How To Tow A Car Without Wheels With Ease In 2022

It is possible to tow a car even when there are no wheels on it. However, before you can do that, you must adopt certain measures or strategies. For example, the best way to tow a car without any wheels on is by pulling it along the ground with the aid of a winch.

Also, you can pull the car into a trailer thereby making it possible to transport it with all its wheels off the ground. Notably, however, this procedure is both strenuous and dangerous too and as such, it should only be tried by professionals.

To tow a car without any wheels on, you need to execute some steps in a specific order.

Step 1

You should start by placing the end of the cable strap on a large tree base. Should there be no tree around, you may wrap the cable around a large post that is supported by rebar and heavy cement pavers which are buried as deep as 4 feet into the ground.

Also, you should place the cable strap as close to the ground as you can get it.

Step 2

Next, you should endeavor to pull the clutch lever on the winch upward while at the same time pushing the safety lever down. This will effectively disengage the clutch so that you can unwind the cable.

Step 3

Now, you should screw a large clamp to each of the tow points beneath the front of the vehicle. These two points are made of very heavy steel which is bolted beneath the underside of the vehicle.

Next, pull a heavy chain through both clamps before using one final clamp to hold the edges of the chain securely together 

Step 4

Thereafter, you should attach the cable to the clamp that holds the ends of the chain together. 

Step 5

Now, you should create a safety hatch that will guide the cable and prevent it from breaking. Next, clamp a lengthy piece of strap to the place where the chain and cable are attached. Also, you should attach the other end of the strap to a heavy tire placed on the hood of the car.

Step 6

At this stage, you should line up the trailer with the front end of the vehicle. And gently, you should place a sloping board over the metal ramp to the trailer to guard against damage to the bottom of the trailer.

Step 7

Finally, you should get inside the car and shift its transmission into the ‘Neutral’ position. Doing this will effectively assist the wheel rim to turn much easier and also make the dragging procedure faster than would otherwise have been the case.

Throughout this procedure, ensure to protect your hands from injury by using gloves all the time. Position the lever on the winch such that it will drag the vehicle forward. This procedure may require more than one person to accomplish.

Now, slowly, you should pull the vehicle forward until it is completely inside the trailer, using which you can transport it to any destination.

Is it hard to towing a car without wheels?

Yes, it is difficult to tow a car when it has no wheels on it. However, it can be done safely, but you must be sure to do it right by following all the laid down rules for doing it safely.

If you are transporting it on the flatbed of a tow trailer, make sure that you get a trailer that can effectively cope with the weight of the car body shell to be towed. Secondly, if you are using a tow dolly, make sure that you get the correct dolly that can withstand the weight of the towed vehicle, as well as make sure to hitch the dolly to the tow trailer correctly too.

Finally, drive within the permitted speed limits for towing and also make sure that your brakes, tires, mirrors, and all vehicle lights are working perfectly too.

What do I need to tow a car without wheels?

First and foremost, you need a winch to tow a car without wheels which will enable you to pull it along the ground. Secondly, you may also need a trailer in which you can transport the car with all its tires off the ground.

If you are using a tow dolly that tows by raising the front wheels off the ground, then, you require the tow dolly as well. Sometimes, you may require what is commonly referred to as a ‘guniwheel’ to enable you to tow a vehicle with either damaged or missing wheels.

A guniwheel is a sort of universal bolt and lug pattern or design meant specifically for towing or moving a car without wheels. Fortunately, these wheels are compatible with most types of trucks, cars, and SUVs.

Although they are mostly used by towing companies, individuals can still use them for this purpose too, as long as they are mounted correctly.

Is towing a car without wheels safe?

Certainly, towing a car without wheels is safe as long as you go about it with the correct equipment and properly too. However, this does not in any way imply that doing it is easy or that it is not replete with risks.

In addition, you should also make sure that whenever you are towing any vehicle with or without wheels, the lights and brakes should be working properly. Also, your mirrors should be in a good position and clean too. Do not drive at speeds exceeding that which is permitted by the manufacturers.

Will towing a car without wheels affect my car?

No, towing your car without wheels will not affect or damage your car as long as you execute the process just like you should. Nevertheless, it is strongly recommended that you use only trucks and tow dollies that are certain to cope with the weight of the car to be towed.

Additionally, in the course of towing the car, you must ensure that all the recommendations of the manufacturers for safe towing are obeyed to the fullest. If these conditions are adhered to, then towing your car without wheels will most likely not affect your car.

FAQs

(1). How do you move a car body shell?

There are different ways people move the body shells of their cars safely. Some of these methods for moving the body shell of a car may require pieces of equipment like fully adjustable jack stands, engine chains for hoisting the body of the car just like you do with vehicle engines too.

There are also special dollies that can be used effectively in moving car body shells, although their iron wheels make them difficult to move particularly if they are not lubricated. Other methods of moving car body shells involve using a big jack beneath the cross member or with the aid of a saw.

When the weight of the car is significantly reduced, it becomes lighter and hence easier to lower onto a tow dolly or creeper, but you must ascertain the capacity of the creeper before you apply it. When using a creeper, it is easier if you use 2 jacks, one in the front and the second at the rear.

In this case, 2 people can effectively move and guide the body shell onto the creeper easily. It is also possible to use a 4-inch long furniture dolly and a couple of boards in moving a car body shell. In this method, the boards are cut into approximately 4 × 4 × 8 inches, and 4-inches long.

Thereafter, while the car is on the jack stands, position the tow dolly such that it is under the car at both its front and rear.  However, when lowering the car onto the dolly, it should be done very gently. 

In general, the best method of moving a car body shell is to make it lighter by stripping out some of its heavy parts, after which it becomes easy to move in whatever way you choose. These parts are the engine, transmission, doors, windshield, hatch, hood, suspension, and so on. The 

(2). How do you tow a car with broken ball joints?

It is regarded as very tough to tow a car with a broken ball joint. Specifically,  the axle of the car can be pulled from the transmission and the loosened wheel can destroy the fender or bend a tie rod, or damaged even all three parts.  For this reason, you are advised to be very careful when towing a car with a broken ball joint.

As result, it is very common to tow such cars with the help of the flatbed of a tow truck or trailer. Additionally, you can also use a suitable tow dolly, especially for broken front wheel ball joints by raising the front tires off the ground.

Conclusion – How To Tow A Car Without Wheels

It may be difficult to tow a car without wheels. All the same, it can be safely and satisfactorily done if you go about it diligently and with the correct pieces of equipment like a tow dolly or the flatbed of a tow truck.

However, you should always make sure that you get compatible equipment with the weight of the car body that needs to be moved.