on the front hook (he knew it had one and how to attach it, thank goodness.) Meanwhile, I am moving the Cruiser out into Menaul as traffic is still coming downhill on the icy street. Many people are having trouble maintaining control so it was a dangerous place for me to be. I had to pull him in almost a 360-degree circle because he was past the street and the only recovery point was on the front. I asked the woman that was with him to block traffic as we pulled him across Menaul but she lost concentration or something and the next thing I know a 4Runner is barrelling downhill while we have a strap pulled tightly across the road with me hooked to one end and the SAAB hooked to the other. Fortunately, the 4R driver saw the bright yellow strap and got it stopped in time. Near disaster. Then I had Ross get out and block traffic while I completed the recovery and pulled him into his driveway (~200 yards.) A lot of other crap was going on too.... This guy driving the SAAB wasn't listening to me and he kept gunning the throttle and spinning the front tires. He also kept running over the strap and couldn't grasp the concept that if his wheel rolled onto the strap that his front end was gonna be toast. (Not to mention breaking my strap!)
Long story short... I should have kept driving and not offered to help as soon as I had realized the guy wasn't very bright. The overall situation was too dangerous but you don't realize that until you get committed and then its too late.
-Mike-
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I can't remember what day it was, but after the storm I took the wife and Lola out for a ride. Just wanted to see snow accumulation and get out of the house. We were in that neighborhood and I saw the same Saab. I was heading west on Menual and and he was heading East and he turned in front of me and made a run for that hill. I didn't think much about it, but as I passed I saw his car start to slide down and to the side, but by the time I realized what was happening I was already turned onto Tramway. 
- Thread starter
- #4
Mike:
Thanks for all the good information. The owners manuel is a great idea. You are the classic good Samaritan. As you point out, you have to be very careful who you choose to help.
Thanks for all the good information. The owners manuel is a great idea. You are the classic good Samaritan. As you point out, you have to be very careful who you choose to help.
i ran a call (i'm a firefighter for those that don't know) last fall where a guy was pulling out a wood 4x4 fence post he had cemented in slightly crooked. when the cement fractured, the end of the post, still tied to the rope, flew forward and struck him on the back of the left upper arm where his elbow was out the truck window. it shattered the bone. luckily it didn't come more straight forward or it would have hit his head through the back window. a metal winch hook or shackle carries even more force.
winching or pulling, i always have only me in the vehicle. winching, i get as far away with the winch remote as possible or, if i have to keep a foot on the brake, i lay across the front seat barely peeking over the dash. with enough people (that i trust) to help, i have someone use the remote from as far back as they can get while i hold the brake ducked down out of sight.
