New MH, what to tow? Use a dollie?

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lezmark

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 7, 2007
Posts
64
Location
Southern California
We are not new to RVing, but we have our first motorhome and I don't know the next best move for a tow behind vehicle. We have a 2500 Dodge truck, not an option. A 2001 Infinity QX4, which I don't think is towable, and a low miles 88 Camry which I also dont think is towable. I don't see too many people using dollies, is there a reason for that? We have spent so much on the MH that we cant really buy another vehicle and would like to have something to tow. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance for input. We just bought a 2006 Newmar 32' Scottsdale...
 
There is a reason you don't see many tow dollies in use.  They are a big hassle to deal with.  Suggest you get hold or Remco and see if any of your vehicles can be towable on all four.
 
lezmark said:
We are not new to RVing, but we have our first motorhome and I don't know the next best move for a tow behind vehicle. We have a 2500 Dodge truck, not an option. A 2001 Infinity QX4, which I don't think is towable, and a low miles 88 Camry which I also dont think is towable. I don't see too many people using dollies, is there a reason for that? We have spent so much on the MH that we cant really buy another vehicle and would like to have something to tow. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance for input. We just bought a 2006 Newmar 32' Scottsdale...

If you do decide to use a tow dolly, we have one for sale.  We purchased it new in Jacksonville, FL and used it to tow our Hyundai Elantra from Florida to California.  We have decided that we don't really need to have a car with us on future trips in our Class A motorhome.  Either we will be staying at the campground during our entire time there, or we will rent a car.  The dolly is a top of the line Demco Kar Kaddy SS.  New cost was $3100.  The used price is negotiable.

Although towing the dolly was no problem, and didn't appreciably affect the gas mileage, we have decided against using the tow dolly because it does involve some time and trouble both to attach and to remove from the coach, and I am a senior citizen who was never much of a mechanic in the first place.  Also, although backing up with a tow dolly is possible, it can also lead to jacknifing and possible damage to the dolly, car, or motorhome.  Drivers who are experienced backing up with tow dollys don't have any problems.  I had problems.  I have decided that a tow dolly is not for me, but for a younger, more mechanical person, it would work just fine.  Our dolly has about 3000 miles on it so the tires are in great shape.  We bought it exactly a month ago (December 8 ).  I'm going to put it on Craig's list as soon as I have some free time.

Irv Siegel
 
irvsiegel said:
If you do decide to use a tow dolly, we have one for sale.  We purchased it new in Jacksonville, FL and used it to tow our Hyundai Elantra from Florida to California.  We have decided that we don't really need to have a car with us on future trips in our Class A motorhome.  Either we will be staying at the campground during our entire time there, or we will rent a car.  The dolly is a top of the line Demco Kar Kaddy SS.  New cost was $3100.  The used price is negotiable.

Although towing the dolly was no problem, and didn't appreciably affect the gas mileage, we have decided against using the tow dolly because it does involve some time and trouble both to attach and to remove from the coach, and I am a senior citizen who was never much of a mechanic in the first place.  Also, although backing up with a tow dolly is possible, it can also lead to jacknifing and possible damage to the dolly, car, or motorhome.  Drivers who are experienced backing up with tow dollys don't have any problems.  I had problems.  I have decided that a tow dolly is not for me, but for a younger, more mechanical person, it would work just fine.  Our dolly has about 3000 miles on it so the tires are in great shape.  We bought it exactly a month ago (December 8).  I'm going to put it on Craig's list as soon as I have some free time.

Irv Siegel

  I can't figure out why I got one of those stupid looking yellow faces instead of the number eight when I tried to write "December eighth" in the above message.  Anyone know what's going on?

Irv
 
Irv,

By coincidence, the combination of the number "8" and the closed paretheseis ")" is the combination of keyboard characters that produces that 'smiley' face. I modified your prior message by inserting a space before th '8'.
 
Your Camry and your Infinity are probably convertible to be towable, but it isn't cheap. Perhaps $1000 if you pay somebody to do it for you but about 60% of that if you do it yourself. Check with Remco Towing, "the towing experts" for conversion costs. They are straight shooters who won't try to sell you anything you don't need.  Remco Towing

Your Dodge truck is rather heavy but is probably towing as-is if it has 4WD.

Dollies are a nuisance, though they might be a low cost solution for you for the interim. There are alwasy used ones around for sale, as you can see. Ebay often has them cheap.
 
I bought and use a tow dolly for the same reasons as you...cost.  I bought my dolly on eBay for $600.  I did have to put new tires on it so I have $800 in it now.  There are certainly some draw back to using the dolly but I find them well worth the cost reduction over towing four down.  When I am done with the dolly I will sell it on eBay.  When I priced towing four down it was going to cost me around $3500 for everything.  Just food for thought.
 
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