It’s not every day that drivers wind up getting towed or have to call for professional roadside assistance. Given that, quite a few common misconceptions plague the towing industry. Some of this might have to do with the rage people can feel when their vehicle is towed after they park illegally. On the other hand, towing services should also be remembered for how many times they save the day, since they offer a variety of services that save drivers money, time, and so much more. Keep reading to learn some of the specific misconceptions that drivers, possibly including yourself, have.

Towing Costs Too Much

Towing services aren’t usually overpriced, particularly if those services are being offered by genuine professionals. Towing fees account for most of the expenses involved in maintaining and operating a tow truck. There are two primary factors involved in determining cost. The first is how hard it is to recover the vehicle as measured by level of risk. The second is how much distance is going to be covered during the tow.

A Towing Company Only Does Towing

Most towing companies do plenty of other things besides towing vehicles. They might offer things like jump-starting dead cars, offering vehicle lockout solutions, changing tires, and much more. The phrase of ‘roadside assistance’ can cover quite a few different things, which is good, considering how different reasons there are for vehicles to wind up disabled or stranded on the roadways.

Towing Is Impossible In Rural Areas

A lot of drivers thank that towing services aren’t possible in they’re in a rural area. The fact is that licensed towing experts and teams, like the ones working at Leahy’s Towing, are willing to drive to you wherever you are so they can answer your problems and prayers once you contact them.

 

Do You Know What You Should Do When You Run Out Of Gas All Of The Sudden?

Few situations are more frustrating than when you’re driving down the road and suddenly run out of gas. This unpleasant surprise won’t just ruin your mood but can quickly destroy your whole day. It’s even worse if you’re heading to something that’s important to you and all of the sudden this mishap happens. It’s in circumstances such as these that you need to call a towing service. They can provide you immediate assistance when your vehicle runs out of gas when you’re not close to anything.

Refueling Or Towing Services

If you ever discover that you’re stuck on the side of the road on the way to somewhere, then you should contact reputable towing services available in Harrisburg. Someone in their mobile fleet can get to your spot just as quickly as you contact them, so you’ll at least know you have the peace of mind from knowing help is on the way. You might be thinking that you just want fuel and not to get towed, but most towing services offer refueling options as part of their service package, so you can fire up the engine and drive away on your own after they stop by.

Pull Off The Road

As soon as your car starts running out of gas, the very first thing you should do is to get off the road. It’s best to get onto the shoulder, but if you are in the midst of a highway lane, remain calm. Activate your blinkers or hazard lights to warn others.

Identify The Closest Gas Station

Whether it’s through GPS or Google Maps, finding the closest gas stations isn’t as hard as it used to be. If you can’t contact someone that offers towing services, then try to head to the closest gas station and use a gas container to do your own refueling.

Phone A Friend

If you don’t know about any towing services, it’s okay to phone a friend to come help you. Depending on where you’re stuck, you might need to get creative on how you handle the situation you find yourself in.

Now that you’ve read all of this, you should have a good idea as to the importance of contacting a nearby towing service should your vehicle wind up running out of fuel. Leahy’s Towing is in your Harrisburg neighborhood. It’s not usually a good idea to try and solve this by yourself if you’re in a rural area without help. However, contact a towing service if you are stuck like this, call us.

 

Since a tire has a lifespan of 10 years the United States Department of Transportation recommends that car owners replace the tires on their vehicles every 5 to 6 years in order to stay safe. This applies to all types of vehicles from sedans to vans, trucks to buses, and even farm equipment. However, most car owners are unable to tell exactly how old their tires are. Fortunately, there is a way to check the date when your tires were manufactured according to DOT date codes explained in a guide prepared by our towing experts here at Chicago Towing.

What are DOT Date Codes

DOT date codes appear on all commercially manufactured tires to allow car owners to identify the date on which the tires were manufactured. This information is useful to keep track of a tire’s age in order to know when it is time to have it replaced. Because tires deteriorate naturally over time even when not in use, DOT date codes will allow you to determine how long they had been kept in storage before being installed on your vehicle. This is vital information that will help you decide when it is time to buy a new set of tires. DOT codes also play an important part in the insurance process as it can help identify possible tire malfunction that often leads to accidents.

How to Read DOT Tire Date Codes

DOT tire date codes are imprinted on the side of every commercial tire and contain letters and numbers clearly marked ‘DOT’. The remaining characters contain details of the size of the tire, where they were manufactured, the tire manufacturer’s unique code, and the year and week they were manufactured. The most important numbers are the four digits at the end of the code which denotes the date when the tire was manufactured. For example, a code that reads ‘0812’ means that the tire was manufactured during the 8th week of the year 2012.

How to Make Your Tires Last Longer

It is advisable to have your tires replaced after a period of between 6 and 10 years from the date of manufacture. However, there are certain steps you can take that could help your tires last longer. As extreme weather conditions can have a detrimental effect on tires, we recommend parking your car in a climate-controlled garage if you live in a very hot or cold area. In any event, it is vitally important to regularly carry out visual inspection of your tires for any signs of tread wear, white rubber or hairline sidewall cracks, especially if the tires are more than five years old. At the first signs of wear and tear, you should have your tires replaced as soon as possible and Leahy’s Towing can help you stay on the safe side. Give us a call to see when you can come in for a check.

If you are using an electric car, you already know the many benefits of using it, ranging from low operational costs and good for the environment because it doesn’t release emissions. Because of these and other benefits, more and more electric cars are being produced with improved performance. The demand for electric cars is growing, with many people choosing them over normal cars.

Just like any other type of car, electric cars will have issues once in a while. It is common to find people with electric cars calling towing and roadside assistance in Harrisburg.

You should have a couple of options when it comes to towing service providers so you can call any time you have a problem. You don’t need to have a whole list. You should find a towing company that will be able to help you any time you need it, especially instances where you have no other option. The towing service company you choose should be reliable and dependable.

Running out of battery

You should call roadside assistance if you are driving to somewhere important and the battery of your car runs out. Car makers have done a lot in improving the quality of battery on electric cars over the years, and the batteries are lasting way longer. However, this has not been done in a large scale manner and there are a number of areas you can find a recharge spot for electric cars. When the battery of the car runs out, people have a hard time recharging it.

The Battery Breaks Down

There might be a point when the battery of the car runs out, but this is not as worse as the batteries breaking down. It is much easier to deal with a battery that has run out than one that has broken down. Newer electric cars come with better batteries, but the older electric car batteries tend to decay and break down, and this means they have to be replaced at one point.

Issues with Brakes

Electric cars have brake issues like normal cars. The brakes of the car can wear out and become exhausted with time. You will need to replace rotors and pads. These cars come with special braking systems controlling and restricting excessive amounts of degradation. There will be a point when you will need your brakes to be repaired or replaced, no matter how advanced it is.

Issues with Tires

Electric cars have heavier engines when compared to combustion engines because of the batteries. This results in more pressure and force on the tires, which causes wear and tear which raises the risk of having a flat tire. All types of cars can have issues with tires, there is no exception.

In a Nutshell

An electric car needs roadside assistance too when you have a car problem in Harrisburg. You should make the right call on a towing service company when you have the above problems. They will ensure your car is back to good health.

Many people with a truck and a trailer often get tempted into transporting a broken vehicle or a vehicle that has been in an accident. Why Not?

Well, towing a vehicle as a Do-It-Yourself project; especially to an amateur comes with several dangers, which can easily be avoided by seeking the services of a professional.

Below are a few reasons why you should really consider the services of a professional, even if you have a truck and trailer.

• The Risk to Yourself and Others

Towing is a dangerous business, regardless of what you think. If you do it wrong or forget to account for anything, you or those close to you may pay the price. In other words, one wrong move can put you or others at risk.

For example, if you attempt to load and tow a vehicle on a busy street, and you ignore following proper precaution, you may cause other problems, such as accidents, property damage, and more. You should note that towing need emergency signs such as lights, hazard triangles, etc. to warn other drivers.

• Proper Towing Equipment

Owning a flatbed and a truck only does not qualify or make you ready for towing. Safe towing needs much more than those you have at hand.

Professionals do not only have the best vehicles designed for towing, which can quickly and safely load vehicles; but own other accessories amateurs do not own. Without some of these towing accessories, be assured that you may cause damages to your vehicle.

• Towing Capacity

Not all vehicles are rated for towing. Others vehicles come with a low towing capacity, which makes them ineffective for towing heavier vehicles. For this reason, if you tow a heavy vehicle exceeding your towing limit will only damage your transmission.

Professionals come with vehicles with high towing capacity, which means that they can tow heavy vehicles with ease. When it comes to the heaviest, professionals offer the benefit of multiple truck type to accommodate the weight.

Due to experience, they know the right truck that fits a particular tow, without doing the math. However, knowing the exact weight of a vehicle you want to tow is a challenging task, if not impossible.

• Driver Error

One quality that makes a towing service successful and professional is the driver’s knowledge of towing. Therefore, if you are an amateur, you may not be familiar with the driving style needed for towing. Note; the driving style differs from other or normal driving tips.

Some of the differences include:
• Maintaining a constant speed rate
• Taking into consideration the length of the trailer the vehicle is pulling
• Acceleration and braking should be slow

Leahy’s Towing are the tow trucking specialists that you need. Give us a call today if you need a tow!

If you try starting your car and it doesn’t start, it could be a sign of a problem, with some issues being common culprits, such as dead battery or even more costly problems. To save yourself stress going online to try and look for the problem, here are some possible reasons why.

The battery is dead

The battery is the heartbeat of a vehicle, and it will be hard to start it if it is not charged. Dead batteries could be caused by a faulty alternator or leaving the interior or exterior lights on.

If this is the problem, you can fix it by using a jumper cable to connect to another vehicle. Before turning on the engines, make sure the jumper cables have been properly secured to the battery.

After the vehicle starts, consult a professional immediately so they can check the condition of your battery.

Below are some things you need to avoid if you want your battery to remain charged;
Ensuring you have turned off all lights before tuning the car off
Applying anti-corrosive solutions on the terminals and keeping them clean
During drastic changes in temperature, avoid leaving your car outside, e.g. strong cold front

Bad Starter

The starter also known as the solenoid is the spark connecting the battery to the engine. If the start is not turning over, the engine is not going to run.

A common sign you have a problem with your starter is hearing a clicking noise when you turn the ignition. You need to keep in mind that a faulty starter and a dead battery will have the same symptoms.

To tell the difference between the two, check the strength of the battery. Do this by turning the headlights on and off. There are times when the battery has enough juice to power the lights but not enough for the engine. This is why it is best to get a professional who will be able to inspect it thoroughly.

Possible signs of a faulty starter:

A clicking sound when turning on the ignition
The engine attempting to turn over but not able to complete ignition
The exterior and interior lights are turning on but the car is not starting.

Faulty ignition

The ignition switch can cause the car not to start. The ignition guides the starter to turn over the engine.
If you think the switch is defective, try the above battery test and then contact a professional. Having a defective ignition switch will end up costing you a little more than a starter or battery. This is why it is a good idea to first explore all possible problems.

Empty gas tank

If you have explored all the previous option, consider checking whether you remembered to fill up
Maybe the solution to your problem could be filling your gas tank. If the engine doesn’t have enough gas to turn over, it is not going to start. If you filled up and there is low fuel, it could be a sign of a gas leak, which is a more serious problem.

You should consider having a gallon tank of gas in your car to avoid possible embarrassment. You should properly secure the gasoline because it can emit fumes than can fill the exterior of the car. If you have a tank of gas in your vehicle, don’t smoke around it. Should you break down and need a towing company give us a call.

 

Anybody who is interested in buy a good auto insurance policy tends to focus on expenses that relate to comprehensive, collision, and liability coverage. Another thing that is valuable to policy seekers is uninsured motorist coverage. Drivers with great credit and resource might discover that they are able to acquire a quality coverage plan at an affordable rate.

Towing Insurance Coverage

Vehicles can break down even when you take really good care of your vehicle. Manufacturer defects can lead to your car stalling. Other incidents might result in you having an inoperable car. Your vehicle may be totaled in an accident or tires might suffer punctures. After your car has been stranded out on the road, it can be vulnerable to collisions and much more. That means you need it to be towed. Hopefully your insurance plan includes towing insurance that comes with roadside assistance.

A policy may come with free towing for your first 50 miles or something similar. There are other benefits besides saving money. When you need to be towed, be sure to call the right towing service so that you can avoid all of the risks that come with having to deal with bad towing services.

Rental Insurance Coverage

Whenever your vehicle is out of commission, troubles might start to pile up. Even if your towing bill is paid by the towing insurance, how are you going to pick up your kids from school or get to work? When you have rental coverage, a solution is provided by the insurance company. During car repairs, free rentals can disrupt your life. You also won’t deal with a rental company without help from the insurance company. It is even more important when you are younger since some rental agencies charge younger drivers $40 or more for rentals. Allow the insurance company to pay for it instead.

Excessive Wear And Tear Coverage

Some drivers might prefer to lease a car instead of buying one. It doesn’t matter which dealer you lease with, the vehicle has to become back in good condition. Otherwise, additional charges will be applied. For example, worn-out tires, can cost $500 or even more. However, you may not need to pay anything if you have excess wear and tear coverage.

Excess wear and tear coverage cover paint chips, scratches, and other minor issues that are not severe damage. It isn’t cheap to fix a couple of scratches on your fender. When this coverage is added to a leased car it can save quite a bit on the return times. There might also be other specialty coverages that are available. Find out what can be added to your policy. It can make your life less expensive and more convenient during tough circumstances.

Towing Insurance For Expert Towing Services

Even when you have the very best insurance coverage, it is still important to be very vigilant when you are out on the road. Whether a mistake is made by someone else or you, anyone can end up on the side of the road with a broken-down car Leahy’s Towing has the support you need. Whenever something goes wrong, be sure you know of a company that can call  to help you efficiently and quickly.

The towing industry has grown quite popular in recent years thanks to an increase in the number of vehicles on our roads today. Ultimately, the more cars there are on the roads, the more breakdowns there will be, which calls for roadside rescue, recovery, and assistance from tow trucks. While most people think that handling a roadside breakdown is simple and straightforward, there are so many complications tow truck operators, and others within the industry, encounter daily.

There’s always some form of danger glaring at tow truck drivers every time they are out at work. Being a tow truck driver is not only hazardous; it is also a niche profession. That means it is hard for a random person to pop in and perform the duties of a breakdown specialist.

Road Navigation

If you have been driving for a while and have had the chance to drive a vehicle pulling a trailer or towing another car, you know how hard it can be to navigate the roads. To tow vehicles, you need to have impeccable driving skills and judgment. Driving a loaded tow truck can be very tricky, especially when the roads are covered with debris and potholes or are flooded or slippery. For one to be a great tow truck driver, their sense of knowledge of circumstances and situations must be very strong.

Bad Weather

Driving through harsh weather is tough for everyone on the road. Apart from making it hard to control your vehicle, severe weather conditions will often also hamper navigation and vision. If driving under harsh conditions in a normal car is challenging, now imagine how tough it is driving a tow truck that’s carrying another vehicle on its flatbed or is towing one behind it.

Poor Drivers

It’s quite clear now that driving a tow truck is something that requires one to be alert, skilled, and disciplined. While all these are qualities every tow truck driver possesses due to the nature of their work, not all road users are as adept and careful on the roads. Some road users either careless about safety on the road or do not mind other road users. Quieter roads are usually less challenging since they have lesser traffic. Things start to become tricky on busy roads. As traffic increases, so does your interaction with other road users. This poses a danger since not everyone on the road is a skilled, experienced, and cautious driver. As a truck driver, you might get hit from behind, causing you to swerve off your lane. There is also the probability that you might get knocked down while outside your truck mounting a broken-down vehicle or providing roadside assistance.

Exhaustion

Being a tow truck driver is no easy feat. Fatigue is one thing a lot of tow truck drivers often experience, especially when they’ve been working long hours. Exhaustion predisposes tow truck drivers to other hazards, including health-related challenges and accidents.

Leahy’s Towing have drivers experienced with all the above. Give us a call today and have us help with your towing needs.

One of the most common winter calls that tow truck companies get will be a dead battery. With the number of electrical and hybrid cars on the road increasing, the degradation of batteries in cold weather is becoming a much larger problem. The problem is that many people do not know what it is about the cold weather that negatively affects the performance of batteries and kills off older ones.

Cold Temperatures Slow Chemical Reactions

All batteries will rely on chemistry to work correctly whether they are lead-acid, lithium polymer or nickel-cadmium. Batteries are made up of a cathode, an anode, electrolyte solution, collector, and separator. Without going into too much detail, a freeing of electrons will create a current which only occurs through an electrochemical reaction relating to the cathode and the anode in the electrolyte solution. The problem is that cold temperatures will slow this reaction.

There are 2 interrelated problems that all car batteries will suffer from and they are sulfating and undercharging. With sulfating, the sulfate from the acid solution in the battery will coat the cell plates and this will interfere with its ability to hold and release electricity. Undercharging can be caused by too many short trips, a dying alternator, a faulty voltage regulator or your battery not getting enough energy when the engine runs. When this happens a memory effect will develop.

This means that the deepest parts of the sulfate is not being dispersed into the electrolyte solution. This will compromise the ability of the battery to fully charge. All of these issues will be exacerbated by cold weather, particularly in an older battery. Older batteries will already start to lose their efficiency because of the continuous use.

If you do not want to call a tow truck when your battery dies or when your car will not reliably start, you could try two things. If your battery is older than 4 to 5 years, you need to replace it. If you have a newer battery and have issues, you need to get a battery warmer. These items are relatively cheap when you compare them to being stranded and needing to call a tow truck.

If you cannot take either of these steps, you need to know a high-quality roadside assistance company. They will be able to help you when your car will not start because of a dead battery.

Let Leahy’s Towing help you when you need assistance. Call us for more information, our service professionals are here to help.

What Is Roadside Assistance Insurance Coverage?

Emergency roadside insurance is more than an additional piece of auto insurance that helps you cover the costs of a breakdown. A roadside breakdown is something that can happen at any time and most people will have to deal with this at some point. However, the stress of these situations can be reduced when you have a number to call, assistance, reimbursement of expenses and support.

When you buy your auto insurance policy, you will generally be offered roadside assistance coverage. This is an additional premium which is generally minimal when compared to the rest of your insurance. However, the benefits of this insurance should not be overlooked.

The Benefits

Most people will overlook the insurance that is not legally required. They will also overlook insurance that seems to offer little when compared to their primary insurance policy or more substantial add-ons. However, the relatively low cost of this insurance will provide you with the support you need when your car breaks down on a cold and rainy night.

The policy details will vary depending on the insurance company and the policy you choose. The standard roadside assistance policy will have reasonable payments for the following:

• Mechanical labor provided at the breakdown site

• Towing the vehicle from potential danger

• Towing the vehicle to a repair site if the vehicle is inoperable

• The delivery of oil, fuel or a spare tire which is needed to make the vehicle operable

• The labor of a locksmith if you are unable to enter the vehicle

An Emergency Number To Call

Most insurance companies will have a dedicated emergency roadside assistance number that you can call when you need to. When your car breaks down, you will call the number on your policy and it will connect you to a trained operator. The operator will generally ask for your location, details about the situation and will contact a local towing or repair service. This service will respond to your situation.

Save With Emergency Roadside Assistance Insurance

If you become stranded with a car that will not move and do not have any roadside assistance insurance, you will be at the mercy of the towing and repair company that arrives at your location. While most of these companies are reliable and reputable with a set fee schedule, there are others that are not. These companies will take advantage of your situation and inflate the costs of helping you. If you have insurance coverage, the insurance company will cover the reasonable costs.

Let Leahy’s Towing help you when you need assistance. Call us for more information, our service professionals are here to help.