While safer than other methods, a trailer has its own drawbacks, the main one that the combination of the towed vehicle and trailer might be too heavy for the towing vehicle to handle. Step 1: Attach the trailer : First, you must securely attach the trailer to the hitch ball of the tow vehicle. Make sure the trailer coupler is securely attached to the hitch by driving the tow vehicle forward slightly.
If the trailer comes with a brake battery , check its charge before setting out on a trip. Step 2: Load the vehicle. Next, extend the trailer ramps and drive the towed vehicle onto the trailer. Continue driving until the front tires are resting against the tire stops at the front of the trailer.
Step 3: Secure the vehicle. The last step involves securing the towed vehicle to the trailer. Using nylon straps or wheel nets , position the straps over the center of the front tires. Ratchet the strap down until tight. Fasten the security chains to the front and back of the vehicle frame, making sure to avoid brake and fuel lines. Another method for towing a vehicle is to use a tow bar. Tow bars allow all four wheels of the towed vehicle to rest on the ground while moving.
When using a tow bar, you need to disconnect the driveshaft to keep from damaging the transmission. Most often, tow bars are used in tandem with an RV to tow a vehicle for use while traveling cross country.
Step 1: Secure the brackets. Using the tow bar as a guide, find a strong part of the vehicle frame to attach a bracket on each side of the front of the towed vehicle. Step 2: Check the brake lights. Before hooking up the tow bar, make sure that the brake lights and turn signals of both vehicle work in tandem, or use removable tail lights.
Purchase a wiring system that connects and coordinates the brake lights and turn signals of both vehicles. Standard vehicles us a 12N electrical system for this purpose, while RVs use a 12S electrical system. If you do not plan on towing the vehicle that often, then you can opt to use removable tail lights.
Removable tail lights attach to the rear of the towed vehicle and use the electrical system of the tow vehicle for braking and signaling turns. Start by attaching the tow bar brackets on the towed vehicle. You can do this by sliding the bolts through the ends of the tow bar that attach to the brackets attached to the car. Further secure the bolts using washers and nuts that correspond to the bolts size.
Use a socket wrench to tighten. Next, attach the two tow bars coming from the brackets on the towed vehicle to the pivot bracket using the bolt, nuts, and washers that come with the tow bar. The pivot bracket connects to the part of the tow bar that either inserts directly into the hitch receiver or has a coupler that attaches to the hitch ball. Further secure the tow bar by attaching safety chains from the tow vehicle to the pivot bracket and from the base plate of the pivot bracket to the towed vehicle.
You can tow a vehicle safely and easily by keeping certain precautions in mind. This includes properly attaching towing equipment, such as tow dollies, trailers, and tow bars, and making sure that you properly secure vehicles before towing. This article originally appeared on YourMechanic. Autoblog is partnering with YourMechanic to bring many of the repair and maintenance services you need right to you.
Get service at your home or office 7 days a week with fair and transparent pricing. We get it. Ads can be annoying. But ads are also how we keep the garage doors open and the lights on here at Autoblog - and keep our stories free for you and for everyone. And free is good, right? I don't remove the driveshaft from the vehicle. I wire it to the bottom of the vehicle and have a couple of bungees pulling the driveshaft into the transmission or transfer case.
Never had an issue this way. You may also like:. BB code is On. Smilies are On. Trackbacks are Off. Pingbacks are Off. Refbacks are Off. Forum Rules. Inflation in RV park prices?
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If you have a 4 wheeled car or a rear-wheel vehicle, you need to disconnect your driveshaft before towing to prevent it from damage. So, disconnecting the drive shaft is pretty easy and can be done in a couple of simple steps. First, mark the driveshaft and remove the bolts, remove the driveshaft flanges and disconnect the driveshaft. Keep reading to find out more details about the procedure along with steps to reconnect the driveshaft!
Start by marking the driveshaft so that you can return it in the correct position with respect to the differential. This will eliminate the driveline vibration risk that might arise if the driveshaft is reinstalled improperly. With a plastic hammer, you need to gently tap the driveshaft enough times to get it loose from the differential flange. After half of the driveshaft comes out, you need to hold onto that piece.
Another thing to keep in mind is that some cars might also have center support that you need to undo. For this, simply unscrew the two mounting bolts that hold the center support in place. This will prevent them from getting loose when the hammer hits the driveshaft. Otherwise, the U-joint cups will fall off to release the needle bearings. If that happens, you would need to replace the needle bearings.
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