Frequently Asked Questions About Hitch Receivers

Continue below to review some frequently asked questions about towing setups and hitch class receivers.

Indianapolis Towing 317-247-8484

Indianapolis Towing 317-247-8484

What are Hitch Classes?

All hitches can be categorized into 5 classes, fittingly labeled Class 1 through Class 5. See our article, “The 5 Hitch Classes and their Maximum Load Capacities” to learn more about hitch classes, including the load capacities for each.

How Do I Choose the Right Tow Hitch?

Start by referring to your towing vehicle’s owners’ manual, as well as, the same manual for your trailer. The manual for your towing vehicle will provide its maximum tongue weight (TW) and gross trailer weight (GTW). Tongue weight is the total amount of weight that rests directly on top of the hitch. Gross Trailer weight is the total mass of your trailer, including hardware and cargo. Once you have this information, you will have an easier time selecting the proper trailer hitch for your towing needs.

Which Tow Hitch Accessories Do I Need?

A full towing set up will include the hitch receiver, as well as, the ball mount, hitch ball, coupler, pins, locks, clips, safety chains, tube covers, hitch-mounted cargo carriers, extenders and adapters, weight distribution systems, trailer jacks, wiring harness, and more. Talk to a professional for advice regarding the proper tow setup for your vehicle and cargoes.

What is a Gooseneck Hitch?

Gooseneck hitches are very well-suited for trucks, especially those with 4-wheel rear axles. They are designed for a precise fit for any make or model truck, SUV, or van. The ball mounts in the middle of the truck bed, which allows for heavier weight and tighter turns. Furthermore, this setup allows for easy hitch ball conversion.

What is a Fifth Wheel Hitch?

Fifth Wheel Hitches look just like the hitches you see on semi-trucks, but they are not quite the same. Similar to Gooseneck hitches, they retain a very high tow weight capacity. Because of their bed-mounted design, they can tow between 16,000 and 30,000 pounds Gross Trailer Weight (GTW), and up to 5,000 pounds Tongue Weight (TW). These hitches are great for towing large campers and multiple vehicles since they are easy to install and maneuver well.

Which Type of Hitch Do I Need to Tow a Boat?

A fishing boat and trailer combined will usually have a gross trailer weight (GTW) under two tons. So to safely (and legally) tow a loaded trailer weighing up to 2,000 pounds, you need 5 primary components. This includes a trailer hitch receiver, a ball mount, a hitch ball, a pin and clip, and a wiring harness.

Do I Need a Hitch Lock?

Hitch locks are meant to stop thieves from stealing trailers and the commodities they carry. They are lock a trailer hitch and hitch receiver together, which makes it impossible to lift the receiver and un-hitch a trailer. The trailer hitch can only be removed when the hitch lock is open. Most trailer locks are a half of an inch and 5/8 of an inch in diameter. The hitch lock you buy will need to fit the Class hitch receiver you are using for your trailer. For instance, Class 1 and 2 hitch receivers use ½-inch pins, while Class 3, 4 and 5 receiver hitches use 5/8 inch pins.

Where Can I Get Help With My Towing Needs?

Indianapolis Auto Body Shop 317-247-8484

Indianapolis Auto Body Shop 317-247-8484

Call Zore’s Inc. at 317-247-8484 for affordable Indianapolis towing and roadside assistance services in you can trust. Our licensed and insured wrecker operators provide punctual and prompt tow truck services throughout all of Central Indiana, 24 hours a day and 7 days a week! We also provide a wide range of municipal services, roadside wrecker and recovery services, and much more. Request a free estimate, anytime.

What to Do If Your Car Overheats

Never drive a car with an overheating engine. This is very dangerous for a number of reasons. Not only can it cause harm to you, your passengers, and other drivers, it can cause a significant amount of damage to your engine. This ultimately leads to costly engine repairs, and in worse cases, engine replacement. As a responsible driver, it is wise for you to learn how to manage an overheating car engine safely and efficiently. Not only can this save you time and money, it can protect you from getting injured or further damaging your car.

Indianapolis Towing 317-247-8484

Indianapolis Towing 317-247-8484


Any time a car or truck demonstrates signs of struggle, an inspection should be administered right away. In most cases, if you can spot a problem early on, it will be less costly and time consuming to repair. If you let a car problem linger, not only will the degree of damage increase with every drive, the amount of time and money it’ll take to repair it will too. If the issue is in the engine, waiting too long to repair it can result in total loss of the vehicle. In this case, your only option would be to sell it to an Indianapolis junk car buyer.

Dealing With an Overheated Car Engine

Several signs indicate that an engine is overheating. If there is steam coming from the hood of your car, the temperature gauge is in the red, you smell gasoline, or hear clunking sounds coming from your engine, your car is likely overheating. If your car begins to show any of these signs, it is too dangerous to drive it any further. Instead, you will need to have your vehicle towed to the nearest auto shop or to back to your home.

Here’s What To Do When Your Car Overheats:

➊ Pull Over Immediately
➋ Place Vehicle in Park
➌ Turn Off Engine
➍ Remove Keys from Ignition and Place in Pocket
➎ Call a Mechanic or AAA Service
➏ Walk Off a Busy Road
➐ Find a Safe Location to Wait for Help

Be sure to walk away from the road where your car is parked so that you do not risk getting hit by another vehicle. Find a safe location to wait, and call for help. You can call a friend or family member to come pick you up, however, you will still need to make arrangements for your vehicle. Simply contact a local towing company for prompt and professional tow truck service. They can respond within minutes, and safely deliver your vehicle to your location of choice. By choosing a well-established and reputable Indianapolis towing company, you can ensure you get a great price and courteous customer service.

In fact, CALL ZORE’S INC. when you need fast and professional towing and roadside assistance service in Indianapolis, Indiana!

Towing and Recovery

Zore’s Inc. 317-247-8484

Call Zore’s Inc. at 317-247-8484 anytime for towing, recovery, and roadside assistance you can trust. We operate 24 hours a day and 7days a week, and serve all of Central Indiana. Our certified tow truck operators retain the latest technologies to safely tow and assist all make and model vehicles. We also tow vans, trucks, motorcycles, campers, RV’s, and more! Call 317-247-8484 to request a free estimate, today.

Which Type of Trailer Hitch Do I Need to Tow a Small Fishing Boat With a Standard-Sized Car?

Indianapolis Towing and Recovery 317-247-8484

Indianapolis Towing and Recovery 317-247-8484

As summer comes to an abrupt end, people scramble to indulge in all the outdoor activities they can before colder weather is upon us. And one of the most popular outdoor activities there is to enjoy here in Indiana is fishing! Fishing is a common activity because it is inexpensive, family-friendly, and easy for people of all ages to do. But mostly, people go fishing because it’s just fun!

Whether you are aiming for catfish, blue gill, or bass, Hoosiers know you get the best results fishing on a boat. In order to get your fishing boat to your lake or river of choice, you must have the proper towing system for your car. Continue reading to learn the recommended hitch set-up for towing a fishing boat with a small to mid-sized car.

Towing a Trailer

A fishing boat and trailer combined will usually have a gross trailer weight (GTW) under two tons. So to safely (and legally) tow a loaded trailer weighing up to 2,000 pounds, you need 5 primary components. This includes a trailer hitch receiver, a ball mount, a hitch ball, a pin and clip, and a wiring harness. The hitch receiver is the part that attaches to your car’s bumper and accepts the removable ball mount. It comes as an open-faced receiver or fixed tongue model. The ball mount, also called a “drawbar”, inserts into the trailer hitch receiver’s frontward-facing opening, proving a platform for mounting the hitch ball. The pin and clip holds the ball mount inside the trailer hitch receiver, while the wiring harness provides power and synchronizes signals to the trailer’s lights.

Choosing a Hitch

Below is a guide to which hitch-type you will need to tow a small fishing boat with a compact or mid-sized car depending on the length of your towing trailer.

HITCH TYPE = Regular Duty
HITCH CLASS = Class 1
GTW = Up to 2,000 lbs.
TONGUE WEIGHT = 200 lbs.
TRANSMISSION COOLER = Light Duty

For trailers up to 6 feet: Class 1 Fixed Tongue
For trailers up to 14 feet: Class 1 Receiver Hitch

Additional Towing Accessories

Wiring harnesses are required by law, so be sure to never skip this step. And although not necessary to actually tow a trailer, safety chains are also strongly encouraged and should always be used. You might also consider adding on an aftermarket transmission cooler to help your car maintain safe operating temperatures while towing a load. These are especially useful in hot climates. Sometimes, factory transmission coolers are inadequate for certain towing applications.

Indianapolis Towing and Recovery

Towing Indianapolis, IN

Towing and Recovery 317-247-8484

Call Zore’s Inc. at 317-247-8484 when you need fast roadside assistance or tow truck service in Indianapolis, Indiana and its surrounding counties. We have been a family owned and operated business since 1975, and maintain an unparalleled reputation for quality service and value. If you have questions about towing a fishing boat, or need help recovering one from a lake, we are the professionals to call for prompt and friendly assistance. Contact our office directly at 317-247-8484 to learn more about our 24 hour towing and recovery services, today.

6 Spare Tire Facts You Need to Know

Flat Tire Service 317-247-8484

Flat Tire Service 317-247-8484

Being the responsible driver and vehicle owner that you are, you are sure to renew your license plate when necessary, pay your insurance on time, maintain a valid drivers’ license, stay on top of all scheduled maintenance, go the speed limit (most of the time anyway), and wear your seat belt. There is not much you’ve missed over the years in terms of driver/vehicle responsibility.

But there is one way you can kick it up a notch: Learn important and relative information about your vehicle’s spare tires! Your spare tires are a very important and beneficial component to you and your vehicle, but they tend to go unnoticed until they are needed. So simply review some facts about spare tires and be better prepared the next time you get a flat. Now, continue reading if you wish to increase your driving knowledge!

Spare Tires are Not For Permanent Use

Factory direct spare tires are not the same as conventional tires. They are smaller, lighter, and more compact, making them more vulnerable than standard vehicle tires. For this reason, spare tires are not manufactured nor intended to be a permanent replacement for regular tires. Check your owners’ manual for details about your vehicle’s tire specs. And always have a spare tire swapped out for a standard one as soon as possible.

Additionally, it is important to note that replacement spare tires are full size tires. Although they are narrower and more compact, they are still the same diameter as your vehicle’s standard issued tires. This ensures driving maintains stable and even. On the other hand, there are some replacement spare tires that are not the same size as standard ones. It all depends on the brand and model.

Smaller Spare Tires are Limited Use Tires

Smaller or compact spares, popularly known as “donuts”, are limited-use tires. This means they are not manufactured to provide the same benefits and performance levels as regular tires. Compact spare tires are meant emergency tire replacement and short travel. They are supposed to safely get you to the nearest tire shop as soon as possible, not replace your old tire entirely.

Driving on a Spare Can Reduce Miles Per Gallon (MPG)

Your vehicle’s MPG can be negatively affected if you drive on a spare tire for a prolonged distance or period of time. This applies whether it’s a full size spare or a compact. It is recommended to use the lightest option spare tire for your vehicle to avoid dragging around more than you need.

Not All Vehicles Need Spare Tires Anymore

With the new tubeless tire technology entering the market, many newer model vehicles are not even equipped with a factory direct spare tire because they don’t need it. Tubeless tires do not “go flat” in the conventional sense, making them drivable for longer after taking on sudden damage or stress. This is one technology that has influenced the next fact.

Many Spare Tires are Becoming Obsolete

Not all spare tires that once were, are still today. There are several spare tire brands and models that are not manufactured anymore. So older vehicles may come with an outdated folding spare tire, or another type that is not available on the market any longer. Also, the future of spare tires may be bleak with the new and on-going advancements in tire technology.

Spare Tires Still Need Proper Tire Pressure

Even though spare tires are not our vehicle’s “real” tires, they still need to maintain proper inflation, which means the tire pressure needs checked every so often. You can use any standard tire pressure gauge to accomplish this.

Indianapolis Roadside Assistance

Zore's Inc. Indianapolis Indiana

Zore’s Indy 317-247-8484

If your tire goes flat and you don’t have a spare, call Zore’s Inc. at 317-247-8484 for prompt and affordable roadside assistance and towing services in Indianapolis, Indiana. We provide a wide range of roadside assistance services, including flat tires, fuel runs, lockouts, engine trouble, and towing. With more than 75 years in business, you can rest assure that our Indianapolis roadside assistance services are both trustworthy and effective!

What Do I Do If My Car is Towed?

Indianapolis Towing 317-247-8484

Indianapolis Towing 317-247-8484

It’s a repetitive scenario faced by hundreds of Hoosiers every single day. A person parks their vehicle, gets out of their vehicle, and then comes back to their vehicle, but it’s gone. Now sometimes this is because their vehicle has been stolen; but as for the remaining 95% of missing cars in Indiana, towing is the actual reason. Cars and trucks are towed every day for several reasons, but mostly for illegal parking and repossessions.

Other reasons a car or truck might be towed away include prolonged abandonment, expired plates, suspended license, unpaid parking tickets, unpaid traffic fines, unregistered vehicles, and other violations of the law. So if you are ever one of the many drivers whose vehicles go missing one day, don’t panic. Instead, follow the simple three-step guide for what to do is your vehicle is towed in Indiana. Continue reading to review these three steps, and who to call for exceptional and friendly towing services or roadside assistance in your neighborhood.

Car Towed in Indianapolis

As soon as you are aware that your car or truck is no longer in the same spot you parked it in before, it is important to relax and take a deep breath, and then review your surroundings. Double check that you didn’t park somewhere else and forgot. If you are sure that your car was parked in a certain spot and is no longer there, always assume it has been towed, not stolen. For this reason, it is best to follow the next three steps to locate your vehicle.

First Step

As mentioned, never first assume that your car or truck was stolen. It is far more likely that it was towed for some reason or another. With this assumption, the first step to take once you are aware you vehicle is missing is to investigate the parking lot, road, or area for signs. And when we say signs, we mean actual street signs that indicate parking regulations. These signs are generally red and white (may vary from county to county) and contain information on parking rules and regulations for that particular parking district. It should contain times and days that parking is permitted, as well as, the contact information of the towing company that manages the lot or road. To find these signs, look at sides of buildings, poles, posts, and gates.

Second Step

Acquire the contact information of the local towing company assigned to the parking district your vehicle was parked in, and call the number listed. A receptionist or company representative will answer and ask you for some information. Be prepared to provide your name, vehicle make and model, your phone number, and the location your vehicle was parked at. If your car was towed for illegal parking purposes, then they should have it. If they do not have any record of your vehicle, then you may need to make some other considerations.

If you are leasing your vehicle and making monthly installments, it is still possible your car or truck was towed, but not by the parking district towing company. A leased vehicle can be repossessed by the dealership or bank for failing to make payments on time. Call your dealership and provide them the same information given above. If they too have no record of your vehicle being towed or repossessed, then it may have been stolen. At this time, you need to call the police to file a report.

Third Step

If you have made it to this step, it means you have contacted the towing company and received confirmation that it was indeed towed for illegal parking purposes. Now you need to locate all the necessary legal documents to prove ownership of the vehicle, and present these documents, as well as a cash fine in the amount requested by the company (anywhere from $100 to $500 usually), to regain custody of your vehicle. Documents include the vehicle’s title and registration (must be in your name), proof of insurance, your driver’s license, and perhaps more depending on the county and tow company. Get a ride to the tow yard and present these documents and payments and the car is yours again! Keep in mind that fees increase by the day. So the longer it is in the tow yard, the more costly it is to get it out.

Zore’s Indy

Zore's Inc. Indianapolis Indiana

Zore’s Inc. Indianapolis Indiana 317-247-8484

Call Zore’s Inc. at 317-247-8484 for all your Indianapolis towing needs. We are highly trained and licensed tow truck operators with decades of experience in the industry. Zore’s Inc. has provided quality towing services and more for over 75 years! Call 317-247-8484 for prompt, professional, and affordable tow truck services in Indianapolis, IN and its surrounding counties.

Basic Towing Terms and Definitions

If you are new to the industry, or have never towed anything with a car, truck, or trailer, then you might come across some industry terms that you haven’t heard of or learned quite yet. It is important to understand the basic terms and towing language, as well as, all the necessary parts and safety rules, before attempting to tow or haul any size load. Review some basic introductory towing terms and their definitions below, and improve your towing knowledge and understanding even more!

Indianapolis Towing and Recovery 317-247-8484

Indianapolis Towing and Recovery 317-247-8484

Common Towing Terms:

Trailer

A trailer is anything that is built to be towed behind another vehicle. The most common types are designed with wheels and a flat bed, but there are several other versions as well. There are commercial trailers, farming trailers, and recreational trailers, all used for different loads, freights, and purposes. Examples of trailers include RV’s, campers, livestock trailers, auto haulers, gear haulers, flatbeds, open utility trailers, watercraft trailers, car-towing dollies, and tow bars.

Tow Dolly

A towing dolly is a light-duty half-sized flatbed trailer with only two wheels. The front end is without wheels and lifts off the ground so to connect to another vehicle, while the two wheels in the back remain in contact with the ground. These are best used for short distances.

Tow Hitch

A tow hitch is the connecting point between the vehicle doing the towing and the trailer itself. There are several types of hitches available on the market for light, medium, and heavy-duty towing. It is one of the most vital components in the towing assembly. It is important to match the proper size hitch to the vehicle’s towing capacity, and match all that with the trailer’s specifications as well.

Hitch Ball

The hitch ball is part of a flexible joint that permits a towing vehicle and its trailer to make turns and take bumps in the road. Hitch balls are manufactured in many different sizes, from 1 7/8th inches to over 2 5/16th inches.

Coupler

The coupler makes up the other half of the flexible joint that is also the hitch ball. It is mounted above the hitch ball and circulates around it for smooth transport over dips, bends, and bumps in the road.

Hitch Ball Mount

Hitch mounts are also referred to as draw bars or stingers, and connect to the hitch using hitch clips and pins.

Hitch Pin/Clip

Metal devices that are used to secure connections between hitch mounts and hitches.

Tow Bar

Also called a sway bar, this V-shaped towing accessory is used to prevent trailers and other loads from swaying back and forth on the road during a tow. It keeps the trailer in a straight line behind the tow vehicle. They are used in conjunction with a tow coupler for dinghy towing or flat towing another car or SUV.

Safety Chains

These are an important towing accessory because they make sure nothing will come apart on the road. In the case that a towing component defects or comes loose, the safety chains ensure that the trailer or vehicle doesn’t disconnect from the tow vehicle and harm other drivers on the road. Never tow anything without them!

Indianapolis Towing

Towing and Recovery Indianapolis Indiana

Towing and Recovery Indianapolis Indiana 317-247-8484

Call Zore’s at 317-247-8484 for prompt and professional towing services in Indianapolis and its surrounding counties. We have been in the towing and recovery industry for more than 75 years! Our tow trucks are state-of-the-art and out wrecker operators are highly trained, licensed, and courteous to all customers. Call 317-248-8484 when you need fast and friendly Indianapolis towing services or roadside assistance.