City Wide Towing damaged my wheels. Help!

[N'Syncro]

City Wide Towing is apparently the city of Calgary's default towing company? Long story short they towed my awd car (assumingly) on dollies and damaged all 4 of my brand newly finished wheels. I took pictures while at the city impound lot, sent them to City Wide, but they are saying "We don't use those kind of straps. The damage isn't from us". BS!

Quick backstory: I visited a friend in Calgary, moved my car onto the street at his suggestion from his parkade in the morning, paid for parking via the epark app, but at my mistake parked on the wrong side of the road, went downstairs a few hours later and my car was gone. My mistake? Yep. Did I deserve the ticket? Yep. Did I deserve to have my car towed? Yep. Did I deserve to have my brand newly finished wheels all scratched/scuffed to hell? NOPE!

Since I live in Edmonton, I'm posting this in hopes that someone in Calgary could do me a huge favour and next time you see a City Wide Tow truck towing a vehicle on dollies, could you please take some pictures of it for me? Does anyone live or work in the area of the impound lot (located south of the Stampede grounds just off Macleod Tr)? Could you please keep an eye out for me and snap some pictures of how they actually strap the vehicles down?

Thank you!

[BokCh0y]

I'll keep an eye out for you as my office watches them tow all the sucks on 6th ave after 330pm. But I don't ever recall seeing them use a dolly though, but who knows.

[speedog]

Originally posted by N'Syncro
City Wide Towing is apparently the city of Calgary's default towing company? Long story short they towed my awd car (assumingly) on dollies and damaged all 4 of my brand newly finished wheels. I took pictures while at the city impound lot, sent them to City Wide, but they are saying "We don't use those kind of straps. The damage isn't from us". BS!

Quick backstory: I visited a friend in Calgary, moved my car onto the street at his suggestion from his parkade in the morning, paid for parking via the epark app, but at my mistake parked on the wrong side of the road, went downstairs a few hours later and my car was gone. My mistake? Yep. Did I deserve the ticket? Yep. Did I deserve to have my car towed? Yep. Did I deserve to have my brand newly finished wheels all scratched/scuffed to hell? NOPE!

Since I live in Edmonton, I'm posting this in hopes that someone in Calgary could do me a huge favour and next time you see a City Wide Tow truck towing a vehicle on dollies, could you please take some pictures of it for me? Does anyone live or work in the area of the impound lot (located south of the Stampede grounds just off Macleod Tr)? Could you please keep an eye out for me and snap some pictures of how they actually strap the vehicles down?

Thank you!

Pics of the damage on your wheels?

[AndyL]

Depends on the unit - show us the damage. I'll tell you if it's possible.

[Kloubek]

Some 15 years ago my car died and left me stranded out of town. I needed transportation to get home (and to work), and ended up overspending on a fire red Camaro. I loved that car.

Ended up parking it in a poorly marked no parking area. Wasn't happy about it, but ultimately I resigned myself to the fact that I got towed. However, when I got my car I noticed that one of the ground effects had a moderate sized crack in it.

When I brought it up to the lady behind the desk, she literally said "It couldn't have been us, the way we hook up the cars. You're just upset you got towed and want some sort of compensation".

I was so pissed. And I also know she was wrong, considering I was very particular about a car I could barely afford, and that damage didn't exist prior.

So I'm not surprised; it seems like "It couldn't have been us" is the kind of excuse that goes around these places sometimes...

[AndyL]

I was running 4 cameras to save myself from the weekly assault of "you fucked up my car" when I worked there...

I'm not kidding, I couldn't go 3-4 days without someone making a damage claim - and most were this made up bullshit.

Curbing wheels on dollies - pretty much impossible - the dollies sit outside the wheels and protect them. Straps aren't likely to cause damage, won't even touch the rim...

If you're really thinking it happened (I'm at 0% belief already by the claims of all 4 damaged)

They're running Collins and in the ditch brand dollies; different strap method - but neither will touch the wheel, Collins is a simple loop to the ratchet connected to handle - so Y format. ITD is a loop around through the handle (big loop onto itself), again pretty much 0 risk of contact as it's attachment is 4" or so wider.

They run vulcans - no straps on front, the self loaders have straps but that's over the tire on a diagonal... The regular ones the spoons can't even really make contact without forcing it to happen...

[speedog]

Well now what does the OP do? I think it'd be folly to question AndyL but...

[Dave P]

Originally posted by AndyL


https://media3.giphy.com/media/2J0K3rS902Sm4/200_s.gif

[HiTempguy1]

Originally posted by speedog
Well now what does the OP do? I think it'd be folly to question AndyL but...

I would argue that while AndyL may be the exception, plenty of tow truck drivers are morons.

So I don't know where I stand on this.

[ExtraSlow]

OP should fight AndyL and the winner gets one User Rating point. Heck, they can have one of mine.

[AndyL]

Meh he discredited himself the instant he said all 4. One could be plausible if it wasn't on dollies.

This is why he got blown off at the impound.

And the gears designed to not touch the wheels - there's occasions where it could - but for all 4 - you'd be the holy hell tow and it wouldn't have happened on a parking tag.

[Thaco]

yeah knowing how the equipment works i couldn't see this happening, the only thing that might touch the wheels would be a nylon strap, other than that, they could have scuffed it on the curb when trying to get the car straight to hook up, but that'd only be 2 wheels...

[AndyL]

http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i277/cgyreefer/Snapbucket/6e7bb72b-orig.jpg

You can see most of it there... The spoons are designed to pick up a dually front end. They're offset about 2" from the tire edge to accommodate it. The rearmost 4" or so kicks over to ensure that happens.

So there's your front wheels - now look back - same thing cross bars lock in - 1½-2" from tire edge (if you run tight) nothing is even close to the wheel.

Like I said - it's designed for morons - there's literally no possible way to assemble the gear to make it run a wheel.

Now I could do that with my current jerrdan but that's not what CWT runs.

[AndyL]

Awwww I dun scared OP off by not agreeing with him.

I want pics Damnit!

[J-hop]

Originally posted by AndyL
Awwww I dun scared OP off by not agreeing with him.

I want pics Damnit!

Looks like this was his first post in 10 years. Don't hold your breath Andy you might be waiting a bit!

[71/454]

Originally posted by AndyL
http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i277/cgyreefer/Snapbucket/6e7bb72b-orig.jpg

You can see most of it there... The spoons are designed to pick up a dually front end. They're offset about 2" from the tire edge to accommodate it. The rearmost 4" or so kicks over to ensure that happens.

So there's your front wheels - now look back - same thing cross bars lock in - 1½-2" from tire edge (if you run tight) nothing is even close to the wheel.

Like I said - it's designed for morons - there's literally no possible way to assemble the gear to make it run a wheel.

Now I could do that with my current jerrdan but that's not what CWT runs.

Is that pic with the car strapped down? I realize that you can't see any straps in the pic so I wondered if it's a single strap that goes over each tire. I saw one the other day that the straps were more of a net than a single strap.
To be fair the op mentions the straps as doing the damage.

[Thaco]

Originally posted by 71/454


Is that pic with the car strapped down? I realize that you can't see any straps in the pic so I wondered if it's a single strap that goes over each tire. I saw one the other day that the straps were more of a net than a single strap.
To be fair the op mentions the straps as doing the damage. nylon straps wont do more than a minor scuff.. they're not gonna rash your wheels with the strap.

[88CRX]

Originally posted by Thaco
nylon straps wont do more than a minor scuff.. they're not gonna rash your wheels with the strap.

If the wheels were dirty and the straps were tight enough they could easily make fine sandpaper like marks on the wheels. OP noted that they were recently refinished, maybe they were just painted?

[Thaco]

Originally posted by 88CRX


If the wheels were dirty and the straps were tight enough they could easily make fine sandpaper like marks on the wheels. OP noted that they were recently refinished, maybe they were just painted? well obviously the definition of "damage" is subjective

[theken]

The straps on the front tire would go from behind the spoon to the front of the lift arm, not touching the rim, and the rear ones wouldn't touch the face of the rim

[AndyL]

Originally posted by 71/454


Is that pic with the car strapped down? I realize that you can't see any straps in the pic so I wondered if it's a single strap that goes over each tire. I saw one the other day that the straps were more of a net than a single strap.
To be fair the op mentions the straps as doing the damage.

It's a Vulcan Strapless wheel lift. That is a full hook. No straps on the wheel lift are used. chains are run in a specific way to provide primary and secondary securement.

Yes every other brand requires straps.

[N'Syncro]

Sorry guys, I went on vacation out of country a couple days after I posted, and got back last week. Finally got my life back in order, got rid of the jetlag, and have been meaning to check this thread. I appreciate all the posts, and especially from AndyL. I don't really understand the 'straplessness' of those GTI picture you posted though? That's basically the dolly setup I imagined was used, but from my experience, there's always some nylon straps that go over top of the wheel and cinch down on the dolly. That's where and how I envision the damage happened (From the straps, not from the actual dollys or the damage would probably be way worse). When I say all 4 wheels I'm not BS'ing. Are most of these scuffs minor? Yeah they are, but when you drop a bunch of money on getting your wheels refinished, that doesn't give anyone the right to do any sort of damage to them.

Below are 2 photos for examples of the damage. 1 of paint chipped off right on the edge of the wheel. No idea how that could happen with a dolly (Hence the post) The majority of the damage is similar to this. The other photo is of what I'd guess would be a strap rubbing through the paint, located right near the center of the wheel.

https://s15.postimg.org/x95275wvr/20160825_120417.jpg (https://postimg.org/image/x95275wvr/)

https://s15.postimg.org/tqt2arvzr/20160825_120511.jpg (https://postimg.org/image/tqt2arvzr/)

[Thaco]

the strapless is basically they put the tires in the cradles and then use a chain in a spot in the frame specifically designed for them to hold the vehicle on in case of incredibly rough roads.

if your wheels were that easily damaged by nylon straps, i'd be pissed a the "refinishers" not the guys who towed you because you parked illegally

[AndyL]

How the hell do you think straps cause that damage?

Wraps outer part of wheel - an inner curve at the hub and the lip - protected by tire.

But mounting and balancing would do that damage...

[cam_wmh]

Originally posted by AndyL


But mounting and balancing would do that damage...

This. This. This.

[blindsight]

.

[mr2mike]

Originally posted by AndyL
But mounting and balancing would do that damage...

Haha. No doubt.
Also someone a little sloppy with the socket onto the lugs.

[mzdspd]

Originally posted by mr2mike


Haha. No doubt.
Also someone a little sloppy with the socket onto the lugs.

That could also just be a rock chip on the wheel.

[J-hop]

Originally posted by mr2mike


Haha. No doubt.
Also someone a little sloppy with the socket onto the lugs.

Was thinking that exact same thing, especially if it's new paint. I've made similar chips when not careful.

The outside looks like some rookie on a tire machine. I remember santos at Alberta wheel was adamant that I bring him tires when I had a set redone by them as he was worried some shop would ruin them putting the tires on.

[N'Syncro]

Thanks guys for all the info and advice (and again sorry for the late reply). I did have new tires put on after the wheels were refinished. Didn't even occur to me that it could have been them b/c they are a very trusted and reputable place that I've dealt with for years with no issues. I'll be having a talk with them.