C3 General General C3 Corvette Discussion not covered in Tech
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by:

towing

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Jan 9, 2021 | 02:19 PM
  #1  
jack snap's Avatar
jack snap
Thread Starter
8th Gear
 
Joined: Jan 2021
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
Default towing

Hello everyone first post for me.I HAVE A 1980 Corvette and I am stressing about if i break down what is the proper way of towing my corvette without tearing it apart.also is jacking up one side at a time to do brakes safe to do on the body.
Reply
Old Jan 9, 2021 | 02:50 PM
  #2  
kansas123's Avatar
kansas123
Melting Slicks
15 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Top Answer: 1
 
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 2,810
Likes: 469
From: Wichita Kansas
Default

I would only jack one corner at a time if it were mine.

As far as towing when broke down, if you are doing it yourself, can't help you there. I know that once when I was stranded, the tow was with a system that pulled the car up on a lowboy. That's most of what I see nowadays.
Reply
Old Jan 9, 2021 | 03:12 PM
  #3  
jack snap's Avatar
jack snap
Thread Starter
8th Gear
 
Joined: Jan 2021
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
Default

Thank you for your reply,what part of the car is safe to pull on ya know there is not much you can pull on under there
Reply
Old Jan 9, 2021 | 05:15 PM
  #4  
barkingrats's Avatar
barkingrats
1967 Pedal Car Champion
Supporting Gold
 
Joined: Mar 2020
Posts: 9,035
Likes: 4,179
From: US-PNW
Default

Flatbed truck. Nothing else will transport my cars. Make sure the operator knows not to allow the pull cable to contact the front air dam.

I don't worry about jacking my cars to work on them. If I'm doing brakes where an entire side is raised, position the jack at the midpoint to lift both wheels and place stands at each end. If just jacking to change a wheel I don't worry about twisting the body/frame. All cars are somewhat flexible and this won't hurt them.
Reply
Old Jan 10, 2021 | 08:26 AM
  #5  
C3 4ME's Avatar
C3 4ME
Le Mans Master
20 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 6,247
Likes: 471
From: Glen Allen, VA
Default

There is no reason you can't jack the whole side of the car up. I do it all the time. Just place the jack about midway and like mentioned above, be sure to place jack stands under the frame. The owners manual shows pictures of where they can be placed, but they are in front of the rear wheels, right before the frame kick up and behind the front wheels right where the frame starts to curve inward.
Reply
Old Jan 10, 2021 | 08:54 AM
  #6  
jgilevettes's Avatar
jgilevettes
Burning Brakes
10 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 1,226
Likes: 806
From: Dallas
2022 Corvette of the Year Finalist -- Unmodified
2020 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
Default

Unfortunately this was me a few months back. Would go with nothing but the flatbed and the driver/operator handled things perfectly.


Reply
Old Jan 11, 2021 | 08:53 AM
  #7  
Jebbysan's Avatar
Jebbysan
Dr. Detroit
Supporting Member
10 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 10,095
Likes: 4,026
From: New Braunfels Texas
Default

Those U-Haul trailers are the bomb if you want to get out on the cheap........they are well kept, solid and tow like nothing is there.........I just drug one to PA to pick up a Camaro and drove back with the car on it.......3200 miles overall.......I cruised at about 80 MPH......


Jebby
Reply
Old Jan 11, 2021 | 09:52 AM
  #8  
7T1vette's Avatar
7T1vette
Team Owner
15 Year Member
Community Builder
Community Influencer
Top Answer: 5
 
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,116
From: Crossville TN
Default

Hagerty insurance provides for flatbed towing if you have a break-down. I don't know about the other insurers, but that method is needed, if you have a Corvette.
Reply
Corvette Stories

The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts

story-0

Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!

 Michael S. Palmer
story-1

Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!

 Joe Kucinski
story-2

150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter

 Joe Kucinski
story-3

8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time

 Verdad Gallardo
story-4

Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)

 Joe Kucinski
story-5

Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!

 Verdad Gallardo
story-6

Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!

 Brett Foote
story-7

Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!

 Michael S. Palmer
story-8

10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know

 Joe Kucinski
story-9

5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2

 Michael S. Palmer
Old Jan 11, 2021 | 07:49 PM
  #9  
l82vett's Avatar
l82vett
Racer
 
Joined: Mar 2019
Posts: 327
Likes: 75
From: west mi. / ms. gulf coast
Default

Hagerty insurance will only do that if it is stated in the policy. In other words, did you pay for road side assistance and towing?
Reply
Old Jan 13, 2021 | 02:15 PM
  #10  
69_Shark's Avatar
69_Shark
Burning Brakes
20 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 1,115
Likes: 412
From: Washington State
Default

I've used the uHaul method on my car a few times with great success.
Once I had to get towed home. Used a flatbed similar to above again with great success. I did however clarify when I called that I needed a flatbed and one that can get low enough for a very low car. No car dollies here!

Scott
Reply
Old Jan 13, 2021 | 04:32 PM
  #11  
SwampeastMike's Avatar
SwampeastMike
Melting Slicks
 
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 2,365
Likes: 428
From: Cape Girardeau Missouri
Default

Originally Posted by kansas123
I would only jack one corner at a time if it were mine.

As far as towing when broke down, if you are doing it yourself, can't help you there. I know that once when I was stranded, the tow was with a system that pulled the car up on a lowboy. That's most of what I see nowadays.
How do you jack one corner at a time? With my '79 when I put a jack anywhere on the side frame member between the wheels both wheels rise. According to my shop manual the side frame members between the wheels are the only recommended lifting points. I do use the frame extensions in the nose for jack stands (again per the shop manual) but never for lifting at the manual is specific that these are only for jack stands or similar.

Actually I'd think that raising one full side is less stressful on a frame than trying to raise one corner at a time.
Reply
Old Jan 13, 2021 | 04:34 PM
  #12  
Redvette2's Avatar
Redvette2
Drifting
10 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 1,570
Likes: 485
From: Loud, Raw and Dangerous 1968 327 4S in Southern California
Default

Originally Posted by Jebbysan
Those U-Haul trailers are the bomb if you want to get out on the cheap........they are well kept, solid and tow like nothing is there.........I just drug one to PA to pick up a Camaro and drove back with the car on it.......3200 miles overall.......I cruised at about 80 MPH......Jebby
How do you get the car on this type of U-Haul trailer if it is not running....do they have a winch?
Reply
Old Jan 14, 2021 | 03:55 PM
  #13  
69_Shark's Avatar
69_Shark
Burning Brakes
20 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 1,115
Likes: 412
From: Washington State
Default

Originally Posted by Redvette2
How do you get the car on this type of U-Haul trailer if it is not running....do they have a winch?
When I used a uHaul the car was running. Drove on, Drove off.
My brothers 68 firebird took 5 guys to push up onto a trailer once though! LOL!
Scott
Reply
Old Jan 14, 2021 | 11:36 PM
  #14  
barkingrats's Avatar
barkingrats
1967 Pedal Car Champion
Supporting Gold
 
Joined: Mar 2020
Posts: 9,035
Likes: 4,179
From: US-PNW
Default

Originally Posted by Redvette2
How do you get the car on this type of U-Haul trailer if it is not running....do they have a winch?
To load my non-running '72 onto a U-Haul trailer I merely used a pair of ratcheting come-alongs. Kinda slow but worked fine. Ratchet with one until you run out of cable, attache the second, release the first and repeat.
Reply

Get notified of new replies

To towing





All times are GMT -4. The time now is 08:40 PM.

story-0
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!

Slideshow: How to Protect A Convertible Top: 10 DOs & DON'Ts

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-04-03 00:00:00


VIEW MORE
story-1
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!

Slideshow: The 10 most explosive Corvettes ever built based on power-to-weight ratio.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-20 07:23:03


VIEW MORE
story-2
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter

Slideshow: From C1 to C8 we compare every Corvette generation by the numbers.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-12 16:54:12


VIEW MORE
story-3
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time

Slideshow: Some Corvette pace cars became collectible legends, while others perfectly captured the look and attitude of their era.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-11 09:50:51


VIEW MORE
story-4
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)

Slideshow: Ranking the top 10 Corvette engines by torque output.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-05 11:58:09


VIEW MORE
story-5
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!

Slideshow: A Corvette pace car nearly matching IndyCar speeds sounds exaggerated, until you look at the numbers.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-04 20:03:36


VIEW MORE
story-6
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!

Among a rather large group of them.

By Brett Foote | 2026-05-04 13:56:44


VIEW MORE
story-7
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!

Slideshow: the top 10 things Corvette owners want in the C9 Corvette

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-04-30 12:41:15


VIEW MORE
story-8
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know

Slideshow: 10 Important Corvette 'firsts' that every fan should know.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-04-29 17:02:16


VIEW MORE
story-9
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2

Slideshow: Should you buy a 2020-2026 Corvette or wait for 2027?

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-04-22 10:08:58


VIEW MORE