Ropes or towing straps are available at virtually every gas station and in every automotive store or supermarket. The choice is huge and they are usually poor quality products that fulfil their function. Prices range from PLN 20 upwards. You can also make such a hall yourself – it is allowed. A good material is a wide, bright tape or even a steel rope and two solid hooks. It is only worth remembering not to exceed its length allowed by law, i.e. from 4 to 6 meters. Check Some of these tips seem trivial, but not everyone knows how to tow a car.
As you already know, the lobby is not everything, you also need a piece of bright yellow or red fabric that will serve as a flag. Before buying a towbar, it is worth checking the towing eyes in our car so that the towbar hooks are not too large. If you find a hall in white and red colours, it is worth buying one. Towing with kinetic tape is absolutely impossible.
Attach the tape or the towing rope to the towing eye. Attaching to suspension components is highly risky. First of all, it is easy to drive over the towline attached in this way. Second, you can damage the suspension or other parts of the chassis. Manufacturers envisage fixing the towing eye in such a place to eliminate these two issues. You can also use a tow bar on a towing vehicle, but take into account the possibility of detachment of the tow bar.
Usually, the big problem is the mounting of the warning triangle on the car , because there are no factory fixings for this. Here a lot depends on the ingenuity of the vehicle owner. The rear window wiper may be used. In the sedan, you can try to open the trunk and press the triangle with the hatch. It is worth having a clamp or adhesive tape in the car.
The cars are ready and the communication between drivers remains. Nowadays, the easiest way is to use a mobile phone with a hands-free kit or the loudspeaker in the device itself. Lots of people have free or cheap calls today, so it shouldn’t be particularly costly. Of course, it’s convenient to have a CB radio or walkie-talkies, but not everyone. It is also worth making an appointment for warning signals carried out by the horn.
The towing vehicle driving technique should be smooth and gentle. You must remember about a rope that does not like jerks (it can be torn off or damage the towing eye) and that when entering an intersection or changing lanes, you are actually driving two vehicles.
Before starting braking in a towing car, it is worth touching the brake pedal for a few seconds, giving a signal to the towed driver to start braking earlier. It is even possible to arrange that the towing only turns on the brake lights, while the whole process belongs to the towed.
A towed driver should keep an eye on the constant tension of the cable. If it starts to loosen slightly, it is worth gently pressing the brake. When the cable is taut, firstly, the distance between the vehicles is as large as possible, and secondly, there is no risk of it breaking or running over it.
The driver of a towed vehicle should, first of all, read the owner’s manual, especially of a relatively young car, which may be equipped with mechanisms that prevent it from being towed (more on that later) or specific procedures must be carried out. The towed driver must also remember two basic things: the lack of power steering and braking. Of course, when driving, this is not a big problem, but there are different feelings nonetheless. If the car’s engine is running, there is power assistance.
It is necessary to put the key in the ignition and turn it so as not to block the steering wheel. In cars with a remote key, simply press the engine start button to unlock the steering. And of course you should keep your eyes wide open, both hands on the steering wheel, and your foot above the brake pedal. You must always be ready to brake.
What is allowed and what cannot be towed?
In the manuals of many modern cars, you will find information that towing is not possible, despite the lack of technical contraindications. Most often this applies to cars equipped with four-wheel drive or automatic transmission.
In fact, there are no technical obstacles to towing a four-wheel-drive car, regardless of the design, as long as it is carried out by a classic combustion engine and axial differentials. Both in the permanent drive with a central differential and in the automatic drive with a multi-plate clutch, nothing should happen, although many manufacturers disable the possibility of towing. The greatest risk of breakdown occurs in cars with an automatic transmission and an electronically controlled clutch/differential.
The same is true for automatic transmissions, which should not normally run in the N position due to the very low oil level. However, some manufacturers allow this possibility over short distances at low speeds.
Automatic transmission workshops also agree that most of them can be towed unscathed to around 15–20 km at speeds of up to around 40 km / h. For longer distances, stop once in a while and let the transmission cool down.
Of course, in both cases, the decision is up to the user. If in doubt, it is worth calling the ASO for advice.
It is absolutely necessary to avoid towing an electric or hybrid car with an automatic transmission or an electric drive responsible for driving an axle other than the internal combustion engine. Even at a very short distance, one of the components of the driveline can be destroyed.
