Crucial Tips For Towing A Car To Your Residence Or Town When You Have Car Trouble Away From Home
Posted on: 13 January 2017
When your car, truck, or van has broken down when you are away from home and towing becomes necessary, it can be more than a bit startling to discover how expensive it can be to get it to your home or a trusted mechanic. In that instance, it may be a good idea to tow it yourself, but if you are unsure as to how you can do so, problems are likely to occur. Therefore, when you have found a large rental vehicle that you can be fitted with an appropriate hitch, the following information about towing and hitches is likely to be very helpful.
Choose The Right Towing Vehicle
It is important to note that the vehicle you are borrowing or renting to tow your car home will have a dramatic impact on the type of hitch you can use and whether or not the vehicle you are temporarily using will be able to safely tow your vehicle. For example, you will probably not be able to find a rented car that will allow you to use it to tow your own car, even if you choose the biggest and strongest vehicle on the lot. That can be due to the insurance requirements on their cars or because a hitch is known to permanently mar the appearance of a vehicle.
In that instance, assuming you do not know anyone in the area who would be willing to loan you a vehicle of adequate size that can be fitted for a hitch, the use of a moving truck may be your best option. They often come with a pre-fitted hitch and it is not difficult to find one in the right size for your needs.
Choose The Right Hitch
Since hitches are rated for different weights, it is crucial to know the total weight of your vehicle when choosing the right type of attachment unit. For instance, if you were in a compact or sub-compact car when the problem occurred, a Class 1 hitch could be what you need since it can transport up 2,000 pounds of vehicle and 200 pounds of the tongue that connects the two automobiles. However, on the other end of the spectrum, you could just as easily be in a full-size car, truck or van when the mess started. Since it is not unusual for full-size vehicles to weigh 9,000 pounds or more, you would need a Class 4 hitch in that case.
Alternatively, a Class 2 hitch can tow up to 3,500 pounds, while the towing capacity for a Class 3 tops out at about 8,000 pounds of weight and up to another 800 pounds for the tongue. If you are unsure of the approximate weight of the being needing to be moved, that information is often found in your owner's manual. Remember to allow for the weight of all of the items in the vehicle and if you find that the weight of your vehicle is close to being the next size up, it is often better to choose that size instead of cutting it too close.
In conclusion, while having car trouble is never fun, it can be even more frustrating and worrisome when you have mechanical difficulties when you are away from home. If you would like to save time and money when the vehicle must be towed back to the area in which you live, it is a good idea to be aware of the information listed above.
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