Whether a car has broken down, you are rescuing a project vehicle from a barn, moving across the state, or pulling a family member’s car out of a flood zone, knowing how to tow a car with a truck is one of the most practically useful skills a truck owner can have. Done right, it is safe, efficient, and completely within the capability of most pickup trucks. Done wrong, it can damage both vehicles, create a dangerous situation on the highway, and leave you with a towing bill and a legal problem.

This guide covers everything from the beginning to the end of the process. You will learn how to check whether your truck can actually handle the load, what hitch class and ball size to use, the three different towing methods and when each is appropriate, how to set up and secure the towed vehicle step by step, what to do differently for long-distance towing, how to drive safely with a car in tow, and what to watch out for at every stage.

Is It Legal to Tow a Car With a Truck?

Yes, towing a car with a truck is legal throughout the United States, but specific rules vary significantly by state. While many drivers tow for personal travel, those operating a private property towing service must adhere to even stricter regulatory standards. Some states enforce maximum speed limits for towing that are lower than standard highway speeds, and most require the towed vehicle to display functional brake lights and turn signals. Additionally, a few states mandate supplemental braking systems once a towed vehicle exceeds a specific weight threshold.

Before driving across state lines with a car in tow, it is worth spending a few minutes researching the towing regulations for each state on your route. The key things to check are the maximum towing speed, whether the towed vehicle needs its own brake lights, whether breakaway chains or supplemental braking is required at your load weight, and whether there are any restrictions on towing in certain lanes on highways. Violations can result in fines that are easily avoidable with a small amount of upfront research.

The 80% Rule: Never tow at your truck’s maximum rated capacity. Tow no more than 80% of the maximum tow rating to maintain a safe performance margin that accounts for hills, headwinds, and emergency braking.

Step One: Know Your Truck’s Towing Capacity

Before you rent a dolly, hitch a trailer, or connect a tow bar, you need to know one critical number: your truck’s tow rating. This is the maximum weight your truck is engineered to pull safely, and exceeding it is genuinely dangerous. Overloading creates handling problems, overheats the transmission and brakes, puts stress on the frame, and dramatically increases the risk of a jackknife or loss of control, especially on downhill grades or in emergency stops.

Your truck’s tow rating is listed in the owner’s manual and on the label inside the driver’s door jamb. When calculating the total weight you will be towing, add the weight of the towed car to the weight of whatever equipment is carrying it. If you are using a trailer, add the trailer’s empty weight. If you are using a dolly, add the dolly’s weight. The total must stay within your truck’s rated capacity, and ideally below 80% of it.

Engine type matters enormously within the same truck model family. A Ford F-150 with a 2.7L EcoBoost V6 has a different tow rating than one equipped with the 5.0L V8, and that V8 has a different rating than the 3.5L EcoBoost. Always use your specific engine and configuration’s rating, not the general range for the truck line.

Step Two: Verify Your Hitch Class and Ball Size

Even when a truck has the towing capacity to handle a load, the hitch connecting it to the trailer or dolly must also be rated for that weight. Hitches are classified by weight rating and receiver tube size. Using a Class II hitch with a load that requires Class III is unsafe and can cause the hitch to fail under stress.

Beyond the hitch class, the ball size on your ball mount must match the coupler on your trailer or dolly. Mismatched ball and coupler sizes are a common mistake that causes the coupler to disconnect during towing. The most common ball sizes are 1-7/8 inch for light-duty dollies, 2 inch for the majority of car trailers and equipment trailers, and 2-5/16 inch for heavy-duty loads. Always check that the ball size and the trailer coupler size match exactly before hooking up.

The Three Methods for Towing a Car With a Truck

There are three primary ways to tow a car with a pickup truck. Which method is right for you depends on the type of car being towed, its drivetrain, the distance you are traveling, and what equipment you have access to.

Method 1: Tow Dolly

A tow dolly lifts the towed vehicle’s front wheels off the ground and lets the rear wheels roll on the pavement. This method is well-suited for front-wheel-drive vehicles, where the powered wheels are on the dolly and the free-rolling rear wheels can travel on the road without affecting the transmission or drivetrain. Most tow dolly rentals cost between $40 and $80 per day from U-Haul, Penske, or local equipment rental companies.

The most important limitation of a tow dolly is drivetrain compatibility. Using a dolly to tow a rear-wheel-drive vehicle with the front wheels on the dolly would put the rear drive wheels on the road, which can damage the transmission because the driveshaft is turning without the engine running. Most RWD automatic vehicles cannot be safely towed with a dolly without first disconnecting the driveshaft. All-wheel-drive vehicles should generally not be towed with a dolly at all. For any vehicle, always check the owner’s manual for towing instructions before proceeding.

Method 2: Flatbed Trailer

A flatbed car hauler trailer lifts all four wheels of the towed vehicle completely off the ground, making it the safest and most versatile towing method available. With no wheels on the road, there is zero drivetrain wear, no transmission risk, and no contact with road debris. A flatbed can safely tow front-wheel-drive, rear-wheel-drive, and all-wheel-drive vehicles. It is also the best choice for inoperable vehicles, vehicles with flat tires, and any situation where the car’s condition means it cannot roll freely.

Flatbed trailer rentals typically run between $100 and $175 per day, making them more expensive than a dolly, but the extra safety and versatility are worth it for long-distance moves or higher-value vehicles. Your truck must have enough towing capacity to handle both the car’s weight and the trailer’s weight combined. Most single-car flatbed trailers weigh between 2,000 and 3,500 pounds empty, which means a car weighing 3,500 pounds on a 2,500-pound trailer puts 6,000 pounds behind the truck before you even add tongue weight.

Method 3: Flat Towing (Four-Down)

Flat towing, also called dinghy towing or four-down towing, involves connecting the towed vehicle directly to the truck with a tow bar and driving with all four wheels of the towed car rolling on the ground. This method is popular among RV owners because it avoids the additional length of a trailer and makes hooking and unhooking quick. However, it only works safely with specific vehicles that are manufacturer-approved for flat towing.

Flat-tow approved vehicles have transmissions designed to handle the wheel rotation that occurs when all four wheels roll without the engine running. Using flat towing on a non-approved vehicle, particularly any automatic transmission vehicle that is not specifically rated for it, will destroy the transmission in a matter of miles. Before attempting flat towing, find your specific vehicle’s year, make, and model in a flat-tow compatibility guide and verify that it is explicitly listed as flat-tow capable. Flat towing also requires a base plate kit installed on the towed vehicle, a tow bar, safety cables, and a supplemental lighting system.

Setting Up Your Truck for Towing

Tow Mirrors

Adding a vehicle length to the rear of your truck significantly limits your rear and side visibility. Factory mirrors on most trucks are sized for the vehicle without a trailer and do not give you sufficient visibility to safely change lanes or back up with a car in tow. Extended tow mirrors, either clip-on extensions that attach over your existing mirrors or full replacement tow mirrors, solve this problem by extending outward and giving you a clear view of the towed vehicle and the lanes beside it. Many newer trucks come with factory-installed tow mirrors that extend and fold, but older trucks and smaller pickups often do not. If you are towing regularly, proper tow mirrors are not an optional accessory.

Brake Controller

Trailer brake controllers interface with electric brakes installed on some trailers and apply them proportionally when you press your truck’s brake pedal. If the trailer or dolly you are using has electric brakes, your truck must have a brake controller installed to use them. Without it, you are relying solely on your truck’s brakes to stop the combined weight of the truck, the trailer, and the towed car, which significantly extends stopping distances and increases brake wear. Proportional brake controllers, which apply trailer brakes based on the deceleration force of the tow vehicle, are the most effective type and are standard equipment in most heavy-duty pickup trucks.

Towing Suspension Upgrades

When a heavy load is attached to the back of a truck, the rear suspension compresses, which can cause the front wheels to lighten and reduce steering response. For trucks that will frequently tow near their rated capacity, aftermarket suspension upgrades like air bag assist systems, helper springs, or weight distribution hitches significantly improve load leveling and handling stability. Weight distribution hitches use spring bars to redistribute tongue weight from the rear axle toward the front, keeping both axles loaded more evenly and reducing sway.

Safety Chains

Safety chains are a legal requirement in virtually every US state when towing, and they serve a genuinely important function. In the event that the trailer or dolly coupler fails and separates from the hitch ball, the safety chains are the backup connection that prevents the trailer from fully releasing and creating a catastrophic road hazard. Chains should always be crossed in an X pattern beneath the tongue of the trailer. This creates a cradle that can hold the trailer tongue off the ground even if the coupler separates, giving the driver time to stop safely. Safety chains should be rated at or above the gross weight of the loaded trailer and should have just enough slack to allow turning without binding.

Preparing the Vehicle Being Towed

Before you load or attach the car you are towing, some preparation steps are essential to prevent damage and ensure safe transport.

Check the Owner’s Manual First

Every vehicle manufacturer publishes towing instructions in the owner’s manual, and these instructions are specific to that vehicle. Some vehicles explicitly state that they cannot be towed with wheels on the ground. Some automatic transmission vehicles allow neutral towing up to a certain speed limit or distance. Ignoring these guidelines is how transmissions get destroyed. If you do not have the physical owner’s manual, search online for your specific year, make, and model combined with the words “towing instructions” or “flat tow.”

Transmission and Driveshaft Considerations

For a dolly tow where the rear wheels remain on the ground, a rear-wheel-drive vehicle with an automatic transmission typically requires the driveshaft to be disconnected and removed to prevent transmission damage. This is because the driveshaft spins the transmission output shaft when the wheels turn, and without lubrication from the running engine, internal components can be damaged within just a few miles. Manual transmission vehicles can generally be placed in neutral and towed with wheels on the ground more safely, but always confirm this with your specific model’s manual.

Parking Brake and Ignition Key

For dolly towing and flat towing, the parking brake must be fully released so the wheels can rotate freely during transport. Leaving the parking brake engaged while towing with wheels on the road will overheat and destroy the brake pads and rotors within a short distance. For flatbed trailer towing, the opposite is true: engage the parking brake once the car is loaded and positioned to prevent it from rolling on the trailer. The ignition key should be in the accessory position during flat towing so the steering column does not lock, and so the towed vehicle’s tail lights can be activated through the supplemental lighting connection.

Secure the Vehicle and Recheck

Once the car is loaded or connected, use ratcheting wheel straps or chain binders to secure all four wheels to the trailer deck, or connect tow bar arms and safety cables for flat towing. Tighten everything as firmly as the equipment allows. Drive forward approximately 100 yards, then stop and recheck every strap, chain, and connection point. Vibration from initial movement frequently loosens straps that felt tight during static setup. This one-stop recheck is one of the most important habits in safe towing.

Step-by-Step Setup for Each Towing Method

Setting Up a Tow Dolly

Begin by positioning the dolly on level ground with the loading ramps deployed. Back your truck up to the dolly, lower the coupler onto the correct-sized ball, and verify the coupler latch is locked. Cross the safety chains beneath the tongue and connect them to your truck hitch. Plug in the 4-pin wiring connector and confirm that the trailer’s brake lights and turn signals work.

Position your truck and dolly in a straight line in front of the car. If the car runs, gently drive it forward onto the dolly ramps until the front tires contact the wheel stops. If the car does not run, back the dolly toward the car until the ramps are at its front wheels, then push or winch the car on. Once on the dolly, strap both front tires securely using the dolly’s built-in tire straps and ratchet them tight. Attach safety chains from the dolly to strong points on the car’s frame. Confirm the parking brake is fully released, put the transmission in neutral, and lock the steering wheel in the straight-ahead position before departing.

Setting Up a Flatbed Trailer

Hitch the trailer to your truck by backing up until the ball centers under the coupler. Lower the coupler onto the ball using the trailer’s tongue jack and lock the coupler latch securely. Cross and connect the safety chains. Connect the trailer wiring and test all lights. Position the trailer ramps and drive or winch the car onto the trailer, centering it front to back so that approximately 60% of the car’s weight is forward of the trailer axle. This weight distribution keeps the tongue weight positive and prevents trailer sway.

Once the car is positioned, engage the parking brake, put it in park, and secure all four wheels using ratchet straps or wheel nets. Attach two straps at the front of the car and two at the rear, running them to anchor points on the trailer frame and ratcheting them tight. For additional security, use chains to the vehicle frame if the trailer has chain hooks. Fold up the ramps and make a final visual inspection of the entire setup before driving.

Setting Up Flat Towing

Flat towing setup requires the most preparation of the three methods because it involves a base plate kit bolted to the towed vehicle’s frame. The base plate provides the attachment points for the tow bar arms. Once the base plate is installed, connect the tow bar to both the base plate and the truck’s hitch receiver, following the tow bar manufacturer’s instructions for arm extension and locking. Connect the safety cables, cross them beneath the tow bar, and attach them to the truck’s safety chain hooks. Connect the supplemental lighting system to the truck’s wiring, and confirm that all lights activate correctly on the towed vehicle. Finally, release the towed vehicle’s parking brake, set it to the flat-tow configuration specified in its owner’s manual, and leave the ignition in accessory position.

Long-Distance Towing: Everything That Changes

Towing a car across town is very different from towing it across a state or across the country. Long-distance towing multiplies every risk and adds new considerations that short-haul towing does not require. Here is a complete checklist of everything that needs to happen before and during a long-distance tow:

One of the most overlooked aspects of long-distance towing is fuel planning. Towing a car with a full-size pickup typically increases fuel consumption by 20 to 40 percent, depending on the truck, the load weight, terrain, and speed. A truck that normally gets 18 MPG on the highway may drop to 10 to 12 MPG while towing. On a 1,000-mile trip, that difference in fuel economy can add $100 to $200 or more to your total fuel cost. Plan refueling stops every 150 to 200 miles and verify that the fuel stations on your route can accommodate your truck-and-trailer length.

When to Consider Professional Auto Transport Instead

For distances over 500 to 1,000 miles, towing a car yourself is not always the most sensible option. Professional enclosed and open-air car transport carriers move vehicles coast to coast on flatbed trailers at prices that often compare favorably to the combined cost of dolly or trailer rental, fuel at reduced MPG, and overnight accommodations for a multi-day trip. If the vehicle being moved is high-value, classic, or non-running, professional transport also eliminates the risk of additional damage during a long DIY haul. Get quotes from multiple carriers before deciding, since rates vary significantly by route and season.

Common Towing Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Even experienced towers make mistakes, and some of those mistakes are dangerous. Knowing what to watch for prevents most of them and saves you from having to call an emergency towing service to recover a jackknifed or flipped trailer.

The single most common mistake is exceeding the truck’s tow rating, either by misjudging the weight of the towed car or by forgetting to add the trailer’s own weight to the total load. Before every tow, verify both weights and calculate the total. The second most frequent mistake is failing to cross the safety chains. Straight-run chains that do not cross beneath the tongue will allow the tongue to drop to the road surface if the coupler fails, where it will catch on the pavement and cause a catastrophic trailer flip. Always cross the chains in an X below the tongue.

Loose tie-down straps are the third major source of towing problems. Straps stretch and loosen after initial movement. The one-hundred-yard recheck is not optional. Failing to check mirrors regularly is a close fourth. Checking mirrors every 30 to 60 seconds while towing allows you to catch developing sway or a strap that is starting to pull loose before it becomes an emergency. And finally, failure to inspect the hitch connection before departure is a mistake that occasionally results in a trailer separating from the truck at highway speed, one of the most dangerous events that can happen while towing.

Final Thoughts

Towing a car with a truck is a skill completely within the capability of any owner who understands the equipment and process. The foundation is always the same: know your truck’s capacity, use a properly rated hitch and ball, and choose the right towing method for the vehicle and distance. While many drivers handle these tasks independently, if a situation feels beyond your comfort level, professionals like Bama Boys Towing Company are available to ensure the job is done safely. Whether you manage it yourself or call in experts, the principles remain: set everything up correctly before moving and drive with the patience and awareness a loaded rig demands. Skip any step and a routine task can become expensive and dangerous. Take the extra time, do the checks, and the tow will go well.