So watching videos of these high speed repos where the dude activates the lift while he is backing up and lifts the vehicle in seconds and off he goes. So, if a vehicle is in Park or has E-brake on, how are the wheels moving? And what’s keeping the towed vehicle on?
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Former tow truck driver here:
Most vehicles are front wheel drive. Most drivers (especially careless ones who fall behind on their car payments) don’t bother with the parking brake, meaning that the rear wheels freely turn. Repo drivers will do their best to scoop a car up by its drive wheels.
If the parking brake is on or the drive wheels cannot be lifted (either because of the way the car is parked, or because it’s AWD/4WD) then the driver can put [plastic skates](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dl8_Z15GEDU) in front of each wheel. When the tow truck tries to drag the car, the wheels ride up onto the skates which slide freely over the ground.
The tow truck driver will drag the vehicle to a safe location nearby, then replace the skates with [dollies](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXEPTcmrLd4).
Cars are heavy. So long as the unsupported end of the car can roll, weight holds the wheels in the stinger lift securely enough so the driver can again get to a safe place. Then the driver straps the wheels to the stinger lift.
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