Emergency Towing Question

[ultrarunner]

I'm thinking of cars I don't own, so no idea if they have a tow loop adapter. I'm guessing anyone who puts their car in a ditch off a highway doesn't have one - I'm driving on the same highways, and yeah there's ice and snow, but its not a big deal if you know how to drive in it. But many who go skiing don't.

I can picture ripping a neon apart no problem.

What does the A arm look like? And that won't rack the frame on the little car?

Very Good point...

BMW is so concerned about damage that they provide the tow hook adaptor as part of the factory tool kit...

It screws into a spot on the bumper underneath a small 2" x 2" painted cover...

Even the tow experts get it wrong sometimes... my former neighbor owns a repair garage and would tell me stories of cars badly damaged from being towed in to the shop...

 

[AlanB]

Very Good point...

BMW is so concerned about damage that they provide the tow hook adaptor as part of the factory tool kit...

It screws into a spot on the bumper underneath a small 2" x 2" painted cover...

Even the tow experts get it wrong sometimes... my former neighbor owns a repair garage and would tell me stories of cars badly damaged from being towed in to the shop...

The above post really sums it up, even the "pro's" miss sometimes.

There is usually a slot or hole in the "frame" if you can call them that, of the cars that is designed to accept that T. Every car is a bit different, I am sure that there is a book etc. but it really is just summed up by you have to crawl under and look and see what you can reach, no matter what the book says or the manual, you can only get too so much sometimes.

I used to run a wrecker some in HS. One of my favorites was the lady that ran her Mercedes into the ditch, the car was suspended from the sides of the ditch, the wheels were esentially in the air, and she had to crawl out the window to get out. Both sides of this car were crushed, and she was standing there arguing with the state trooper. We were the wrecker on the rotational call, I pulled up and the woman then started screaming at me, I tried my best to be nice, but when it came down to the point of her threatening to sue if I scratched her car getting it out, I thought it best to call my boss and the trooper called the next service in rotation.

I wanted to hang around and see how they got that one out, but thought it best just to leave.

 

[Charlesaf3]

Very Good point...

BMW is so concerned about damage that they provide the tow hook adaptor as part of the factory tool kit...

It screws into a spot on the bumper underneath a small 2" x 2" painted cover...

Even the tow experts get it wrong sometimes... my former neighbor owns a repair garage and would tell me stories of cars badly damaged from being towed in to the shop...

I think if BMW were really concened they'd store the tow adapter the same place my Toyota does - welded to the frame

 

[firemanpat2910]

good samarition laws should protect you. I try and let the owner hook to their own car. I have a piece of chain with a s hook t hook j hook and grab hook all on a ring (like a set of keys. I can usualy find something it can grab.

 

[Diamondpilot]

Yes, there are idiots everywhere. The guys in the video were jerking the car out of the snow bank. Never jerk on a vehicle. Its tough on both the stuck vehicle and the tow vehicle. If you can not get it out by towing it call a bigger stronger truck.

I once saw a guy at the boat ramp in a 2 wheel drive Chevy truck spinning his tires trying to get the boat up the ramp. They put 10 by-standers in the bed and that did not work. He then told them to jump up and down. All that did was break the drive shaft. I came over with my 1999 F-350 SRW 4x4 PSD and offered to pull the truck and the boat up the ramp. He took me up on it and he hooked his end up to the bumper. I hooked my end up to my front tow hook. I told him that bumper was not strong enough. He argued so I pulled the bumper off. The second time he got it right by hooking it to the lower A-arm.

As for the A-arm thing, yes your truck has them. So you can go look at your truck and get a idea of what I am talking about for a good place to hook to on the vehicle that is stuck. The best way is still the "T" grip thing in the pictures we posted.

For hooking up to my truck I like to pull strait and from the passengers side tow hook while in reverse. I always use 4 wheel low no matter how stuck they are. I find that 4 low give me more control and going in reverse give me more traction, better visibility, and more control over the situation. I like using the passengers side tow hook with the strap straight so if it does break its not coming through the window at me. Another thing is never use a trailer hitch ball to pull from. A guy I went to High School with is no longer alive. He was using a F-150 to pull a quad from a creek. The ball on the quad broke and the chain came through the back window and hit him in the head killing him.

Chris

 

[wushaw]

I have towed alot of folks out of ditches with my Jeep when we have our occasional snow here, I haven't had any issues and I don't charge anybody either like the sharks you see running up and down the highways looking for a quick buck.

 

[hosejockey2002]

good samarition laws should protect you.

Good Samaratin laws IIRC are intended to protect people from liability for providing first aid to injured or sick people. I'm not sure if they apply to pulling a car from a ditch. Probably would take a lawyer to answer this one.

 

[Ductape]

My advice would be to keep driving. Every manufacturer has a different place for their T slots. It would be near impossible for the average Joe to know where they are. On top of that..... T slots are really only designed to secure a vehicle for transport, NOT for recovery (though i've used them for recovery thousands of times). Doing it the wrong way could cause some really expensive damage. Same with lower A arms........ used them for recovery, but they are NOT designed to be pulled on. You would be surprised how many manufacturers make them out or aluminum nowadays. The thought of helping a fellow motorist out of a snowbank is valiant and good-hearted, but my honest recommendation would be to call the police for them. Ever seen those police dash cam videos where the cop is on the side of the highway with a motorist and another vehicle slams into the cruiser, motorist's vehicle, the people, or all of the above ? Don't needlessly put yourself in that position with the police and/or ambulance may be thirty minutes or more away.

 

[Charlesaf3]

Good idea on doing it in reverse.

And sadly, I take yours and others point about not doing it at all ductape - that'll make my gf happy, she gets annoyed at me when I pull over for people. I'll restrict any towing to isolated country roads if I come across that situation.

No way I'd ever charge for pulling someone out of a ditch - that's for people who make their living doing it to my mind. Just hate to pass someone who's off in a snow bank, and the sides of 89 in New Hampshire are usually full of people on friday nights in the winter.

I've learned some useful stuff from this though, thanks.

 

[mjncad]

Most foreign cars have either a small single eyelet front and rear or a slot in the sub-frame for a tow hook adaptor sold by companies like AW Direct...

Your right, attaching to the wrong place could result is costly damage...

Usually those eyelets or slots are meant for tying the car securely on the ship for transport, not for towing. Towing exerts different stresses on the vehicle versus tying it down for transport.

Unfortunately being a good Samaritan these days can get you sued in our litigious society.