Towing A Stretch Limousine
Although they may look fancy and impervious to breaking down, stretch limos do, in fact, break down, and because of their weight-to-power ration, are much more inclined to get stuck during inclement weather. Suffice to say, towing a stretch limousine is not the same as a regular car, so for a towing service, it pay to understand the nuances of towing a longer vehicle like a stretch limousine.
So today we’ll be share some key tips for towing a stretch limousine safely and without damage.
1) Hitch From Behind
The first thing to note is you are going to be hitching it from behind. This is the most secure way to do this and is going to ensure balance is maintained for as long as you have it hitched. If you do it from any other angle, you are taking a real risk as to how things are going to be set up. You have to focus on this as soon as you can.
It is the only way to go for those who want to tow a stretch limousine in the modern age. It is going to be secure as long as you go from behind.
2) Use A Wheel Lift
It would be great if you could fit a stretch limo on a Flat Bed tow truck, it’s far and away the least intrusive mode of towing. The problem is: most stretch limos are way too long to fit safely on the flat bed. The next best thing is a fixture called a Wheel Lift. Tow trucks equipped with a wheel lift have a metal yoke that fits underneath either the front or rear wheels of the vehicle to be towed. They also use a hydraulic lift system to hoist the vehicle’s front or rear end off the ground. The remaining two wheels run along the roadway while the vehicle is being towed.
Wheel lift towing is a major advance over traditional hook–and–chain towing. Instead of wrapping chains around the axles of the car, the metal yoke lifts the vehicle by its tires. This method is less likely to cause damage to the car’s frame and bumper.
3) Raise Properly
The #1 rule in towing is: Don’t damage the vehicle your towing. With this in mind, it makes sense to slowly raise the limousine to ensure that none of the fenders or body is touching the road. The ONLY thing that should be touching the road should be the front tires.
Unless you want to be in and out of the tow truck as you raise it, it definitely helps to have a spotter as you raise the limousine into position.
4) Limit Back Turns
Maneuvering a long limousine is not for the faint of heart. Turns need to be limited if possible and backing up should be done very slowly. Any backing turns will articulate and will require your to have a good idea of the landscape in back of you and some experience in driving articulated loads.
Again, the key here is SLOW. As with raising the limousine, it helps to have a spotter handy for any backing articulated turns.
Conclusion
While not an exhausting list, these are the primary considerations to take when it comes to towing a stretch limousine. Those who are hoping to nail things down and make sure it is towed the right way will know it has to start here. This is the only way to see real results and feel confident about the value you are getting.
The moment it is hitched the wrong way, you are going to have a lot of trouble on your hands and that is not worth it.
Towing an RV is not for the faint of heart. Check out our article on the proper technique for towing service for an RV.
