Tips for Protecting Your Transmission When Towing Heavy

Posted on September 3, 2019 by Zores

When a vehicle is towing a heavier load, it usually does so at lower speeds. This combination causes the vehicle’s engine to use more power (torque) to get the job done. In order to combat automotive transmission damage to a vehicle when towing a heavy load or cargo, you must adhere to some fundamental towing guidelines.

Continue reading to learn some tips that will help you ensure your transmission remains protected while towing heavy freights.

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Manual vs. Automatic Transmission

The style in which you tow a heavy load will mostly depend on the type of transmission your towing vehicle uses, and the weight of your freight. If your towing vehicle has an automatic transmission, you will need to install a towing package. Another option for automatic transmission towing is to install a transmission fluid temperature warning that will inform you if your transmission or coolant gets too hot. If you are operating on a manual transmission, driving up hills and similar feats will be easier to manage, as they won’t heat up the radiator fluid too much. Be sure to refer to your owners’ manual for information for your towing vehicle’s specifications and manufacturer recommendations.

Transmission Overheating

Transmissions tend to overheat when being used in first and second gear, like in the instance of hills and stopped traffic. They can also overheat in 3rd or 4th gear at high speeds, such as interstate driving. If this happens, the torque converter lock might disengage, so you will have to engage the overdrive cancel feature. To prevent overheating, keep your engine above 3000 RMP’s when climbing a hill, and simply downshift from there as necessary. Also, if you are stuck in traffic, be sure to use the break, and do not scoot along the whole time.

Never drive a vehicle that is overheating. This can cause major damages to the engine, and possibly lead to an entire engine replacement altogether. Replacing or purchasing a new engine can be very expensive; which is why people turn to rebuilt engines in order to save some cash. Stop driving and safely pull over as soon as your car engine begins to overheat. Then contact a local towing company to have your vehicle towed to the nearest auto repair shop for inspection and service.

Where to Find Professional Towing Assistance

Call Zore’s Towing at 317-247-8484 for safe and affordable Indianapolis tow truck services you can trust. Our licensed and insured tow truck operators provide punctual and prompt tow truck services, 24 hours a day and 7 days a week! We also provide numerous community services, roadside assistance services, wrecker and recovery services, and much more. Call 317-247-8484 to request a free estimate, anytime!

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Will Trailer Towing Damage My Car?

Posted on August 6, 2019 by Zores

Whether you are planning a big move across the city, or a long road trip to the lake, you might be in need of a trailer. However, the idea of hooking up a trailer to your vehicle might scare you. After all, you love your car, and you do not want even the tiniest scratch or defect inflicted. Furthermore, the thought of paying a huge repair bill as a result of towing a trailer will put you off the idea too. If you are afraid towing a trailer with your vehicle might damage it, you are not alone.

Perhaps some facts about trailer towing, coupled with some helpful beginner tips, can improve your attitude and confidence before your big day arrives. Continue reading to do learn these and more!

You Must Do the Math to Safely Tow

The first thing you want to think about when you are preparing to tow a trailer with your car is its maximum towing capacity. Also known as gross vehicle weight rating, or GVWR, this value is the total amount of weight your car’s manufacturer says it can safely tow. Keep in mind that this maximum value includes the weight of the trailer, as well as its cargo. Refer to your car’s owners’ manual, or the driver side door jam, for your towing capacity.

Along with gross vehicle weight rating, you will also need to calculate the trailer’s tongue weight, which should never be more than 15% of the total trailer weight, including the weight of its cargo. You also need to know the gross combined weight rating, or GCWR, which includes the total weight of your trailer and the towing vehicle, including all passengers, as well as, fuel, equipment, and the cargo on the trailer. To learn how to do all three of these calculations properly, read our blog, “A Review of Gross Vehicle Weight Ratings” for help getting started on the right track.

Mind the State Laws for Trailer Towing

Another important factor to consider has to do with your own safety, rather than the safety of your vehicle. It is wise to learn all the state laws surrounding trailer towing before hitting the road. Not only will this protect you unintentionally causing risk or danger to others, it will prevent law enforcement confrontations, fines, tickets, and wasted time dealing with all three.

See our blog, “What You Need to Know About State Trailer Laws” to learn what you need to know. Furthermore, knowing how to safely operate a vehicle that is towing a trailer is important to protecting your car from damage. Learning the state trailer laws can help you understand certain safety factors, like taking turns, speed limits, and more.

Need Help With Towing in Indiana?

If you find yourself in a jam while on your road trip, trust Zore’s Towing for help anytime! Call us at 317-247-8484 for prompt, 24 hour towing and roadside assistance in Indianapolis and throughout Central Indiana. Our licensed towing and recovery division retains an extensive fleet of over 35 tow trucks and wrecker equipment, allowing us to assist drivers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and 365 days a year, rain, snow, or ice. Request a free estimate, anytime.

Special Services Offered By Towing Companies

Posted on July 29, 2019 by Zores

Wrecker companies are more than just a towing service. They offer a wide variety of roadway, transportation, and recovery assistance. Sure they are equipped and eager to provide tows for illegally parked vehicles, broken down cars, abandoned vehicles, and more; but they are also equipped and trained to provide much more than that!

Continue reading to learn what else your local wrecker company can offer you, because it might just come in handy one day!

Basic Wrecker Services

When it comes to wrecker services, towing is not the limit. Most well-established and veteran wrecker companies retain an extensive fleet of trucks, rigs, trailers, wreckers, and more that allow them to provide comprehensive towing and recovery services for anyone and everything in town. This means impounding, airplane towing, accident and traffic clearing, disaster emergency response, general roadside assistance, and much more. Here is a breakdown of the principle categories for towing and recovery, and the additional services offered by most wrecker companies near you:

Roadside Assistance

Wrecker companies generally offer roadside assistance options for individuals who experience minor vehicular issues or breakdowns on the road. If someone gets a flat tire, a wrecker service will provide tire changes and replacements. If a battery goes dead, a roadside assistance technician for a wrecker company will drive to them and provide a jump start. If someone is locked out of their vehicle, a wrecker service can get them back in! With just one simple phone call, a short wait, and a small fee, you can have a professional wrecker company provide roadside assistance services any time, 24 hours a day.

Light Towing

Light-duty towing includes regular vehicle towing and recovery. Cars, trucks, vans, small to mid-sized vehicles, motorcycles, jet skis, and more are all included in this category. If a car accident happens, a professional wrecker service is called to promptly remove the damaged vehicles and clear the roads of traffic congestion as soon as possible. Illegally parked vehicles and property management towing also fall into this category of light duty tows. These services are available 24 hours a day and 7 days a week; like most towing services.

Medium and Heavy Towing

Medium and heavy-duty tows include larger-scale recovery and towing missions. Trucks, semi’s, rigs, trailers, boats, airplanes, mobile homes, construction materials, piping, and more are included in this category of towing. Wrecker companies extensively train their technicians to be able to clearly and efficiently react and handle sudden recovery emergencies, disasters, and situations. They are fully prepared to recover large equipment or vehicles on dangerous terrain or hazardous conditions. Severe storm damages, fallen trees and power lines, erupting dams, and more are all circumstances when a professional wrecker company is needed and called on.

Additional Services

Wrecker companies often work together with their local municipality in road and traffic management. They also buy and sell junk cars and trucks, and offer auto auctions open to the surrounding communities. On top of auto auctions, junk car buying, light towing, medium towing, and heavy-duty towing, wrecker services also train and provide disaster response as mentioned before. Mostly wrecker companies that have been around the longest are the ones capable of offering these kinds of services because they have the local community trust, the proper and specialized equipment, licensing, and training.

24 Hour Towing and Recovery for Indiana

If you need towing help, call Zore’s Inc. at 317-247-8484 for friendly 24 hour towing and recovery in Indiana. We open a family-owned and operated business for 90 years, so you can trust us for prompt and professional service. We are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and 365 days a year, so our certified tow truck operators can be there for you anytime, any day! Request free estimates, anytime.

The 5 Components Need for Flat Towing

Posted on March 29, 2019 by Zores

Drivers tow vehicles mostly out of necessity, but also for convenience. By taking your own personal vehicle with you on your trip, you can save money on taxis, Übers, Lifts, trains, trolleys, buses, and fees to professionally transport a car long distances. If you are planning a road trip that requires you to tow your car, truck, or boat, be sure you know exactly what you need to set everything up correctly. There are 5 basic components you need for a flat tow, plus several other accessories that can enhance both safety and control on the road.

Continue reading to review the 5 basic flat tow components, and who to call for trusted flatbed towing in Indiana if you don’t feel comfortable towing on your own.

❶ Tow Bar

The tow bar is the ultimate basic component because it is the piece that essentially connects your towing vehicle with the towed vehicle. Read our blog, “Basic Facts About Tow Bars” to get understand tow bar assembly better, including popular types of tow bars to choose from.

❷ Base Plate Kit

Base plate kits are vehicle-specific, which means you must be sure you get the right one that matches your make and model vehicle. These custom-designed base plates are installed on your car’s frame, which fits perfectly and provides attachment points for a tow bar.

❸ Safety Cable Set

You can never have too much safety or control when towing a trailer or vehicle on the open road. A safety cable set will provide this assurance and keep you in adherence with state law. They are designed to keep your dinghy attached to your towing vehicle, and prevent swaying.

❹ Tow Bar Wiring

Another state law required component for your flat tow set-up is tow bar wiring, which is a lighting system on your dinghy that operates in sync with your towing vehicle’s tail lights. Choose from removable exterior light kits, separate tail light bulb kits, and more.

❺ Supplemental Braking System

The importance of a supplemental braking system for your flat tow operation is explained in the name. Having an extra set of back-up brakes on your dinghy provides added braking power and reduces wear and tear on both vehicle’s brakes. Furthermore, they are requires under law in most states.

Indiana Towing Experts Here to Help

Indianapolis Towing & Roadside Assistance 317-247-8484

Call Zore’s Towing at 317-247-8484 for prompt, 24 hour towing and roadside assistance in Indianapolis and its surrounding counties. Our licensed towing and recovery division retains an extensive fleet of over 35 tow trucks and wrecker equipment, allowing us to assist drivers 24 hours a day, 7days a week, and 365 days a year, rain, snow, or ice. Request a free estimate, anytime.

Basic Facts About Tow Bars

Posted on March 22, 2019 by Zores

Whether you need to flat tow a dinghy with a car, truck, or RV, you will most certainly require a tow bar. The tow bar is one of the most obvious and easily discernable components in a towing set up, as it is generally shaped in a large “V” formation, and lies between the towing vehicle and the dinghy being towed. It also happens to be one of the most central components, as it allows you to safely flat-tow your wheeled commodity. There are some important facts you should know about tow bars before setting up your own rig and hitting the road.

Continue reading to review some basic information about tow bars, including the two common types on the market and their benefits.

Types of Tow Bars

Tow bars come in a sorts of versions, all of which differ in towing capacity, mounting style, and overall design. The tow bar you will require for your dinghy set up will depend on these factors and more. Be sure to review the manufacturers’ instructions, as well as the owners’ manual of your towing vehicle, before setting up your tow bar. The two most common mounting styles for tow bars include car-mounted and RV-mounted tow bars.

🚌 RV-Mounted Tow Bars:

RV-mounted tow bars deliver precision and stability. Furthermore, they insert directly into the RV’s hitch receiver, which means there is no need for an additional connection point (a coupler) that most car-mounted types require. Although you won’t be using a coupler on an RV-mounted tow bar, you will need your hitch lock to secure the bar to the receiver. RV-mounted tow bars are also easy store, provide highly stable connections, improve safety, compatible with hitch adapters, and easy to adjust.

🚙 Car-Mounted Tow Bars:

Car-mounted tow bars are used on towing vehicles like cars, trucks, SUV’s, and vans. They came long before the introduction of RV-mounted tow bars, and still play a vital role in dinghy towing to this very day. They operate similarly to an A-trailer since they connect to the trailer hitch ball via an integrated coupler. Their integrated coupler can be locked to a hitch ball, adding more security and stability. Furthermore, they come in a range of sizes, including 2″ and 2^5/16” balls, and even pintle hitches.

24 Hour Towing and Recovery

Indianapolis Towing & Roadside Assistance 317-247-8484

If you need towing help, call Zore’s Inc. at 317-247-8484 for friendly 24 hour towing and recovery in Indiana. We open a family-owned and operated business for 90 years, so you can trust us for prompt and professional service. We are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and 365 days a year, so our certified tow truck operators can be there for you anytime, any day! Request free estimates, anytime.

3 Vital Tips for Towing a Camper This Summer

Posted on July 17, 2018 by Zores

Summer is a time for family vacations. And although many families are catching planes and trains, road trips are still a popular and traditional way for families to travel together! If a long distance road trip is part of the plan for your family vacation this summer, it is likely that you will be hauling a camper along with all your vacation supplies. Just be sure you remember how to tow a camper, safely.

Continue reading to review the top three safety tips for towing a camper.

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❶ Adhere to Weight Capacity

It is vital to know and understand the weight capacity of your vehicle in order to prevent damage to your vehicles, as well as, serious accidents. Your camper should come with an owners’ manual that will tell you the total weight of the vehicle you are planning to tow. With this number in mind, compare it to the weight of the vehicle doing the towing. Generally speaking, the heavier your vehicle is, the larger the load it can haul. In contrast, if you have a lighter vehicle, it will only be able to haul light loads.

❷ Use Proper Distribution

Not only does your load weight need to be an appropriate match to your vehicle’s towing capacity, it is vital to evenly distribute the weight in both vehicles. It is common practice for travelers to pack up their vehicles with luggage and supplies for their vacation, as well as their camper or RV. This is perfectly safe and acceptable so long as the weight ratios remain similar in both vehicles. Packing too much in the camper can outweigh the vehicle towing it, which can lead to distress on the hitch and the vehicle doing the hauling.

❸ Use the Proper Towing Hitch

It is crucial to use the right towing hitch for the type of towing you need to do. Your towing hitch set up should be able to hold the total trailer weight of the camper. A stabilizer bar is another tool that can greatly reduce the chances of swaying and swerving on the road. It is highly recommended to use a stabilizer bar along with your tow hitch to ensure a safe and secure ride. Once you have the right hitch, it is helpful to simply back the vehicle up to the front of the camper. The towing ball should be set directly underneath the hitch so that you can lower the hitch over the ball and complete all the necessary connections.

Professional Long-Distance Towing

Zore’s Towing Indianapolis 317-247-8484

Call Zore’s Towing at 317-247-8484 for professional Indianapolis towing service you can trust. Our licensed and insured tow truck operators provide 24 hour wrecker and towing services, including light duty tows, heavy duty tows, long distance tows, roadside assistance, and more. Request a free estimate or emergency service, anytime!

RV Towing Tips You Need to Know

Posted on June 19, 2017 by Zores

Summer is the most popular season for road trips. And why not? The weather is great, the roads are clear, and the list of possible outdoor activities is seemingly endless. If you are planning a road trip this summer with your beloved recreational vehicle, it is important to review some helpful tips for safe RV towing. Whether you are pulling your camper with your vehicle, or pulling a vehicle with your RV, having the proper knowledge will make the process easier for you. Continue reading to catch up on some important information about safe RV and camper towing.

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Safe RV and Camper Towing

The first aspect to address is proper securing. If an RV is not properly secure to the towing vehicle, the outcome could be extremely dangerous, and potentially fatal. Start by ensuring that all of the cargo inside the camper are properly secured so that they will not move around while on the road.

Weight is another important aspect to address. Not only do you need to ensure that the cargo in your RV does not exceed the towing weight capacity, you must also ensure that the cargo weight is evenly distributed throughout the RV. This improves safety, security, and fuel efficiency.

The owners’ manuals for both your towing vehicle and your RV should always play an important part of your preparing for a trip. You must follow the weight restrictions and capacities of both vehicles in order to ensure proper transportation. If you have misplaced an owners’ manual, you can contact the manufacturer and request a new one, or you can simply download a free manual online.

One of the most critical parts to towing an RV is having the proper gear, and making sure that all your gear is in good condition. This includes matching the proper hitch, hitch receiver, ball hitch, coupler, electrical hookups, safety chains, and more. Always check your lights to ensure they are in sync with your towing vehicle’s brakes.

Long Distance Towing

If you own a large recreational vehicle that you need transported over a long distance, and you cannot transport it yourself, contact a trusted Indianapolis towing company for safe, long-distance tow truck services. Many tow truck companies offer long distance and heavy equipment transport. They can transport and deliver your vehicle wherever you like!

Indianapolis Towing Services

Zore’s Towing Indianapolis 317-247-8484

Call Zore’s Towing at 317-247-8484 for affordable towing services in Indianapolis, Indiana. We will transport your heavy equipment anywhere in the United States at the most competitive price. We haul anything, from semi’s and buses, to duplex homes, mobile homes, cranes, construction equipment, farming equipment, vehicles, and more. Call 317-247-8484 to request a free estimate for Indianapolis towing services, today.

Safety Tips for Towing an RV or Camper This Spring

Posted on March 19, 2013 by Zores

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If you are planning a cross-country trip, or even a smaller scale of one, consider catching up on some safety tips for towing and RV or camper through Indiana before your journey begins. Recreational vehicles are a prized possession to certainly be proud of; but maintaining the safety of the camper, other drivers, and everyone on board is priority. Keep reading to peruse some tips on how to tow a camper safely through Indiana this spring and summer.

RV Towing Tips

The first thing you want to do when planning to tow a camper or recreational vehicle with your car or truck, is locate the towers manual it came with at the time of purchase. Every camper or RV should have a manual that retains information about towing rate, weight ratios, and procedures. If you cannot locate this, contact the manufacturer for a copy. Knowing the towing rate is imperative to hauling a camper or RV with your vehicle. If the load in the camper is heavier than your vehicle, it will not be able to sustain the haul. The manual also explains the proper hitch and tow procedures for your make and model camper.

Following the manufacturer’s instructions is vital to towing your RV safely. Another important area to check is your luggage and load items. Be sure everything is secure and in place within the camper and securely attached to your vehicle. This is to avoid items falling out of your camper and endangering other drivers. You also do not want to lose your luggage. It is also necessary to make sure all the items within your RV or camper is evenly distributed so it is all balanced. This puts less stress on the vehicle pulling the haul.

Be sure to have the correct hitch for your tow. It is a good idea to use a stabilizer bar as well, for a more secure and straight driving. It reduces the risk of swaying on the road. It is advised to seek out professional advice if you cannot locate the owners’ manual for your camper or RV. They can properly identify the make and model of your camper and find the information you need for a safe towing experience.

Zore’s Towing in Indianapolis

Zore’s Towing Indianapolis 317-247-8484

Call Zore’s Towing in Indianapolis, IN for the most accurate and reliable RV towing and camper towing advice around. We are long-term veterans in the wrecker industry; serving Hoosiers for over 80 years! We have been Indy’s towing experts since 1927 and continue to grow in our business. We are happy to answer any questions you have about choosing a proper tow hitch, RV towing, and more! Visit our website at https://www.zorestowing.com, or call us directly at 317-247-8484 today.