TOWING LUXURY VEHICLES
High-end and luxury vehicles can be some of the more complicated jobs a light-duty operator may face. Many high-end vehicles do not have attachment points in the frame of the vehicle and have a low profile, meaning damage can occur when loading the vehicle. Additionally, aluminum is often used in place of steel on higher-end vehicles, which can be damaged more easily. All these factors can make towing a luxury vehicle more difficult than the average tow.
While most manufacturers recommend transporting luxury vehicles on a car carrier, it is possible and perfectly safe to use a wrecker.
As previously mentioned, most manufacturers recommend transporting luxury vehicles on a car carrier. This is mostly due to the low profile of the vehicle’s front and rear end that can come into contact with he ground when towing. Additionally, the frame of most luxury vehicles do not have many places for hooks to be attached to.
The two most common ways to load a luxury vehicle onto a carrier bed is with either a axle bridle or a tow-eye screw:
- An axle bridle is a soft strap or webbing that can be wrapped around the control arm of the vehicle and attached to the wire rope. This soft strap eliminates any metal from making contact with the body or frame of the vehicle.
- A tow-eye screw is a specialized tool that can be connected to the tow-eye slot, a slot on either the front or rear bumper of a vehicle, providing an attachment point to be winched from.
LUXURY TOWING: TOW EYE SCREW
Click the arrow on the right of the image to go through the step-by-step process of towing a luxury vehicle with a tow eye screw.
STEP 1:
Position the carrier in front of the casualty.
STEP 2:
Retrieve the tow eye screw from the casaulty.
STEP 3:
Consult the owners manual for information on the tow eye’s raiting.
STEP 4:
Lower the carrier bed.
STEP 5:
Open the tow eye slot on the bumper.
STEP 6:
Insert the screw.
STEP 7:
Hook the winch line to the tow eye screw.
STEP 8:
Slowly winch the casulaty onto the carrier bed.
STEP 9:
Leave room at the front of the deck to compensate for the angle the winch line will be on.
Click the arrow on the right of the image to go through the step-by-step process of towing a luxury vehicle with a tow eye screw and snatch block.
STEP 1:
Place a 16″ strap through the slot of the tow eye screw.
STEP 2:
Secure the strap to a snatch block on the winch line.
STEP 3:
Connect the hook of the winch line to a slot at the front of the bed and slowly winch the casualty forward.
STEP 4:
Make sure the casualty roll straight.
STEP 5:
Leave room at the front of the deck to compensate for the angel of the wire rope.
While the tow-eye screw does provide operators with an attachment on the front or back of the vehicle, they can be difficult to use when winching onto the carrier due to the size, location and design of the screw. Because of this, WreckMaster recommends using a soft strap around the control arm whenever possible.
When loading with the strap or axle bridle, the strap can be wrapped around the control arm and then attached to the wire rope at the front of the vehicle. It is important the wire rope does not make contact with the vehicle itself, as it can damage the body, frame or paint. When securing around the control arm, be sure that there is adequate clearance for the strap to fit. If there is not enough room for the strap to be safely secured around the control arm or if the strap will be making contact with ABS lines or vehicle wiring, it is recommended that the tow- eye screw be used.
The location of the tow-eye slot and screw differ depending on the make and model of the vehicle, but the slot is using on the front or rear bumper and the tow-eye screw itself can usually be found stored with the spare tire of the casualty. The operator should always consult the vehicle manual as when determining where the screw is located and how to find and open the tow-eye slot.
The tow-eye screw is rarely located in the center of a vehicles bumper. This means that when the wire rope is secured to winching, it can be on an angle and the vehicle will not be pulled straight forward. There are two common ways to compensate for this:
- Movable winch – some carriers are fitted with a winch that be moved from side to side on the bed. If the winch can be moved into a position where it is in line with the tow-eye screw, it can be safely winched forward.
- Use a snatch block – a snatch block can be hooked into the tow-eye screw and the wire rope fed through and secured to a keyhole slot on the carrier deck. This will create a “V” with the wire rope and will allow the operator to winch the vehicle straight forward and onto the carrier bed. The occupied keyhole will have to be compensated for when securing the vehicle after it has been loaded onto the bed.
Regardless of whether an axle bridle or the tow-eye screw is being used, an operator must be extremely careful when loading a luxury vehicle onto a carrier bed. The low profile of the vehicle can make contact with the bed if the operator is not careful. To compensate for this, the angle of the bed must be adjusted many times throughout the loading process. To assist with this, operators can use step chocks or lightweight ramps (race ramps). This will prevent the vehicle’s body from making contact with the carrier deck or ground.
After the vehicle is safely on the carrier bed, it should be secured to the deck with soft straps and eight points of securement.
LUXURY TOWING: BRIDAL
STEP 1:
Wrap one side of the bridal around the traffic side of the control arm of the drive axle, securing the strap together using a hook with a latch.
STEP 2:
Repeat the same step on the non-traffic side of the vehicle.
STEP 3:
Attach the wire rope to the bridal and winch the vehicle onto the carrier bed.
STEP 4:
Slowly winch the casualty onto the carrier bed.
STEP 5:
For low profile vehicles, a WreckMaster skate can be secured to the exhaust pipe to prevent damage. The skate can be secured with a bungee or elastic bands.
ON A WRECKER
Though most luxury vehicle manufacturers recommend transporting their vehicles on a car carrier, many operators find it simpler to tow high-end cars with a wrecker. Of course, this can be more complicated than the typical tow, however, just like every job an operator may take on, it can be handled with the right knowledge and equipment.
If the vehicle is able to roll, the wheel lift can be attached underneath it. If there is not enough clearance for the wheel lift, a jack can be used to raise the vehicle so that the wheel lift can be fit underneath it. This may however lower the back end of the vehicle so that is either making contact with he ground or is too close to the ground for transport. Casualties that have low ground clearance should always be placed on dollies, even if the operator is not towing from the drive wheels of the vehicle.
When towing a high-end vehicle, route planning is very important. Because most luxury cars have low profiles, routes with steep inclines, declines, speed bumps, pot holes, construction and rough roads should be avoided.