Towing a Car: From the Front or Back?

If you ever run out of gas on a highway, you will need to tow the car to a nearby gas station. Flat tire? You will have to get the vehicle towed to a gas station or your home. In both these scenarios, you will stop and wonder if the car should be towed from the front or back.
You don’t need to worry about the answer if you have called a reputed vehicle towing company for help. They’ll take care of the safety of your vehicle. But if you’re attempting to tow the car yourself, this is something you should definitely be knowledgeable about.
The answer depends on the kind of car you own. You might wonder if the positioning makes any difference. Yes, it makes a tremendous difference! If you attempt to tow the car from the opposite end of where it is supposed to be towed, you risk causing severe transmission damage to your vehicle.
Towing From the FrontThe front-wheel-drive cars have to be towed from the front. Towing from the front ensures no undue strain on the drive train. You will need to use a tow dolly for this purpose. After hitching it up to the dolly, the front wheels of your car are fixed in the cradles of the tow dolly while the back wheels stay on the ground.
Towing From the BackTowing a rear-wheel-drive vehicle is different in more ways than just the end being towed. Towing a rear-wheel-drive car is more manageable and does not require special tools. The only thing to take care of is the transmission.
When using a tow truck, the rear-wheel-drive vehicle’s rear end has to be raised and fixed on the truck, while the front tires can roll on the road.
Towing on a Flat-bed TruckA four-wheel-drive (4WD) or an all-wheel-drive car has to be transported on a flat-bed truck. Attempting to tow it using a tow dolly or a regular tow truck will destroy its transmission.
Towing an Automatic CarAutomatic cars can be towed for a short distance at low speeds or towed with their driving wheels off the ground. In automatic vehicles, improper towing straight-away damages the transmission.
The rule of the thumb is to lift and fix the primarily driven wheels onto the tow truck while the second set of wheels is free to roll on the road.
ConclusionA good idea is to check the car’s manufacturer manual in case of any confusion. It comes with detailed towing instructions, the best way to tow your vehicle, which side should it be towed from, and whether or not it should be towed at all.
You can save yourself from the hassle of towing yourself by calling the best towing company in Arizona and letting the professionals take care of this stressful process for you.