How to Tow a Car Backwards on a Car Dolly
Towing a vehicle is ideally done using a car dolly or trailer. A car dolly has the vehicle's front tires set into grooves over a straight axle, attached through an A-frame connection to a hitch on the towing vehicle. The rear wheels of the vehicle do not turn allowing the towing vehicle to do all the turning necessary. A vehicle accident, missing wheels, or other damage to the rear axle means you may have to tow the vehicle with the back wheels on the dolly. Use extreme caution when doing so.
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Instructions
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Place the rear tires of the vehicle into the car dolly. Raise the vehicle at the frame in front of the rear tires if you are unable to roll the vehicle onto the dolly. Push the car dolly beneath the rear wheels and slowly lower the two jacks until the wheels rest in the grooves of the dolly.
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Strap the vehicle down to the car dolly using the safety chains and straps that accompany the dolly.
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Turn the vehicle key to "ON" and straighten the wheels. Have someone outside looking at the wheels to make sure they are perfectly straight.
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Turn the vehicle off and remove the key. Wiggle the steering wheel until it locks in place.
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Place the vehicle in neutral for front-wheel drive vehicles with a manual transmission. Most front-wheel drive vehicles with an automatic transmission are unable to be towed backwards. The transmission cannot be placed in neutral without the key being in the ignition preventing the steering wheel from locking. The steering wheel must be locked to tow the vehicle backwards.
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Drive at slower speeds monitoring the motion of the vehicle. A slight angle to the wheels will cause the vehicle to sway violently at higher speeds.
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Tips & Warnings
Avoid towing a vehicle backwards at all costs. A full-size trailer is preferred for towing a vehicle due to safety concerns.
References
- Photo Credit trailer's suspension image by Diana Mastepanova from Fotolia.com
