How To Tow Your Vehicle Using Tow Straps

There are plenty of ways to tow your vehicle, and you might even want to contact a 24-hour towing service if you want to. If you can do it yourself, one of the best ways to tow a vehicle is through tow straps. They are best when getting your vehicle out of mud, sand or snow but might not be ideal for driving on the road. Here are a few steps to tow your vehicle with the use of tow straps:
Make sure that the local ordinance approves tow straps legally. Tow straps are not the safest way to tow a vehicle and because of the reason, some areas in the US do not allow the use of tow straps for towing. Find a list of state as well as city ordinances regarding towing and ensure that using a tow strap does not have any violations against local laws.
Untangle the tow rope and place it in front of your vehicle. Place the end of tow strap that you are going to connect to the broken down vehicle in front of it, then work your way through the tangles and knots out of the rope as you lay the rope down the ground extending out from the vehicle. This is going to help you properly position the tow vehicle. Do not use a tow rope with a tangle or knot in it.
Check for damage on the tow rope. If there are frays on the tow rope or if it is torn, it might break under pressure as you start pulling the vehicle that has broken down. Also, check for the entire tow strap for any sign of damage and do not use the strap if you find some. This will not just leave you stranded, it could also be very dangerous. You may buy a new tow rope at a nearby auto parts store if what you have with you is damaged.
Find the recovery point on the frame of every vehicle. A lot of vehicles have recovery points on the frame. These are usually just holes cut into the frame which you can run a recovery strap through or use a steel hook with. Check your vehicle owner’s manual to help find the recovery point on the front of vehicle you are going to tow as well as the back of the vehicle that does the towing. If you cannot find the recovery point of your vehicle check a service repair manual. Recovery points can usually be found on the frame of the vehicle and are usually round holes that are cut through thick steel.
Run the hook or the strap through the recovery point on the vehicle that has broken down. Run the strap through the hole for the point of recovery. If there is a hook, use it to hook the strap to itself through the point of recovery. If there is a loop at the end, run the strap through the hole at the recovery point, then run the end of the strap through its own loop to hold it in place. After you’re done, lay the strap on the ground extended out in front of your vehicle.
Position the tow vehicle in front of the vehicle that is broken down. Attach the tow strap to the rear of the vehicle. Pull the tow vehicle forward slowly so that the strap becomes tight. Then lay a blanket or a jacket on the strap. Pull the broken down vehicle slowly and make sure that the broken down vehicle is on neutral. It is ideal to just use tow straps in pulling vehicles through a short distance, like making it unstuck.