Flat towing a vehicle could seem easy but any mistake with it could ruin the transmission and other parts of the vehicle.
That is why many car owners and some enthusiasts makes thorough research about their vehicles before they are flat towed. Do you own a Honda HRV and you want to know if it could be flat towed? You are in the right place.
One of the important things that you should consider when you want to flat-pull a car is a transmission. A rear-wheel or four-wheel car with manual transmission can be flat towed and there won’t be an issue. In this instance, the Honda HRV is a manual transmission car.
This makes it possible for the car to be flat towed. Keep reading for more information.
Read Also: How To Tow BMW X3
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Procedure for flat towing a Honda HRV
Though it is possible to flat-pull Honda HRV, there are some procedures that you must follow. The truth is you might be breaking the law if you are not careful when you want to flat-pull a car. Below are the steps you should follow when you want to flat-pull a Honda HRV.
Braking is important
In most parts of the world, it is illegal for you to drive or pull a car without an effective braking system. Before you begin to flat-pull your Honda HRV, you should ensure that the brake is functioning optimally. In a situation where you have issues with the brake, you can install a supplemental brake.
Know the legislation of the state
The maximum weight of a car that could be flat towed differs from one state to another. Therefore, before you call the towing company to come to pull your Honda HRV, you should first check the law about towing in your location.
For instance, towing any object with a weight that exceeds 1200 lbs is illegal. You can check the manual of your car for more information.
Call the towing company
Once you are sure that your Honda HRV can be flat towed and you are not breaking any law in the state, you can then call a towing company. Though you can make use of friends and family to pull your car, this is, however, not advisable.
This is because you have to get a towing vehicle that can move your car without any risk. It is recommended that you call a professional towing company. Once the truck arrives, you should do all the preliminaries that will ensure that the towing doesn’t go wrong.
Put the car in tow mode
Since the tires of the Honda HRV will be rolling on the floor, you have to put the vehicle in pull mode. You need to do so to avoid ruining the transmission of the vehicle and prevent other potential damages.
If you do not know how to do this, you should check the manual for proper guidance. Also, you should seek help from a professional mechanic.
Check again
Before you begin to pull the vehicle to your desired destination, you should check what you have done again for you to be sure that you have done the right thing.
You can check the towing strap or rope, the tow bar, the mode of the gear, and other necessary things. If possible, you should also take pictures of the vehicle before you start towing.
Precautions when you are flat towing a Honda HRV
The Honda HRV is a manual transmission vehicle, which implies that the vehicle can be flat towed. However, you need to be careful to avoid ruining the vehicle. The following are some precautions that you should follow when you want to flat-pull a Honda HRV.
Ensure a functioning brake
The brake of the vehicle is important when you are driving or towing it. Before you begin to pull the Honda HRV, you should first ensure that the brake is effective.
In a situation where there is an issue with the brake, you can install a supplemental brake. All you need to do is to hire a professional for the installation and proper guidance.
Read Also: How To Tow A Car With No Brakes
Forward towing
You should know that the wheels will be rolling whenever you flat tow. The implication of this is that there are some things you cannot do. To avoid having issues, it is recommended that you only pull the car forward. Make sure it follows the normal traffic and is behind the towing vehicle.
Do not lock the steering
While some people believe that the steering of the vehicle should be locked when flat towing, many experts believe that this practice could affect the wheels and make them wobble, especially when maneuvering.
It is recommended that you do not lock the steering. About the wheels? Do not worry about them; they will make the turning when needed.
How to choose the best towing company
While the use of family or close associates is cheaper, you should, however, consider the likely things that will happen if things should go wrong.
Nevertheless, with the abundance of towing companies, many people make mistakes when they want to hire one. To avoid falling victim to the wrong towing company, below are some of the steps you can follow when you want to hire one.
Get recommendations
As a car owner, you should be able to ask any of your close associates for any towing company they can vouch for if you need one. You can ask your mechanic or your insurance company. If any of them is satisfied with the service of a towing company, they will easily recommend the company to you.
Alternative sources
If you are unable to get a towing company through recommendation, you can personally search for any reputable one online. This might take a longer duration before you get one and you will have to be patient to avoid being defrauded.
Also, if you do not want the hassle of searching for a towing company anytime you need one, you can register as a member of any of the organizations that render towing services for their members.
The major drawback of this is that the organizations have policies and your request for assistance could be declined if you do not meet their requirement.
Learn from previous clients
Before you settle for any of the companies, it is recommended that you learn from the experience of others.
This means that you should read comments from previous clients about the company. Any customer that is satisfied with the service of the company will have positive things to say and dissatisfied people will have negative comments.
As a general rule, do not consider any company that has many negative comments.
Call the company
The number of companies on your list would have reduced when you are through with reading people’s comments about the company. The next thing you should do is to call the companies one after the other.
Pay close attention to the way the company responds to your inquiry and do not hesitate to ask any questions if you are not satisfied with the response of the company.
While making this inquiry, you should not forget to ask the company about their license and other support legal paperwork, their portfolio, how long they have been doing business in the state, the charges, and other additional services. You can then start ticking your checklist about each company.
Be prepared to answer question
Except in an emergency, it is unlikely that a company will agree to pull your vehicle without asking you some questions. In your interest, it is recommended that you answer the questions truthfully. You will be asked about the type of your car, its model, permit, and other likely questions that could assist the company.
Know your needs
Whenever you are calling a towing company, you should know your specific needs. For instance, you should know the location where you are taking the vehicle, the distance, and other additional services that might be required.
Prepare for the arrival
The towing truck driver might not be interested in spending a longer duration once the truck arrives. Moreover, you could be paying higher than your budget if you do not make some necessary preparations before the arrival of the truck.
If you need video or pictures as evidence, you should take them before the arrival of the truck. Also, you should remove valuable things that you might need from the car.
Verify the details of the company
Do not be in a rush to get your car towed once the towing truck arrives. You should be diligent in verifying the details of the company.
You should compare what you are seeing with the information you have gathered about the company online and while you are speaking with the company. If possible, you should ask for the ID of the driver to ensure that you are dealing with the right person.
Conclusion – Can You Flat Tow A Honda HRV?
The Honda HRV is a manual transmission vehicle, which makes it possible for it to be flat towed without any hassle. Nevertheless, you must be cautious when you are doing this.
