Safe Towing
Safe trailer towing, towing safety chains, towing limits
In a perfect world, no classic car owner – or any car owner for that
matter – would ever have to consider the possibility that their car will
break down and need to be towed.
However, all cars, and perhaps especially classics, will one day break
down and need to be helped off the road. The misery you feel when your
classic conks out will only be compounded if there is a mishap in the
towing, so it pays to learn a few things about the safest way to have
your classic towed.
If your classic has a particularly low ground clearance, you may find
it is in fact impossible to get it up onto a tow, because once the front
wheels are slightly off the ground, undercarriage components start scraping
on the ground. If this is the case, you will need to tow the vehicle using
another working car rather than a tow truck.
You’ve probably got a toolbox and a kit of cleaning products in the trunk.
Add to this a recovery strap (not a tow strap, which lacks flexibility).
Recovery straps also don’t make use of metal hooks, which are not nearly
as effective as a D-type shackle.
Your recovery strap should be made of nylon webbing for flexibility when
loading, lifting and pulling. Choose the strap that suits your working
road limit. Each inch of width on the strap relates to 10000 pounds of
working load limit. Don’t get more capacity than you need, since elasticity
is compromised as the strap gets more load-bearing.
When you are choosing a recovery strap, look for a brand that uses Cordura
to reinforce the strap. Cordura is a particularly resilient form of nylon.
To use a recovery strap to have your vehicle towed:
• Check the condition of the strap and ensure is no fraying or loose stitches.
• Loop the strap to the vehicle frame of the car to be towed.
• Use another loop, or D type shackle, to attach the strap to the towing
vehicle.
• Don’t knot the strap.
• Ensure that the strap does not rub on any sharp edges.
• Start slowly, bringing the strap taut before accelerating properly.
A recovery strap should only be used for short distances, like getting
off the road or into a service station where you can deal with the mechanical
problem in safety.