Let me describe dolly towing. First hook up dolly to MH Now line car up with dolly and drive on, hook up safety chains, hook on wheel straps and cinch down, hook up tow lights. Drive to next stop, note you can not back up with most dollies (Well , not more than a few feet) or you may damage towed and dolly. Note two, I forgot to make sure you stop a mile or two down the road to insure the tires are still properly strapped down.
Now, at new stop unhook and drive off towed, unhook and find a place for the dolly (not always easy, though simple with my rig) You may back up dolly w/o car attached (Well, I can, don't know if you can)
Now let me describe 4-down towing. Pull MH out of campsite (unless a pull through) pull towed up close, unlatch tow bars (easy, simple latch) and extend one arm toward towed, hook up, now do the other arm, hook up, If you are using any of the Motor Home mounted tow bars like the Blue OX or Roadmasters, you just have to be close, not dead on with your approach. Hook up safety chains, brake solution and lights (Often just a safety cable and a light cable, I have a total of 3 cables myself) In my case I then start towed, turn wheel hard right, leave in nuteral, twist collar behind right wheel, turn wheels to center, verify I'm going nowhere fast (Speedometer shows about 10mph in Nuteral) shut off engine but do not lock, move shifter to park, remove key (if not already removedl, I have a "Salesman type" ignition lock, I can remove key in any position with the possible exception of ACC) close and lock doors (NOTE: I carry spare car key in MH)
Both sytems, Now check lights all the way around and brake system
Unhooking at next stop, Fire up towed and turn to right (Leave in park) Twist collar, Unhook 2 safety cables, both tow bar ends and all 3 cables (Lights, Brakes and safety break) Fold up the tow bar and latch in the stowed position, Job done
I have had one camper tell me it's more work 4-down.. I have towed with dollies and seriously do not believe him
in addition towing 4-down adds at least 1,000 to your tow rating (you don't have a 1,000 lb dolly to tow you see) and/or takes 1,000 off the total weight of your rig, this translates into better gas maillage.
Now, wear on the drive train:
With the axel lock I use the transmission is in PARK when I tow There is some where on the differential and axels and CV joints, but these devices routinely go well over 100Kmiles (200k in my case) without replacement being indicated (And at that it was accident damage that took out one CV joint) Differential is oem, car has over 200K miles driveing, plus another 5k or so towed.
I must be the only one that was not bothered by using a tow dolly. I am not saying 4 down is not better but.. You do what you got to do... JMOP 8)
