What to Do If My Car Breaks Down on the Highway

December 6, 2021 By WebGuy

Nothing puts a damper on your day, like your car breaking down on the highway. It can be an aggravating and anxiety-inducing experience. Fortunately, by following a few simple steps, you can ensure you and your car stay safe. Below we will talk about what to do if your car breaks down on the highway and one of the best car towing services to call in Raleigh, Unlimited Recovery.

Six Safety Steps for a Roadside Breakdown

Although your car breaking down on the highway can be frustrating and sometimes scary, here are six steps to take to help you handle the situation.

Move Car. Try your best to get your vehicle off the road and a reasonable distance from the roadway. It is essential to remain visible but minimize the risk of someone hitting you or your car.

Stop Somewhere Safe. Pull off the road somewhere where you feel safe. But, if your car is smoking or smells odd, get out of the vehicle immediately. If it is nighttime, stay in the car and lock the doors.

Car Emergency Kit. Put together a car emergency kit (or buy one). The kit should include:

Jumper cables
Tool kit or a multipurpose utility tool
Flashlight and extra batteries
Reflective triangles or flares to make your vehicle more visible
Reflective vest to make you more visible
Fire extinguisher
First aid kit
Nonperishable, high-energy foods, such as unsalted nuts, dried fruits, and hard candy
Drinking water
Car charger for your cell phone
Duct tape
Rain poncho
Cold weather items: snow brush, shovel, windshield washer fluid, warm clothing, cat litter for traction, and blankets

Be Mindful. If you need to exit your vehicle, take caution as other motorists may not see you well. Stand off the road, if possible.

Call for Help. Contact friends and family to let them know the situation and where you are. After that, call a car towing company to come out to help you.

Plan for the Future. If you experience a breakdown, plan to be better prepared for the future if you missed things you needed the last time.

By being prepared, thinking calmly, and taking the proper steps, you can stay safe even in a frightening situation and get back on the road in no time.

Unlimited Recovery & Towing

If your vehicle needs to be towed to a shop or back to your home, you will want to find a reliable car towing service. In Raleigh, an excellent choice is Unlimited Recovery & Towing. We have a fleet of light-duty trucks with state-of-the-art wheel lift systems designed to haul all types of cars, including 4-wheel drive and specialty vehicles. We also offer roadside service for dead batteries, empty gas tanks, and flat tires. Keep our number 919-790-9393 on your phone and give us a call when you need help.

Different Types Of Towing Services

March 8, 2021 By WebGuy

When looking for tow services in Raleigh, it is essential to understand what is being offered and what you need. There are various types of towing services that provide different things. Here are some of the most common towing services offered.

Types of Tow Services

Flatbed Towing Services

Flatbed towing services utilize a flatbed truck. This truck has a hydraulic system that allows it to move up and down. It is one of the most popular towing methods because it offers safety and optimal functionality.

Once the hydraulic system tilts the bed to the ground, the vehicle is attached to an anchor. It is then steadily pulled to the rear of the tow truck’s bed. These towing services work the best for heavy-duty vehicles, cars, and trucks.

The best part about flatbed tow services is that you can tow your vehicle over a great distance. The car is under less stress and will not sustain damage while transported in this way.

Light And Medium-Duty Towing

Almost all towing service companies deal with light and medium-duty towing. These terms refer to lightweight vehicles. Such services include lockout, jumpstarts, towing, and other emergency roadside services.

If your vehicle is in an accident or runs out of gas, this is the service to call. These services are for vans, bikes, small trucks, and cars.

Wheel-Lift Towing

Wheel-lift towing services are best utilized for small, lightweight vehicles. The trucks that offer these towing services have a hydraulic boom with tow bars. The bars are placed under the back wheels of the car.

The car is lifted in the air with two of the wheels on the ground. These services are ideal for when you want to tow a vehicle for a short distance. If your car is stuck in a small space, this service is perfect for accessing tight areas.

Ultimate Recovery and Towing

If you need tow services in Raleigh, feel free to get in touch with us. Unlimited Recovery and Towing has provided these services for a long time and ensures your vehicles’ quick recovery. You can contact us at 919-790-9393 for more information on the towing services that we offer.

Times to Go Ahead and Just Pull Your Car Over

January 8, 2018 By WebGuy

The last thing that any driver wants is to have something go wrong with their car while they’re driving, but it’s an issue that does happen. While a smoking engine will mean that you have no choice but to pull over, that isn’t the only issue that should make you think about stopping your car. In this article, we’ll take a look at some of those problems, so that next time you’re on the road, and you notice one of the following, you’ll know it’s time to pull over and call roadside emergency towing.

When Your Check Engine Light Starts Flashing

When your check engine light comes on, you need to pull over to find out what’s wrong- it’s as simple as that. Many of us are guilty of just ignoring the light, but it’s there for a reason. Sure, it could be a tiny issue like a loose gas cap coming off, but even then, it’s a problem that needs to be resolved before it’s safe for you to drive.

When You Notice a Change in Handling

Most drivers get to know how their vehicle handles exceptionally well, so you’ll almost certainly notice even the slightest change. If your steering wheel starts to feel different, or if it starts shaking, then your best bet is to stop the car and see if something’s up. A change in handling can be caused by the road surface conditions, but it could also point to a serious problem, like a flat tire or loose wheel. If that’s the case, then you’ll need roadside emergency towing.

When You Hear a Loud Noise From Under the Hood

If you suddenly hear a loud noise that seems to come from your car while driving, then it’s best to be on the safe side and pull over. It might well be that you’ve driven over some trash on the road, but it could just as easily point toward a serious issue with your engine. It’s always better to be safe than sorry, so be sure to pull over at the side of the road, pop the hood open, and check if there’s anything amiss. If there is, then don’t carry on driving with a defect in your car- instead, call the experts to bring your car in for a service.

When in need of roadside emergency towing, contact Unlimited Recovery at 919-790-9393.

I’m Going To Tow My Own Car – Not

December 4, 2017 By WebGuy

If you ever have a breakdown or have an accident, the idea of not using a car towing service might pop into your head. While it may sound like a good idea at first, it probably isn’t. Towing a vehicle using a ball hitch is unsafe and could cause injury to yourself or others.

Here are four reasons you don’t want to tow a car using another car.

Vehicle Towing Capability

Every vehicle has an amount of weight it can pull without issue. Many people who have trailer hitches assume that they can tow a car, but that isn’t necessarily true. A variety of incidents can occur when you pull something more massive than your car’s tow vehicle rating. Too much weight on the tires can result in blowouts. Going up a hill can result in an overheated transmission. Too much pressure on the frame can result in a broken suspension, and when you need to stop your brakes may not be able to handle the additional load.

Legality of Self Towing

Many states require towing companies to get licenses and insurance to be able to operate. You don’t have any of that. In addition to that, towing in many states requires safety chains, proper tail lighting, and sometimes warning lights. Visibility requirements might also be spelled out in the law and towing a car might violate that.

Braking System

Tow trucks are specifically designed to have exceptional braking capabilities due to the extra load they are pulling. Your car isn’t designed or equipped with that. Without the enhanced braking system you may be unable to stop, or the car you are towing could collide with you. Having a proper braking system while pulling is essential.

Liability for Car Towing

When you are towing a car, you are responsible for everything that happens. If you damage someone else’s car, you may be found at fault. In addition to that, many insurance companies will not cover liability when towing a car is done by anything other than a professional service. You don’t want to end up footing the bill.

Instead of using your car to tow a car, start by calling your insurance company. Some insurance plans include car towing service, as does AAA. If that fails, call a recovery company such as Unlimited Recovery. They can help you get your car where it needs to go, in one piece at a reasonable price. Call 919-790-9393.

Commercial Towing vs. Light-Duty Towing

August 7, 2017 By WebGuy

When it comes to towing, there are two scales; commercial towing and light-duty towing. Commercial towing is different from the lightweight towing. Commercial towing handles large scale towing projects that include heavy machinery, vehicles, and equipment. In general, due to obvious reasons, commercial towing is more expensive than the lightweight towing tasks.

Different Equipment

Lightweight towing involves handling relatively smaller vehicles such as passenger cars, SUVs, and small trucks. The equipment needed in lightweight towing is less complicated and less expensive. When it comes to commercial towing, however, it requires powerful machinery that can handle large amounts of weight.

Different Skills

Compared to lightweight towing tasks, commercial towing demands a unique set of expertise from the operators. Every operator who handles commercial towing should possess an excellent knowledge of the functionality of the heavy engines and the specific connectivity strategies. Commercial towing industry demands highly skilled and experienced operators to handle their tasks.

Insurance Coverage

The cost of potential damages during a commercial towing job is much higher than with a light towing project. Since commercial towers handle large expensive machinery, the insurance coverage should be comprehensive enough to cover the costs that may incur during the towing process. In addition to the cargo, the insurance policy should cover any damages to the towing equipment and vehicles too.

Support Network

In general, lightweight towing involves short distance traveling; probably from one neighborhood to the other. The complexity of the overall task, therefore, is significantly less compared to commercial towing. When it comes to commercial towing, the job might demand traveling long distances. The towing vehicle may have to originate from a distant location to the venue and haul farther.

Tasks involved in commercial towing processes are as follows

Towing of heavy duty vehicles and machinery
Recovery of large commercial vehicles
Heavy hauling tasks of specific types
Towing items like backhoe loaders, front loaders, excavators, dump trucks, etc.

Now that you know commercial towing demands special skills, it is always good to hire an experienced, skilled and renowned vendor to carry out such tasks.

Contact Unlimited Recovery at 919-790-9393 for all your towing needs.