tow dolly use

I was asked a question to day by a coworker who was sure I would know the answer...wrong" I came up blank to what I assume would be a simple thing to figure out. Question ; if you use a tow dolly can you back up with out the four wheels on the ground problem, and do you lock the wheels straight or let them turn after you strap them on the dolly??  :-[ Feeling a little dumb I am!

Can't back up. 

If steering wheels are on the dolly, they are locked.  Not sure aout trailing the steer wheels.  I would venture to say lock them in the straight position.

Since the wheels on a dolly don't caster, it's easier to back up a dolly than when towing 4 down.  If the steer wheels of the car are trailing, the steering should be locked so they don't caster.

Better you than me.  The bed my front wheels are on pivots, the ball to axle is very short, so backing makes a very small adjustment up front, huge at the dolly.

I'll supply the dolly, you bring car and MH.  I'll watch and learn.

Ned said:

Since the wheels on a dolly don't caster, it's easier to back up a dolly than when towing 4 down.  If the steer wheels of the car are trailing, the steering should be locked so they don't caster.

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Yep you can back up a dolly but put a car on it and it is harder than when towing four down. 

The problem with backing up a 4 down car is the castering of the front wheels.  That won't happen with a dolly.  I didn't say it was easy, just doable

Ned said:

The problem with backing up a 4 down car is the castering of the front wheels.  That won't happen with a dolly.  I didn't say it was easy, just doable

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No more doable than a car 4 down.  We had the misfortune of owning a dolly for awhile.  Been there done that and from my personal experience it is easier to back up a car 4down than a dolly with a car loaded.  The other thing we learned was to rid ourselves of the dolly and enjoy RVing.  I would not recommend use of a dolly to anyone.

Ron
Dollys have their place.  There are limitations and there are issues you have to deal with, but when all is said and done, they are a viable alternative to going the expense of setting a car up for 4 down towing.

If you get into a dolly use with eyes wide open, acceppting the issues, it is not a big deal.  Just extra tasks.  Given an equal choice I would go with 4-down, however, the choice is not equal in $'s. 

Would recommend setting a car up for 4down when the owner is considering replacing it in a year?  I know I wouldn't.

Some vehicles are OK for a dolly, but not 4-down.  Tell them to get another vehicle?  Nah, get a dolly, sell it when you are done.  Try to find a used dolly from someone like you that hates them and is ready to sell at any price. 

PancakeBill said:

Given an equal choice I would go with 4-down, however, the choice is not equal in $'s. 

Would recommend setting a car up for 4down when the owner is considering replacing it in a year?  I know I wouldn't.

Some vehicles are OK for a dolly, but not 4-down.  Tell them to get another vehicle?  Nah, get a dolly, sell it when you are done.  Try to find a used dolly from someone like you that hates them and is ready to sell at any price.

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You just named EVERY reason I decided on a dolly, for our toading.  We plan to take the car maybe 1-2 times a year only on long camping trips, and it's a 1999 Olds Aurora with over 100k miles.  I could not imagine spending $1500-2000 on car modifications for that infrequent use, only to have to repeat that cost if/when we replace the car.  Instead I just (this morning actually) picked up a used Demco Kar Kaddy II for $425.  Needs new tires to be safe but that will be a minimal cost.

For a full-timer or a vacationer who will ALWAYS take the car and/or owns a 4x4 or something else easily modified, 4-down is probably the way to go.  That's just not my set of circumstances.

I don't plan to try and back it up anytime. 

We actually sold ours reluctantly since I didn't really want to dump it on anyone.  However, a party in the RV park we stayed prior to buying a house mentioned it to another RVer and when he came to look at it I really tried to discourage him.  I had parked it in the woods and just told him where it was.  He went and looked and wanted it made a very good offer which I felt was too much for any dolly.  He insisted he wanted it so I finally sold it to him at just a little over half of what he offered telling him I felt guilty selling it to him.  He bought it, used it twice, learned his lesson and got rid of it.  Actually came back letting me know I was right and thanking me for warning him and not charging him what he offered.

OK, thanks for all the good answers, I expected a simple yes or no, but as usual things are rarely as they seem. So one more question  in two parts, part 1. Ron exactly why do you dislike the dolly so much, part 2. would using a enclosed car trailer be easier as far as loading and maneuvering. Feeling slightly less dumb I am!

Mark,

My wife and I have many times observed folks struggling with a tow dolly at a campground that has no space at campsites, while they manhandle the trailer to some spare/overflow space. Each time we see this, we tell each other "not for us".

If you bring an enclosed trailer, hope for a large pullthrough site, or expect to rent two sites.

Tom said:

My wife and I have many times observed folks struggling with a tow dolly at a campground that has no space at campsites, while they manhandle the trailer to some spare/overflow space. Each time we see this, we tell each other "not for us".

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I still don't see the difficulty in moving the dolly to the rear/underneath side of the MH.  That's where I plan to keep it, and I could pull it into place before backing the MH into place (in a back-in only site).  A pull-thru would be cake.  I can easily pull my dolly around so far, but maybe it's just because I'm so young and spry or something.    Perhaps I'll change my tune once I start camping with the dolly, who knows.  If that happens I will certainly admit such, but I don't see it being a big issue.

Mark R. said:

OK, thanks for all the good answers, I expected a simple yes or no, but as usual things are rarely as they seem. So one more question  in two parts, part 1. Ron exactly why do you dislike the dolly so much,

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It would probably easier to what I liked about it.  Well maybe not after giving it serious thought I could come up with even one thing.  So to answer your question:  As Tom and others have mentioned finding a place to put it after unloading the toad.  They are not that easy to manhandle around.  Seemed many times when it was tame to take the car off the ground was wet and unstrapping and getting things ready to take the car off will get you on the wet ground.  If you end up wanting to back up even a couple feet you have to take the car off. Believe me we tried it with the car on and it just isn't going to happen.  At least with towing 4 down it is possible difficult but possible to back up a few feet with somebody holding the steering wheel of the car.

part 2. would using a enclosed car trailer be easier as far as loading and maneuvering. Feeling slightly less dumb I am!

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The where to put it becomes even a bigger issue as well as the additional weight.  Though we never towed using an enclosed trailer I am sure it would be very inconvenient.

As for cost some have mentioned not wanting to invest in make their car towable.  A tow dolly used will run over $1000 usually and for that you can go a long way toward getting many cars rigged for towing.

Bottom line I would not recommend the use of a tow dolly to my worst enemy.

Well there is no substitution for experience , Thx for the answers my friend read them all and has decided to call Remco and do what I did last year (Remco it). This proves your opinions count, at least more then mine, he did not like  the Remco idea from me ,before this post!

Mark R. said:

Well there is no substitution for experience , Thx for the answers my friend read them all and has decided to call Remco and do what I did last year (Remco it). This proves your opinions count, at least more then mine, he did not like  the Remco idea from me ,before this post!

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Well glad I could help.  Based on our experience if I can help others avoid the same frustration we had using a tow dolly then we are both happy campers.

A tow dolly used will run over $1000 usually and for that you can go a long way toward getting many cars rigged for towing.

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Not any more.  Base plates now run $350 plus installation and lights typically around $200 as well, so it is several hundred bucks if you don't do-it-yourself. The tow bar and aux brake are another $1500-$2000, but you could consider that mostly a one time cost for multiple vehicles, though most brake systems have at lest one  component that must be physically installed on the toad as well. Setting up to tow 4 -down is a expensive proposition these days.

A dolly may not be the grandest way to do things, but it is a more economical choice.

RV Roamer said:

Not any more.  Base plates now run $350 plus installation and lights typically around $200 as well, so it is several hundred bucks if you don't do-it-yourself. The tow bar and aux brake are another $1500-$2000, but you could consider that mostly a one time cost for multiple vehicles, though most brake systems have at lest one  component that must be physically installed on the toad as well. Setting up to tow 4 -down is a expensive proposition these days.

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Don't know where you are getting your parts but when we got the 2006 GC a new baseplate was required $250 installed, lights using diodes $50 doing it myself. another option for lights is the magnetic lights from Harbor Freight Tools $39.

A dolly may not be the grandest way to do things, but it is a more economical choice.

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Not worth the frustration though and not really more economical. IMHO.

Ron said:

Not worth the frustration though and not really more economical. IMHO.

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In our case, it was more economical. Our Explorer cannot be towed 4-wheels-down. It can only be towed on a dolly and even to do that, you have to disconnect the drive shaft. We bought the dolly used for $400. Mike pulls the drive shaft when we want to tow. Our other option was to buy a new car that could be towed 4-down. Is the dolly more trouble than towing 4-down? You betcha. But for us, it was the best choice at the time with what we had and what we could afford.

BTW, during the 6-months we traveled this winter, we never had a problem finding room for the dolly on any of the campsites we stayed, including Navajo Nat Mon which has very short sites.

Wendy

We still don't know what to do.
We have a 2005 Toyota Avalon Limited which has about 30,000 miles;  to be able to tow 4 down, we need a lube pump, a base plate, a Blue Ox, and when everything is said and done it will cost close to $ 5000.00.
The car can be pulled on a dolly without changes, since it is a front wheel traction drive. Big savings.
But the Vette cannot be towed in any way. And we love to drive it while on vacations.
So, I still think the trailer is the best option. A Featherlite is about $ 5000.00, but it wil acommodate both cars, and any future change in cars.
Most of the campgrounds we have been in so far can handle a 60' rig.
Am I dreaming, or is that so bad ?
Thanks.