Why You Shouldn't Risk Towing A Car On Your Own

Posted on: 6 April 2015

If you or a friend has a big truck with some serious horsepower under the hood, you might be tempted to try your next towing job on your own. While your rig might have enough power to manage the job, it's a better idea to rely on a professional towing service. Reputable towing service companies know their trade well, so they can avoid causing damage to the vehicle being towed. Trying to handle the situation on your own could cause several big problems.

Dents and Scratches: Dents and scratches are by far the most common towing-related vehicle damage, and they're usually so mild you wouldn't even bother fixing them. If you're not careful, however, the chains you're using to tow a vehicle can free-fall a few feet straight down onto your car's bumper. When that happens, it can cause dents and even tears in the metal that require repairs. 

Alignment Problems: Alignment trouble after a tow is possible if you drag the car into position by one side or the other instead of applying towing pressure through the vehicle's center of weight. You'll notice the problem the next time you drive the car when it pulls severely to the left or right. Alignment problems are usually easy to fix with a cheap procedure, unless they're the result of a bent axle.

Tire Damage: Tire damage isn't common in the towing process, but it can happen and it's expensive to handle. Usually, tire damage occurs when you fail to fully secure the car and the tire is able to slip against any sharp or pointy objects on the truck bed. Tire damage is easy to detect, however--if your tire is suddenly flat after a tow, you know what the problem was.

The best way to protect your vehicle is to rely on a qualified and trustworthy towing service, such as Martinez Towing. It might be tempting to ask your friend with a heavy-duty truck to tow your car for you, but that move could end up costing you more in repairs. Just call a towing service you trust straight away and avoid the problem. Relying on a professional service will also help you avoid awkward disputes with friends and family over who was at fault if anything does go wrong.

If you're trying to get that old car, truck or boat off your lawn, call a qualified towing service today. Don't risk damage to your property needlessly!

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