Different Ways To Tow A Car

When it is necessary to transport a car somewhere there are three different ways to do it: it can be towed four-wheels-up, dolly-towed, or flat-towed. However, only one option can be applied to all vehicles and that is four wheels up towing.

Four-wheels-up towing is where the car is placed on a tow trailer or transport unit as they are sometimes called, and transported in this way. This is the only case whereby all types of cars can be towed. However, this option has many drawbacks and the main problem is the price. A transport unit's price would vary from $1500 to $6000. Another problem is the weight of the tow trailer which could cause driving problems and additional fuel cost.

A tow dolly is smaller, lighter and cheaper than a tow trailer. It is used to lift only the front two tires of the vehicle as it is towed. Dolly-towing is not recommended for cars with mid- or rear mounted engines because it could damage the engines on these cars.

Flat-towing also known as dinghy towing, towing four-wheels-down, or toading is the most common towing with all wheels on the ground. This is the type of towing whereby a car tow bar is used to hitch one vehicle to the other. Here the towed vehicle has all four wheels on the ground turning as it moves. This type of towing is the most restrictive of all. In general only cars with manual transmission gearboxes and 4x4 vehicles can be dinghy towed. 4X4 vehicles have transfer cases that allow the wheels to be isolated from the gearbox while manual transmission engines are not directly connected to the wheels.

For any other car, the car has first to be approved by the manufacturer for this form of towing. In most cases the cars approved for towing cannot be towed at a speed in excess of 55 MPH and or for a distance of more than 200 miles. In order for the car to be towed farther than this distance, the engine has to be run for a few minutes in order to lubricate the gears. Another option is to install an electric lube pump to lubricate the engine as the car is towed, thus dramatically increasing the distance.

Towing four wheels down is done mostly by recreational vehicle (RV) owners who like to tow their car behind the RV so they can use it when they get to their destination. The car is simply attached to the trailer hitch receiver with the use of a towbar. Flat towing is more convenient than the other two options because many campgrounds do not allow to trailers or dolly's to be parked on the site along with the RV and towed vehicle. In most cases, especially during the tourist season, there just isn't enough room in the campground for all the vehicles.

A towbar will not take up any additional space. It can be stowed in the car's trunk. Instead of having to unhook and park the trailer or dolly somewhere else the car owner only has the tow bar to think of. Aside from being lighter to carry, the price for a tow bar is significantly lower than that of a trailer or dolly. Popular towbars made in Europe are the Bosal Towbar and the Witter Towbar family, while those in the US are the Blue Ox towbar and the RoadMaster Towbar. Although car towbars come in a wide variety of styles, manufacturers make towbars to fit specific makes and models of cars. It would be wise to check whether the car tow bar is specifically designed for the car it is to be used on before buying it.