Re: Does Anyone Practice Tow First ? ? ? ?

[rreschran]

J Dave passed away nearly 5-years ago. Just wondering if anyone practices Tow First anymore?       R.

[fenderbendr6]

Always! We do no roadside repairs or tire changes unless the vehicle is in a garage or driveway. Even then, we suggest that towing is usually the best option.

[yoBdaBenO]

WE have not changed tires or provided any services on roadways over 45mph for years now. The risk is far too high and we tow vehicle first. We take them to a tire repair or change it at a safer location. I had though everyone would be doing this now. But, I still see roadside assistance vehicles in the Danger Zone.

[ESC]

We stopped doing tire changes a few years back.  We tow them to our shop or the shop of their choice.   We will have the vehicle pulled in our shop and have a mechanic repair the tire or install the spare.

 

Far too many hassles changing tires over the years.   Spare tires buried in the trunk under all sorts of crap.  Locking lugs with no removal tool.  Spare tire winch mechanisms that are jammed up, and those stupid GM safety latches that dont work.   No more for me.  Im over it.  Not to mention the safety aspect that is even far more important.

[rreschran]

As read in one of California’s FSP manuals it states:

 

“An operator is allowed to spend no more than ten minutes (10) attempting to mobilize the vehicle. If the necessary service or tire change takes longer, the operator shall tow the vehicle  off-the-highway to an approved drop-off location and complete the service.”

 

How long does it take to change a driver-side flat-tire of a new Denali Suburban, loaded with the vehicle's driver and four soccer players, all their stuff, find the spare, remove the spare, jack it up, change the tire, and then do it all in reverse? As ESC suggests, there's too many safety factors to understand when "time of the essence" is a lifesaving thing. I back his statement up having archived thirty-five towers killed changing tires on the highway ... all for the price of a service call. To me it doesn't make sense.      R.

 

 

[Derlyn Z]

We hardly do any tire changes along the road either. Sometimes if they request it, and they are in a parking lot or something like that we usually will do it for them.