ALLIED RENTAL

Yes. The reason for this is found in its unique universal towing system. All vehicles manufactured on an assembly line or delivered by ship have what are called factory shipping slots, anchor points or tie downs. These are thumb sized oval shaped holes in the front frame rails or steel loops attached to the front frame rail underneath the front of the vehicle. Flat bed tow trucks will sometimes use the anchor points to connect their cable to.

No. The Easystreet universal tow bar was made to work in harmony with flexible plastic bumpers. Most vehicles are being made with plastic bumpers which are equipped to handle the stress differently than the old steel bumpers. Paint used on vehicles today flex with the bumper without cracking or chipping. Tighten the Easystreet universal tow bar against the plastic bumper with a snug fit. Do not over-tighten the tow bar as it will surely damage the rubber on the tow bar bumper posts.

Important:
Always attach the t and j combo hooks on the Easystreet universal tow bar tie down straps into the factory shipping slots IN FRONT of the front wheels. Use as little yellow strap as possible under the front of the vehicle. Do not allow too much of the yellow tow straps to reach under the tow vehicle. This can lead to the straps becoming loose and the tow bar may drop down in front of the towed vehicle and damage the front bumper or worse. The Easystreet universal tow bar can also become damaged as a result of being run over.

A little more than half the thickness of the rubber should be compressed against the front bumper. Once the Easystreet universal tow bar is attached, drive a few blocks on a flat surface and inspect the connection of the Easystreet universal tow bar again for tightness. Tighten the yellow attachment straps a click or two for each hand ratchet if the tow bar appears to be loosening or pulling away from the bumper. Another way to check for tightness is to feel the tie down straps after the tow bar is tightened. The straps should be very taut.

Avoid whenever possible when attaching the Easystreet universal tow bar, not to allow the tie down straps to run underneath the tow bar. It should be out to the sides away from the tow bar itself. (See picture on tow tips page)

Always replace damaged rubber on the bumper posts of your Easystreet universal tow bar. Do not replace the rubber bumper pads on your Easystreet universal tow bar with any other material than what the Easystreet universal tow bar came with when purchased new. Do not use screws to hold the rubber onto the tow bar. This will only cause damage to the front bumper of your car.

Car Tow Dolly
Most SUV’s and pickups cannot be towed using a car tow dolly. The reason for this is because the car tow dolly tends to make contact to the front sides of the towed pick up or SUV when cornering.

Car Trailer
Getting a car onto a car trailer can often times be difficult to do without a powered wench. A lot of people tend to use a manual come-along wench to get the vehicle up and on to a car trailer. A slight downhill grade can really help when attempting to get a vehicle up and onto a car trailer.

Unbraked toweds increase the stopping distance at highway speeds from 30 - 80% depending on all of the variables involved. Leave plenty of room between you and the car ahead of you.

The gross combined weight rating (GWCR) is listed on the wardrobe door tag. The GWCR is the maximum allowable weight of both the loaded tow vehicle. Exceeding the GWCR will cause damage to your vehicle's drive train or chassis, unstable driving and handling characteristics, and reduce your warranty.

More and more vehicles are being tested at the factory for flat towing. There are several vehicles on the market suitable to be towed all 4 wheels down and rolling. Some front and 4 wheel drive vehicles require a transmission pump to supply fluid to the transmission while towing all 4 wheels down. Manual transmissions are capable to be towed using a tow bar.

Nearly all non-4 wheel-drive rear wheel drive transmissions will be damaged if they are turned by the drive shaft for long periods without the engine running to circulate lubricants within them. Therefore, they are not tow able for long distance or at highway speed.

NEVER BACK UP WITH A TOW BAR ATTACHED

Some higher-end vehicles come from the factory with plastic cowlings or covers over the bottom front portion of the car. These covers can sometimes block access to the shipping slots. Thus, the Easystreet tow bar cannot be conveniently attached to the shipping slots when this is the case unless these plastic covers are removed. In many cases, a recovery loop or loops will be provided nearby the shipping slot area so that the Easystreet tow bar can be attached to these loops instead. If only one loop is available which has been known to happen, it is ok to attach just one of the yellow tie down straps with T and J hook to only one recovery loop as long as you do not plan to tow long distances this way. Always make sure that cables or chains are connected before towing any vehicle whatsoever. The Easystreet universal tow bar always comes sold with safety cables. Plastic covers cover the factory the shipping slots located in the frame. If the shipping loops are missing, it may be required to have the plastic cover removed before the t and j hooks can be attached.

American Tow Bar Uses

Emergency Road Rescue: (non off-road recovery) for stranded motorists.
Mechanical: Towing for car collectors and enthusiasts.
Repossessions: A better way to safely retrieve repossessed vehicles.
Salvage: Tow away junked vehicles.
Recreational: A universal option for RV enthusiasts.
Transport: For rental car companies. Auto auctions. Tow family car behind moving truck or van.

Tow Cars

Saturn (the most popular choice of vehicle to tow among recreational vehicle owners)
Honda (even though they don't specifically endorse doing so)
Jeep Grand Cherokee
The one make of vehicle that was said not to have been a good vehicle to tow all wheels down was the Subaru. It was said that they do not track well. The new ones apparently are OK to tow all 4 wheels down.

Vehicles you can tow four wheels down.

You can tow any front wheel manual transmission vehicle as far as you want and as long as you want.

Towing a car with all four wheels down on the ground is the easiest way to tow, and the most convenient method. This is your best choice if you're going to be towing often, and unhitching frequently. First check your owners guide to be sure you tow all four wheels on the ground.

By starting the engine and allowing it to run while towing helps keep the transmission oil pumped through the cooling system and cools and lubricates the transmission gears. Without it, the gears would heat up and damage the transmission. It is ok to leave the engine running if you’re towing a short distance (20-30 miles), providing you’re engine cooling system is operating properly.

There are vehicles that are factory approved by their manufacturers for towing flat four. Some vehicles require special procedures which must be followed including speed and distance limitations.

Towing World has a list of pre-1999 makes and models that are safe to tow four wheels down. They also list a number of vehicles which should not be towed, because they do not track properly or have structural or accessibility problems.

Trailer World compiles annual factory tow ratings for trucks, sport utility vehicles, vans and automobiles. Here you can find tow rating data for 1999-2001 model years. For tow ratings prior to 1999, you can special order specific data from them. If your vehicle does not appear on these lists as a vehicle that can be towed, then a tow dolly may be the best option for you. They are designed to lift the drive wheels off the ground and thereby preventing damage to the towed vehicle’s transmission system.

Most vehicles that are not approved by their manufacturers for towing on all four wheels can still be towed using after market accessories such as a cable-operated driveshaft-disconnect device or DSC (for rear wheel or 4wd drive vehicles only)

A Lube Pump and Axle Locks are for front wheel drive cars.

Most 4WD vehicles with a manual transmission, manual transfer case, and manual lock out hubs can be towed on all four wheels safely. If the 4wd has no manual lock out hubs and/or no manual transfer case you will need a Remco DS Coupling on the rear drive shaft to tow safely.

The Lube Pump has been tested and approved for a limited number of rear-wheel drive GM and Chrysler vehicles.

With the DSC and AL- no mileage accumulation on towed vehicles while towing. These two products disengage the drive train, and the vehicle can be towed in park. This means there is no rotational movement in the transmission. The speedometer does not turn then either. Electric speedometers replaced old-cable driven speedometers-even with LP kits. Only exceptions are vehicles with the sensors on the front or rear wheels and the 1996 and newer Chrysler mini vans.

Tow Dollies
Here are some of the disadvantages associated with using a tow dolly

Tow dollies add from 500 to 1500 lbs. to the weight. That means that your towed weight totals 4000 or 5000 lbs.
Using a tow dolly adds more “vehicle” to the mix, and some states require licensing for tow dollies.
The added weight of the tow dolly requires on-board brakes which significantly increases the price and maintenance.
Tie down straps frequently fail on tow dollies.
Brake, stop and clearance lights are difficult to connect on a dolly-towed vehicle.
It is difficult to back up a tow dolly.
You have to have a plan for what you will do with the tow dolly once you get to your destination. Plus, it takes two people to maneuver it some place out of the way.
Maintenance and repairs are needed of the tow dolly tires, wheels and frame.
If an inoperable vehicle has to be placed on to a tow dolly, 3 or 4 people may be required to push the towed vehicle up and on to the tow dolly.
Perhaps the only benefit to using the tow wheel dolly is that the vehicle being towed would not require any specific modifications.