Hazards Of Towing Your Car Vs Safety Of Shipping
If you don't have a Commercial Driver's License or are an RV enthusiast, renting a moving truck to move long distances will be your largest vehicle. What about your car? Should you tow it behind a moving truck or hire a licensed and bonded auto transport company?
It is cheaper to tow your car behind a moving truck as you move across the country. However, this does not include the costs of fixing any damage that may occur during towing. You can do serious damage to your vehicle if you do it wrong.
Towing a vehicle means that the mileage won't increase if the motor is turned off. This is a good thing. However, the mileage of your vehicle will not increase if you use an auto transport specialist.
Towing Options
There are two options for towing your vehicle: a dolly, or a trailer.
Towing a front-wheel-drive vehicle is possible with a tow dolly, which is an affordable option. The front wheels are raised off the ground and the wheels that are actually engaged are pressed into the road. Tow dollies are available from U-Haul and Budget as well as Penske. Tow dollies are not recommended for long-distance moves.
Car trailers are more user-friendly than dollies and offer less risk of damage. They are also better suited for long distances and heavy cars and trucks. All four wheels of the trailer are elevated above the ground.
Protect Your Transmission
Transmission is one of the most common damages to automobiles when they are being towed. The chances of a vehicle being damaged when it is towable with a dolly, and its non-drive wheels on the ground, are lower. However, the risks remain. You would need to remove your rear driveshaft to tow a four-wheel-drive vehicle using a dolly. The back wheels should be on the ground.
According to the article "Towing and Transmission damage: What you need to know" posted by American & Foreign Transmission Service on aftranny.com, a car's gear position during towing could impact whether or not there will be any damage. You should consider the following gear positions: Park, Emergency, and Neutral.
The best way to avoid transmission damage is to keep your tow vehicle neutral. The transmission will be damaged if the vehicle is not in neutral or the emergency brake is activated.
Towing can still cause damage to your vehicle even if it is in neutral. Your car can be in neutral to disengage the engine but not the transmission. The transmission may still heat up if you tow your car long distances. This can lead to expensive and serious damage.
Sticks and Stones
You tow your vehicle across the country behind an unloading truck. This puts it in direct contact with road debris which can damage panels, crack paint, and even cause headlight damage. A "Tow Car Shield" is a way to reduce the risk of serious damage caused by road debris. This safety device is attached to the car being towed. It is a shield that protects the car from damage.
To ensure your vehicle's safety, you can take another step when towing an RV behind a vehicle. Tow guard rock deflectors can be attached to the back of the RV to which it is being town. To reduce debris being kicked up, the low-hanging rock deflector will be used.
Avoid the Danger
An expert is the best way to move your car. Move Car Auto Transport offers open and enclosed transport options for your car.
Open-air carriers can transport 6-12 cars at a time, and sometimes more. Open-air carriers can transport more vehicles at once, which means that the overall cost per vehicle is lower.
Enclosed carriers are smaller than open-air carriers and can hold only a handful of cars. They offer protection from all sides. You can choose between soft-sided and hard-sided protection.
The soft-side enclosed transport is a great way to protect your car. It is often able to prevent damage from rain, small rocks, wind. The best option for protection is hard-sided enclosed auto transport. Your car is fully protected from all sides.
Hydraulic lifts are often available for loading and unloading enclosed carriers. This is important for loading vehicles with low ground clearance. Hydraulic lifts are not available for open-air carriers.
Enclosed carriers can carry fewer vehicles than open-air carriers. However, the added cost of enclosed carriers is sometimes worth it for the assurance that your car will reach its destination safely.
Get a Free Estimate
A dolly rental costs approximately $50 per day. A trailer rental can run you about twice as much.
Professional auto transport specialists specialize in getting your vehicle where it is needed, when it's needed, and without any damage.
Move Car Auto Transport provides free estimates for open-air or enclosed carrier car shipping. Make sure you do your research and choose the best option for you.