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Car Forum / Chevrolet / Chevrolet Trucks / December 2006towing specifications for 2006 Silverado 4x4
I have a segregated parking spot at my apartment complex because of the size of my pickup. It won't fit under the car ports, and there are a few parallel curb spots in our parking area for this reason. Recently, our parking areas were "seal coated." Some of the curbside parking spots indicator lines were not repainted afterward because the seal coating wasn't dry enough at the time. Three months later, after promising to have it done, management still hasn't gotten them repainted. We have a very congested parking area. Even if all that were parked here were small and mid-sized vehicles, I can fully understand agitation of those residents which may not be so adept at parking in tight spots. Anyway, I've been parking in this same spot since I bought the new truck in May this year. And this started before the parking lot was seal coated. One resident complained about having trouble parking because of where I was parking, and we were able to resolve the issue without apparent lingering problem. On Thanksgiving day, expecting to leave for Thanksgiving dinner at friends but having a terrible headache, I got dressed early to leave the house for some headache medicine. When I opened my front door I nearly had a heart attack to see that my pickup had been turned fully 180 degrees around from the way I park it, and was also several feet from the curb. Maybe five feet. My brain and heart were racing so bad about this that my headache turned into a severe migraine type headache as I tried to imagine what could have happened. Without going into a much longer story, I started to talk to neighbors who saw a tow truck hooking up to the back end of my 4x4 Silverado and tow it away, then later bring it back and leave it where I found it. I have not found out the reasons for any of this yet, but one neighbor suggested they took the wrong pickup and hadn't realized it right away. I cannot adequately describe the feelings I had about all this. It was pouring down rain, as it has been doing for several days here, and I could not get underneath it to check if there were any damage to the new dual exhaust I'd just put on it, and I was so sick because of it all, I missed Thanksgiving dinner too. Not to mention being afraid to even drive it. I took pictures of the position of the truck. It's front wheels were turned to about 30 degrees. They would have been straight when I parked it. It was also left in auto four wheel drive by me, as I'd been driving it in that range due to the street water collection here. It was still in that range when I drove it to the store to get medicine for my headache. I did not hear or feel any noticable difference when I drove that short distance, and thats all I've driven it. My concern is that with todays astounding incompetence levels that some $8 and hour tow truck driver may have really damaged this vehicle by towing it improperly. Wouldn't they have had to disconnect the transfer case at least, if leaving the front wheels on the ground and towing from the rear? Wouldn't they have had to get inside the vehicle to take it out of gear? It was still locked when I went to use it. Would they have used an air bag to pry open the door far enough to get inside? I called the tow truck company apparently under contract with our apartment management, not knowing what arrangement they might have, and they denied towing it. I semi-bluffed them and told them that three residents told me they saw them tow it away. That got me a very nervous towing manager who would not shut up long enough to answer my questions, but promised to call me back yesterday after he talked to the driver on duty at 5pm. He did not call back. I don't know where to go from here. My instinct tells me to take it to an auto body expert or frame and axel expert to get checked out, and send the bill to either my apartment management or the towing company, OR go see a lawyer first. What do you think? What possible damage could have occured to the front or rear end of this truck? This was a very stressful event. I would be hard pressed myself to imagine what someone would have gone through if they had told me what they felt like. This is a $35,000 truck and I worked very hard to get it. I have not had a new vehicle for 30 years until now. Thanks for reading. Dennis You are making a mountain our of a mole hill. I doubt anything was hurt and the truth be known if you are worried about damage you are more likley to hurt it driving in 4x4 on paved streets flooed or dry than them towing it. I see way you have headaches, you worry to much about things that are not simply worth it. Lighten up before you give yourself a stoke over this. ----------------- TheSnoMan.com > You are making a mountain our of a mole hill. I doubt anything was > hurt and the truth be known if you are worried about damage you are [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > ----------------- > TheSnoMan.com You may be right, and I appreciate your concern. But I am not a rich man, and as I said, I worked long and hard to get this awesome pickup, and I work long and hard to try to keep it maintained properly. It was a big investment for me, and I hope to be able to depend on it for many years. I certainly need to be able to. It just makes my heart sick to wonder what might have happened to it, almost like the cumulative affects on an abused child might have consequence, later. How likely it may be that it wasn't handled properly. That the tow truck driver might not even have realized this was a 4x4. It's not marked that way on the outside. I said "might not." I don't have any idea how these guys are trained. I don't have any idea myself about how this truck might have to be prepared for towing in the method I mentioned. Though I would like to know if anyone knows. Dennis > I called the tow truck company apparently under contract with our > apartment management, not knowing what arrangement they might have, and > they denied towing it. Contact an attorney if it pleases you. I'd hold the apartment management liable; they are responsible for their contract employees. Of course, you will most likely be evicted sometime in the near future if you do proceed. >> I called the tow truck company apparently under contract with our >> apartment management, not knowing what arrangement they might have, and [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > Of course, you will most likely be evicted sometime in the near future if > you do proceed. It may not have been the apartment management at all. It could have been a repo company that hooked up to the wrong truck! Ron >>> I called the tow truck company apparently under contract with our >>> apartment management, not knowing what arrangement they might have, and [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > > Ron The apartment management also brought this up. With what knowledge I have have of repo artists, they probably wouldn't use a tow truck. I mean, they'd most likely have a key and just drive it away, rather than pay an outside tow company who could end up liable. >>>> I called the tow truck company apparently under contract with our >>>> apartment management, not knowing what arrangement they might have, [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > mean, they'd most likely have a key and just drive it away, rather than > pay an outside tow company who could end up liable. The repo guys I know don't contract with anyone. They have there own tow rigs. Some of them are VERY unique. Like a Caddy with a folding wheel lift and hydraulic suspension in the trunk. Or the "old beat up tow rig" that is in fact a new wrecker that they beat with hammers and bats and painted in a few shades of rust as camo. They sometimes have keys but don't need them most of the time. They also have normal flatbeds and a couple trailers. When they do a snag and go they will go in drop the wheel lift and tow the vehicle a little ways to the flatbed and load it up. From the way you describe it I would bet they grabbed it and cut a key then realized it was the wrong vehicle they grabbed and brought it back. That would have been grand theft since they are only authorized to bring in the correct vehicles. I would talk to the insurance man and tell them that you at minimum want a new ignition and locks installed on your truck. FREE. Push them some.  SignatureSteve W. Near Cooperstown, New York >> I called the tow truck company apparently under contract with our >> apartment management, not knowing what arrangement they might have, and [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > Of course, you will most likely be evicted sometime in the near future if > you do proceed. I'm going to call my insurance man first and see what his recommendation might be. As far as your apartment management theory goes, I think you are right. I talked to him today and he said no one gets towed here unless he authorizes it personally, that he hadn't, (authorized on anyone), and told me that he also called the tow company before calling me, and they denied doing it. Then he said he called a previous tow company that was contracted to them to "patrol," the lots and tow away using their own discretion, but who he had also "fired," (at some point in the past). That would explain why the old signs I remember are gone. That sounded fishy to me though because if he'd fired them, I would think it would have had to have been in writing so that it was verifiable. And, he said that that tow company told him that they thought they were still under contract to them! But they denied towing any vehicles Thanksgiving eve. All sounds fishy. If I decided to hold them liable for any legitimate damages, I have to say that they would be making yet another grave error in attempting to retaliate against me in any way. > I have a segregated parking spot at my apartment complex because of the > size of my pickup. It won't fit under the car ports, and there are a [quoted text clipped - 74 lines] > > Dennis I do not know what State you live in, your Rights very by State. Get notarized statements from the neighbors who saw your truck being Towed. Get a detailed description of the Tow Vehicle. Then have someone put your truck on a lift, and check for any damages. If there is any visible damage (it should be) photograph it. Maybe have the people that did the exhaust do it since they should notice anything damaged since their work. From there call your vehicle finance company and make sure they had nothing to do with it. Tell them your truck was towed and returned to you on the date. Make sure it was not a mistake by their contractor. If there is Damage, your vehicle was Illegally towed with out a Privet Property Impound order, a Police Impound Order, or a Repossession Order, the Tower is responsible FOR ANY DAMAGE. Contact your local law enforcement. Repossession agents are supposed to Check Vehicle Id Numbers before doing anything to Recover the vehicle. There are a number of ways your truck could have been towed. There are different ways to Repo it as well. Since your front wheels were turned I would check the Steering wheel lock for damage. Steering Wheels should ALWAYS be tied off when a Vehicle is towed with the front wheels on the ground and the rear wheels in the air. If not The Steering Lock can "Pop" allowing the front wheels to turn, and possible damaging the lock pin or plate. If your truck was towed with Wheel Dollies under the front, even in 4WD Low Range there will be NO Damage to the transfer case, or front drive line. If your Truck was towed with The Rear Wheels hanging Free via a Sling, as long as the transmission was in Neutral there will be no damage even if the front axle drive was engaged, with the wheels on the ground, except to maybe the Steering lock plate or pin. If your transmission was in neutral with the transfer case in 4WD and the Rear Wheels were blocked (Wheel Lift) if the rear wheels rotated, there should be noticeable wear on the rear wheels. I'm not positive on this. Your axle may unlock when the ignition is turned off since it gets the lock/unlock via electrical signal. If your front axle unlocks with key off, then no drive line damage would occur. As for Unlocking the doors, there are a few ways to do so. One is with a Wedge (inflatable bag, or solid plastic) and a long rod (a.k.a. "pink tool" or "Pink Rod"). This is done by spreading the door from the body enough to allow the the to get past the seal and with pull the door handle (ford) get the slider (older GM's with non-power), or hit the unlock switch (most vehicles past 95). There are Key Picks (shaped like keys) used to fool a lock. There are Master Keys that will open most of the locks for a given year set. Then you have Old Style lock picks (takes expert skills), other types of unlock tools such as under glass rods. Not to mention if it's a Repo, getting keys made from the VIN at a GM dealer. I am a Tow-man, as well as a Repo Man. While I no longer do either as my main source of income, I try to do enough to keep my skills up. I have Repossessed cars & trucks with every thing that will tow. From using a Tow Bar on a old Pick Up (old U-haul chain & clap on unit), to a car dolly, to a car trailer, to old Boom only Wreckers, to Wheel Lift only Wreckers, to Flat Bed Wreckers, even a old Repo truck with a Chain Stinger. A Chain Stinger is similar to a hydraulic wheel lift in all aspects of extending and and swivel. Yet instead of a wheel lift bar, it uses the same type Chain bar as a Wrecker Sling. When it comes to Repossession Agents there are a few types: The untrained keys only people. The High and Mighty never driven a Wrecker doing regular tows people. Then you have Real Wrecker Drivers that are Tow-men that know how to do damage free Vehicle recovery. Unlike auto & truck repair, there is not any special schools on can go to for learning the trade. Their are classes like Wrecker Master, yet they are only open to people already with Wrecker Knowledge. Basically it's all on-the-job training and skills people have learned. I would say as many as 40% of the people I have seen doing Repo's and just driving a Tow Truck have NO Business doing so. Yet in the state I live in, the legal requirements are insurance, a valid license and the tow vehicle being legal. Charles Bendig |
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