Share Pics of People Hauling or Towing Something Wrong

[Eagle1]

Don't see any on my Magnum or Intrepid. I'll have to check my kids Nissan and Ford.

 

[jjeff]

Don't see any on my Magnum or Intrepid. I'll have to check my kids Nissan and Ford.

Perhaps the frame rails on your unibody is reinforced enough to insert one of these not talking about hooking it with a j hook around the a-arm either.

 

[Eagle1]

Yup have a slot for those on "frame" rails on each side, not that tow ops are are that careful all the time. I've rebuilt the Magnum from the doors forward so I know what under the skin.

 

[RandyT]

I bet most folks don't know why there's a small removable panel on your plastic bumper and a small threaded eye hook, usually/ hopefully next to your jack and tire iron.

And there is a reason why most towing companies are refusing to use that eye bolt. the threaded part inside the bumper pulls loose in some cases and sends the car rolling off of the flat bed wrecker and down the street. they won't hold up to any jerking or side loading without a high risk of shearing off

 

[jjeff]

And there is a reason why most towing companies are refusing to use that eye bolt. the threaded part inside the bumper pulls loose in some cases and sends the car rolling off of the flat bed wrecker and down the street. they won't hold up to any jerking or side loading without a high risk of shearing off

Probably why I see more roll backs with d rings on bed to strap wheels so they can secure a vehicle during transport. Anyways started to become a problem imo when more manufacturers started using aluminum and unreinforced lighter gauge steel for suspension steering components, and all the holes were ripped out or perforated along unibody to hook a chain to. Still you need to find and hook to a secure point if you need to pull a car out of a ditch or load a car.

 

[Oaktree]

Sounds like that guy was an amateur.

I don't know about the credentials of the tow operator, but there were a number of beachball-sized rocks that the car went over going into the woods. It was a spot that didn't lend itself well to gentle towing. Plenty of damage had already been done just going in.
Sure was painful to hear the scraping as that car was pulled out.

 

[Oaktree]

Well back to bent boxed frames why manufacturers switched to boxed frames are they lighter, cheaper, stiffer, all of the above? Asian manufacturers have been doing manufacture recalled full frame replacements for over a decade due to rust perforations

Marketing? I'd guess the 21st century frame issues were caused by a combination of corner cutting (ie-lower quality/recycled steel) and weight reduction that went a bit too far. Makes it look like the manufacturers are "doing something" to fix a problem they created.

 

[jjeff]

Before prevalent smart phones with cameras on top of occasionally having customers sign a damage waiver I used to carry a small disposable camera to document previous damage both visible and underneath car. At times I probably kept the 1hr photo in business long past it's expiration lol

 

[Oaktree]

Probably why I see more roll backs with d rings on bed to strap wheels so they can secure a vehicle during transport. Anyways started to become a problem imo when more manufacturers started using aluminum and unreinforced lighter gauge steel for suspension steering components, and all the holes were ripped out or perforated along unibody to hook a chain to. Still you need to find and hook to a secure point if you need to pull a car out of a ditch or load a car.

Which is a good part of why a neighbor of mine got out of the towing business...getting harder and harder to hitch a modern vehicle and not cause damage.

 

[jjeff]

And there is a reason why most towing companies are refusing to use that eye bolt. the threaded part inside the bumper pulls loose in some cases and sends the car rolling off of the flat bed wrecker and down the street. they won't hold up to any jerking or side loading without a high risk of shearing off

Good discussion, company I worked for had no such rules at the time I guess I was fortunate never had an eye bolt fail. I have had hooks pull out of perforated unibodies though. I'm by no means claiming to be a tow truck master either.