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Buying and Selling Autos and Auto Accessories

3 Factors That Are Considered Before Your Car Is Towed

30 May 2017

Henry Obrien

Some people may be worried that their vehicles may sustain serious damage when those vehicles are being recovered from a valley where they had fallen. However, such people need not worry about secondary damage during the towing process. Towing companies select the best recovery method after weighing various factors. This article discusses some of the key factors that are considered in order to minimise the likelihood of secondary damage as your car is recovered.

The Car's Weight

The biggest factor that influences how a car is towed is the weight of the car. For instance, the towing company will ask you to describe your car when you call them for assistance. That information helps them to establish the weight of the vehicle so that they come with equipment, such as winches, that is rated for that weight. In this way, the towing equipment is less likely to fail as your car is recovered from the valley. This reduces the likelihood of additional damage to the car during the recovery.

Surface Resistance

The surface conditions can ease or complicate the recovery process. For example, it is easier to recover a car over firm ground than it is to recover the same vehicle over loose soil. Firm surfaces present lower surface resistance, so less effort will be needed to tow the vehicle. Such information helps the towing company to assess how much effort to exert during the recovery. Avoiding excessive force prevents secondary damage at anchor points on your vehicle.

The Slope

Steep slopes make it harder to pull your vehicle from the valley. Gentle slopes present fewer recovery challenges. The towing company considers the slope in order to find the best way to recover your vehicle. For instance, the recovery crew can opt to tow the vehicle over a longer distance in order to avoid a steep slope, where the vehicle may sustain secondary damage, as a lot of effort must be used to overcome the gravitational force on a steep surface. The towing company can also use chokes to prevent excessive strain from being put on the winch as the car slowly comes up the slope from the valley. In this way, the risk that towing equipment will fail under strain is minimised.

As you can see, the towing process is usually customised to suit the specific circumstances under which the recovery operation is taking place. You should therefore have no fears that your vehicle will suffer additional damage as it is recovered from the valley as long as you call an experienced towing team to conduct the recovery. 

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