My Xterra was towed away by local yahoos in Woodstock, NH. I had parked it into a snow bank on the side of the road to do some winter hiking. When I got back my truck was gone. After asking a local where it might have been towed to, I had to hike 4 miles down the road (after a 4 mile snowshoe hike) to get my truck back.
When I parked it I left it locked, alarm on, in 4Lo in Park(Auto Transmission) with the steering wheel locked and turned to the left. The tow-truck driver apparently lifted the rear end and towed it 4 miles on snowy roads. When I got it back it was still locked and in 4Lo with the wheel turned to the left.
My transfer case seems to still work properly and four wheel drive works.
Could anything have been damaged by towing it in 4Lo with the front wheels on the ground? Or would the front hubs have freed-up by towing it backwards letting the front wheels spin freely?

The hubs wouldn't have unlocked if the lever was still in 4-lo. If things are OK and he used a wheel lift, he probably just outright dragged the thing with the front wheels not turning all the way down the road. If he used a sling lift, the rear wheels might rotated right along with the front ones the whole way which probably damaged the parking pawl.

Brent

He outright dragged your truck down the road. I would go ahead and express your anger with the towing company for not properly transporting your truck, and have it checked out by a dealer or a reputable shop. If nothing else, you probably have some nice flat spots on your tires, not to mention the fact that your CV joints and steering can get messed up from stupidity like that. I hate towing companies.

I have a friend who has a 4wd Ramcharger that a towing company tried to drag it up onto a flat bed truck while it was locked in 4-low. He had it parked on dry pavement (just off the snowy stuff) and came back to witness them trying to drag the thing. He threatened to sue them for negligence because it was completely obvious that the thing didn't want to roll. They ended up dropping the truck down and leaving.

I would file a police report for grand theft auto and sue the towing company.

It's lawsuit time in NH.

I once got in a major fight in Atlanta with some parking guys. I asked them why they couldn't find a real career besides sitting in their vehicle waiting to see if someone would park in a perfectly fine spot that was reserved for valet only in front of Lenox Square mall. You know, the guys who put the blocks on your wheels? I watched them, as they watched others. I was sitting out there waiting for my wife, cause I hate the mall. I just jumped out of my truck and started cussin' 'em. They didn't care for it and quickly told me where I could park my ass if I didn't like the job they did.

I didn't press charges over it, because I wasn't hurt, and I really was interfering with their job. What a fake job it is though.

If they actually did it right, they would have put a set of little dolly wheels under whichever end they didn't lift. Maybe they did?

Brent