does anyone know the dos-and-don'ts about pulling other peoples cars out of the snow banks.. I can have problems on the small uni-body cars... if you gotta pull them backwards they rarely have a good place to hook up to.. the last one i pulled out i just put my tow strap through the back wheel's rim.. for the front i often consider the drive axle's as compared to any smaller linkage.. how about a piece like the A-frame or something close to that.. let me know if any one has some good experience with pulling out small cars..

 

Have a good tow strap hook to the axle.
Have the owner/driver hook up the strap to their car you are less liable at this point.
Be careful if you do damage to there car you could be liable for any repairs.

 

Hook it to their bumper!......

 

After helping out a real ******* one time who tried to blame me for his loose bumper (I had hooked my tow strap to the A-frame, not the bumper), the first thing I do now when I pull someone out is have them write a quick note with a signature saying that I'm not responsible for any damage. If they won't do that, I go along my merry way and let them wait for a tow truck. It's a sad state of affairs when you go out of your way to help people out and they try to screw you over, but that's the world we live in....

That said, when pulling a unibody vehicle out, since they don't have a frame I always try to hook up to the next best thing, part of the suspension. A-frames work well. I've wrapped around a motor mount and that was good. The main thing is to just look for the strongest, beefiest chunk of iron you can find and get wrapped around. Don't wrap around a shock, they're not even close to strong enough. And don't use bumpers. On older vehicles they used to be solid, but on newer cars they're little more than decorative pieces...

If you have a chain, you can use pretty much anything. If you have a nylon tow strap like I carry, you need to be careful to not wrap around anything that's too hot.

But definitely get them to write something down releasing you from any liability. If they're not willing to do that, leave them there and let them wait and pay for a pro. (Anyone who won't write you that note is exactly the type of ******* that will have you in court a month later for a problem you had nothing to do with....)

 

Also remember to pull out slowly. Not gun the engine. Give the strap/chain time to adjust to the weight.
+1 on the note of liabilty.
Nah hydra! just wrap the chain/strap around the A pillars through the windows!
So Sum, was she hot? The one you pulled out?

 

lmmfao

 

lol.. yeah she was.. the snow was so deep (23") that i ended up having to pull her 6 blocks before we got to a road that was drivable... The D was one of the few things moving that day..

 

I was going to say she must have been......LMAO


Should have asked her for a name and number so you could cash in your Christmas present she owes you now!

 

I usually just drive by and wave.

I don't want the responsibility.

Unless the person stuck is a chick, and incredibly hot

 

The idiot I got mine from used the safety loops on the hitch to jerk people out and ripped them open :| He was kinda proud of the fact.... Good thing the truck was cheap.

Probably part of my current trans issues as well. Put your hitch in the receiver if you dont have tow hooks but dont use the safety loops, or use a frame notch. Also like previously stated, go slowly.