Is An RV Tow Dolly Right For You?
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- Äas pĆidĂĄn 28. 01. 2020
- Full-time RVers have mainly two choices to tow a vehicle - flat towing or dolly towing. Which is better? What are the pros and cons? Is dolly towing too much hassle? Does it cost more? A certified RV inspector answers your questions about RV dolly towing in this video. #rvtowing #rvtips #dollytowing
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Got to love CZcams and those that share their knowledge to help others, thank you! Liked and subscribed
Thanks for the sub Tony. I'm glad that my videos have been helpful for you. That's the whole idea! :-)
Just found you and this video. I love your presentation style. You were very thorough and balanced in your approach. Thank you very much for helping with this decision and preparing me to discuss my options when purchasing. Thumbs up and new subscriber.
Thanks for the positive feedback Lauri and I'm glad that the video was helpful for you. I'm glad to have you as a subscriber!
My pleasure Jeff. Thanks for watching!
My tow dolly works very good. But as I get older, 72 now, this work to hook up and ride, I can see it becoming a problem! My Country Coach has a 455hp Cat and can tow about anything! Thank you for your channel and you are always spot on with the information you share!
I understand what you're saying David. Tow dollies work great as long as you can handle the exertion needed to move them around and load the towed vehicle on it. You may want to consider going to a 4 down tow bar in the future. If you integrate the lights and brakes into your towed vehicle it's a really quick and easy hook and unhook. Of course, it's not cheap but it gets the job done for much less effort. Happy and safe travels my friend!
Picking my 2000 31 foot National Seabreeze hopefully I can use a tow dolly for my mid size car.
This was very well thought out and produced. I chose a tow dolly because my 2007 Honda Fit automatic can't be towed four wheels down. I also paid $900 for my Leonard / Stihl dolly (used 2017 model) so I feel like I can recoup all my money later. I do think that having an extra piece of equipment on my camsite isn't ideal but all things considered it was the best choice for my rig and my existing vehicle.
Buying a used tow dolly in good shape is a great cost effective way to handle towing a vehicle behind your motorhome. It sounds like your choice is working well for you. Thanks for watching!
Man you did a great job on these instructions. Very formative
Thanks so much for the positive feedback on this video. It's much appreciated!
Excellent knowledge and delivery. Appreciate it.
Glad it was helpful. And the positive feedback is much appreciated. Thanks!
I know it's a little late but not all tow dollies are created equal. How they turn can vary from styles as well. This will require a video on it's own.
So true Roy. But that's for another video on another day. :-)
Again another great video. My father used a tow dolly for many years with no issues. All of your points are spot on. IMHO the costs savings of the tow dolly plus the simplicity over flat towing far outweigh the negatives. I've not really had an issue with storing the dolly thus far. We installed a hitch on our FWD Ford Escape to help facilitate backing the dolly into our rv site. The biggest negative is strapping the car down and you need to re tighten after driving a while. To me that is the biggest negative. Thanks again. You do a great job and I appreciate it.
That's a good point about re-tightening the straps after a while on the road OBW. It's a good habit to get into. Thanks for bringing that up. I think I forgot to put that in the video.
American tow Dolly out of Denver has an electric brake that works with a 4 pin electrical connection. The backup problem is not too bad if you think ahead. In 5 1/2 years I've had to unhook twice to get out of a tight spot. Once I wasn't paying attention and missed a turn and had to unhook the dolly. Once I tried too small of a gas station and just had to drop the car. It can be backed for 10 or 15 feet if it's a straight shot.
Thanks for watching and sharing your experience on using tow dollies Robin.
Great comparison of the options Duane.
Thanks guys! I'm glad the video was helpful.
we bought a 2020 Ford Escape Hybrid in February of 2020 (new generation) since the owners manual had flat tow instructions therefore confirming itâs use as a towed. However, after trip # 1, the battery in the vehicle needed a jump. This went on for 3+ years. In that time, we learned the battery was a 12 volt âgolf cartâ battery.
The electronic neutral tow mode does use battery power, hence our continual frustrations.
In various forums, we learned in the latter half of manufacturing the 2020 model year, Ford switched to full size AGM batteries, so after much deliberation with Ford, they agreed to swich the battery out last spring 2023.
For over a year we had no issues anymoreâŠUNTIL recently when we arrived back from a trip and the car was dead.
We are taking it to a Ford dealer for service and we are going to have them test the battery to see of all cells are alive. We suspect that some cells have ceased after each trip over the past year plus.
So, we are considering switching to a 2-wheel dolly tow.
I like that the field for the choice of vehicles is greater as well!
Thanks for sharing your experience here Michael. Hopefully it will be helpful others as well. Have safe and happy RV travels!
Great video and information. I'm new to RV ing just picking up a class A trying to figure out best way to tow my small car behind
I'm so glad that the video was helpful. It sounds like watching it was perfect timing for what you are trying to do now. I hope your new rig fits your needs and takes you on lots of fun trips!
Once again that was very informative and helpful for future decisions. Thanks
Thanks Ira. It's much appreciated!
What about towing a AWD vehicle ?
you mention a few times FRONT WHEEL
@@Gary-cd8hb Hi Gary. All Wheel Drive vehicles use all four wheels for driving, so if you tow them you must have all four wheels off the ground. There are a few ways to do that but probably the safest and best way is to use a flat bed dolly. You drive the whole car on to the dolly and then all four wheels are off the ground. Of course, there are storage problems with a flat bed dolly at campsites, so in general it's probably not worth the hassle when towing behind a motorhome. But I have seen some RVers using a flatbed dolly. So it can be done.
Great unbiased comparison, Thank you
Glad it was helpful Ross. Thanks for watching and have safe and happy RV travels!
Thank You so Much for this info ⊠Great Video
So glad it was helpful William. Thanks for both watching and leaving such a positive comment!
Iâm a future road warrior and Iâve been researching flat versus dolly towing. I really didnât want to have to buy a new vehicle to tow 4 down and buy a coach too. Your videos helped me decide to go with a dolly...at least until I need to replace the car. Thanks again.
I hear what you're saying Lonnie. Tow dollies make it easier for new RVers to get into the game for less money. I am a big fan of using a tow dolly. I am currently flat towing my CRV, but that's only because I got some screaming good deals on my tow bar, face plate installation and toad braking system. But I wouldn't hesitate to switch to a tow dolly in the future if needed.
@@RVInspectionAndCare Thats good that you wouldnt hesitate to move back. I am in the process of making our mind. We have a FWD new car and dont really want to change but you hear all kind of 'problems' of using a dolly. Do you think its worth getting one of the higher cost ones that have steering built in to the dolly. Obviously the lower cost ones dont but thats another decision to make. What brand/model do you use? We are looking at the Demco SS but it is a good bit more $$$.
Hi SFP. I don't use a tow dolly for my own towing. I use a tow bar with all four wheels down. But I have talked to a lot of folks that use tow dollies and if you recognize the limitations that I mentioned in the video and are physically capable of the work required to use them, tow dollies are a great way to tow a vehicle behind your RV. There aren't any particular brands that I recommend because I see people with all kinds of tow dollies on the road and doing fine with them. The good thing about tow dollies is if you buy them right, you can try them out and if you don't like it, just resell the dolly.
@@RVInspectionAndCare Thanks for your reply. We almost 'have' to use a dolly and I know enough do.... BTW, i went through and passed the NRVIA inspection class and went through some personal things with my back where it is almost impossible to crawl over and under the units. But I take ever opportunity to refer folks to you guys. Had my latest MH inspected by a NRVIA inspector and thats where I got my interest. Stay safe out there!
@@sfields6903 Thanks SFP. I hope your back recovers to the point where you can put your inspection skills to use in the future. All the best my friend!
Great video. Thank you for this
Glad it was helpful Ray. :-)
We flat toad our Ford Flex AWD for ~5,000 miles. The Flex can be flat toad at a max speed of 55MPH, although we may have went over this đ, stopping every so often to start the engine and cycle the transmission as the manual suggests. Tow bar set up, including installation, was around $1,800. Our experience with it overall was good, hook up was super easy. Disconnecting? Not so much. Sometimes the bars would "bind" and not release due to the RV and car not being 100% level. We also had a surge-type braking system, basically a small mechanical arm on the tow bar that activates the brake pedal in the car via a cable during RV braking. We had the brakes lock up on the car (unknowingly) and at one point, noticed smoke coming off the wheels! We stopped using the braking system after that! The RV braking seems sufficient without the braking system anyway. We are now considering a tow dolly as we begin looking to replace our Flex with a front wheel drive alternative.
Hi Tim. Some of the newer tow bars have anti-binding features built in to prevent having issues when the rig is not on level ground. But I have had a tow bar that didn't have that feature for a while and it was a real pain sometimes. Also, just keep in mind that it is illegal to tow in some states without an installed auxiliary braking system for the toad. A lot of people do it, but its not legal. Tow dollies can be a great alternative to tow bars. They just require more physical work to set up and take down. And you need to be able to move them around by hand to store them onsite when you are camping. I hope you find the towing setup that works best for your rig.
Thank you for the information, every helpful.
Glad it was helpful Scott. Thanks for watching and leaving a positive comment. It's much appreciated!
Good subject and good presentation. I wish there would have been pictures or videos to explain.
I understand Azores. I'm trying to improve on adding photos and video more in recent channel videos. Thanks for the constructive criticism. I'm glad that you enjoyed the information though.
Thanks, very informative.
Glad it was helpful! Thanks for watching.
I unhook the dolly and with a small dolly which helps me easily move the dolly I put it in the sight first. Then I back the motorhome in over the dolly up to the wheels of the dolly. So I only need about a foot more room on the campsite when I bring the dolly with me
Sounds like you have your tow dolly situation figured out pretty well Doug. Thanks for commenting!
I'm curious. What small dolly brand/model are you using for the car dolly?
One major con we have run into is storage of the tow dolly at RV resorts. Many resorts will not allow you to store the dolly at your site. Some resorts have storage areas and some do not so you have to find a storage area on your own. Most campgrounds are not a problem but some have sites that are just long enough for your rig and not much else. Weâd had to park in a parking area and walk to our camp site. This is true for flat toads or dollies. Hooking up a dolly in rain or snow can be a messy job as at times one may have to get on the ground to make sure everything is connected correctly. If you use a safety cable or chain there is not way to hook up without getting under the vehicle.
Hi Iggy. Thanks for your honest contribution about your dolly towing experiences. You make some very good points that need to be considered before deciding to dolly tow a vehicle. Good comment!
Very helpful! Well explained.
Glad you think so Eric. Positive feedback like this is always welcome. Thanks for watching and commenting!
Another great video !!!
Hi Lonnie. Thanks so much for the kind words.
I didnât read all the comments so perhaps this was already mentioned. If so I apologize for the duplication. I have towed a lot of vehicles with a tow dolly. Usually retrieving them for a friend who broke down and asked me to tow them home instead of calling a tow company. The only time I had trouble was with older larger vehicles. MOST tow dollies are narrower than older large vehicles and even new full size pickups. Most people are not going to tow a large vehicle but just make sure the width of you tow dolly matches your towed vehicle because they do come in different widths.
That's a great point Steve. I don't think I mentioned the width of the tow dolly in this video so I am glad you brought it up. Good catch!
Many / most are 80" wide. Check to ensure the towed vehicle is under this width and you should be good!
We are looking at it from the perspective of if we pulled into a large parking lot....took the tow vehicle for a drive.... which would be less conspicuous .... a tow dolly or a tow bar
Well in that case, a tow bar is always less conspicuous because it just folds up and away on your RVs rear hitch. The tow dolly always takes up more space.
Good information thank you
Glad you enjoyed it, TOT. :-)
Very Good information
Thanks Genaro. I'm glad it was helpful for you!
thank you for the info ypu are the only one that covered breaks on a dolly.
Glad to help John. Thanks for watching and commenting!
This is what I came looking for too
I agree with John. You get down to the 'nitty gritty' and always with easy to understand reasons. Thank you.
How about the one without brakes? Should I avoid them?
Or they are for small cars only đ..
I used a tow dolly for 2 seasons. i don't like getting on the ground and hooking up the safety chains. i also do not like how the wheel straps loosen around turns but i started using strong rope along with the straps and it stopped the straps from coming loose. it is more work and worry go with a flat tow set up if you can much easier.
Thanks for sharing your experience with tow dollies.
Excellent video!!!
Thank you very much Sojourner! I'm glad you enjoyed it.
I like his cool, soothing, clear, slow speaking tempo. It relaxed my viewing, sorta like when I go the listen to a pastor, and enjoy a good thought provoking sermon. Please Keep up these edu- informative shows. I'm a few years away from purchasing a rig and this is exactly what the doctor recommended. It sure beats getting beaten up by fast talking, high pressure sales reps who are solely interested in pushing boxers, err RVs off the lot.
I'm glad you enjoyed the video. I'm not an entertainer, that's for sure. But I do hope to educate others about RVing. Some don't like my style of delivery, and that's fine for them. There's plenty of other RVing channels to choose from. But I believe that if a person honestly listens to my video content, they will usually come away having learned something valuable. Thanks for watching and also providing some positive feedback!
Thank you đđœ!!
You are so welcome Roberto. Thanks for watching and leaving positive feedback!
Good info, we have used a dolly for years (MasterTow 80THD/electric brakes) due to our vehicles are leased and we can't modify them for flat tow. I would like to add in most cases the steering wheel/column must be locked in the center position so the front wheels do not walk on in the dolly wheel pan. There are only a few dollies on the market that are true articulating where there is no need to lock the steering column.
Good point. Thanks for adding that to the discussion. Quick question - have you had any major issues with being able to store the dolly in campgrounds when not in use? Just getting your thoughts on that if you don't mind sharing.
@@RVInspectionAndCare, We have not, no issues at all. At one of the RV Resorts we stay at "Traverse Bay RV Resort" in Traverse City Michigan they will pick your dolly up and then deliver it back to you when you are ready to leave. No problems at all.
@@thecasualrver That's what I thought you would say. Every full-timer who uses a tow dolly has said the same thing when I asked that question. And yet finding a spot for the tow dolly in campgrounds is always used as a major reason not to buy a tow dolly and flat tow instead. It may be a problem in some places, but I don't think it's the serious issue that some imply it is. Thanks for your comments on that subject.
@@thecasualrver that is a fantastic service to offer!
Having about 4 years experience with each method! Both have their strengths and their place in the RV world.
Personally I found the tow bar "flat towing" a bit more convenient. The dolly when not in use at home or on the road needs its parking space. The chaining and strapping down required a bit more effort, some of which could not be accomplished standing up. This also was a bit dirtier to do at times, even less enjoyable depending on wet or very hot or cold conditions. My new vehicle could be flat towed. I don't think anything regarding a dolly is a deal breaker. My experience was with a Mastertow HD, it was used, everything is easily replaced, so if you find a used one cheap you can make it look new. I did that, actually used it for Four years and sold it for $50 more than I had invested.
That's all great information. Thanks for sharing it with us. It's always good to hear from experienced users of these towing systems!
I flat tow my Accird and Dolly tow my Corolla. Have you noticed that you get better fuel milage flat towing? I get about 1/2 mpg more flat towing, almost like the the tow dolly turns the car into a giant parachute.
@@johncarter5576 good question. I no longer have a dolly. It would be interesting to know if that is a consistent benefit
Hi, I don't know if this is allowed or not, but I did it anyway.... Once at my destination, I could use the dolly behind the car as a mini trailer to haul stuff. I picked up a couch, and some other furniture... I even loaded a 40 gallon water heater on it.
That's interesting Josh. I haven't seen that done before. Thanks for mentioning it.
Great video, very informative. I wanted to know if anyone has any experience with the Collins speed dolly? Is it possible to use a tow dolly while using a Collins speed dolly as well. The reason I asked is because I once had to use a tow dolly to go and get a vehicle but as it turned out the vehicle I was fetching was indeed a rear wheel drive car
Sorry Saleem, I have no experience with a Collins speed dolly.
On some tote dollies you have to leave the steering wheel unlocked so the front wheels can turn
Good point. Thanks for the heads up on that Derrick!
Finally a no nonsense presentation. Thank you. How about standing the dolly up against a tree?
You might be able to store it that way, but most campgrounds would probably not be happy about it. Thanks for watching!
@@RVInspectionAndCare LOL you're probably right...
Thank you
I'm glad that you enjoyed the video. And thanks for leaving some positive feedback!
Our question is Surge braking dollies, how well do they work with diesel pushers going down hills in the mountains especially when the engine braking is working on the rv. Will the surge brakes be activated by the moderate force of the engine brake.We are soon to be full timers and will be getting a class a pusher. We would rather have a tow dollie.
That's a good question Scooby, and one that I am not really qualified to answer. But apparently, it can be an issue for some RVers. Here is a link to a discussion on the topic that offers a couple of ideas to consider - community.fmca.com/topic/5850-surge-brakes-in-mountains/ I hope that helps.
@@RVInspectionAndCare thank you Duane
I bought a tow dolly and used it twice. I hated it. It took 30min to 45min to hook up. The last straw was having to hook it up in the rain. Crawling under the car to hook up the chains when it is wet, totally sucked. Also, tow dollies are heavy as hell and hard to move to get in place. Unlike a trailer where it is balanced, on a tow dolly all the weight is on the hitch until you add the car. I went and got a manual transmission car I could flat tow. It takes me 10min to hook up and go.
Thanks for sharing your experience Mark. It sounds like using a tow bar is a much better choice for you and your rig. Like so many other things in RVing, there is no one towing solution that fits everybody.
I brought a tow dolly be cause it would hzave cost me double to flat tow my car . It is more work to dolly tow but the money you save is worth it. Have tow all over have had no problems with dolly towing just take your time . Wood ,not change to flat towing ,too much money and work .
Whole fun begins when try to back up and turn around with this junk
lol. It takes literlly 5 minutes to set up a tow dolly. czcams.com/video/boilt5TT428/video.html
RV from Australia. For AU I can say that the on-site storage of a full size dolly and car is problematic. In many caravan parks sometimes there is little space for the car by itself
That's interesting Andrew. You would certainly have to factor the space issue into a decision about flat towing vs dolly towing then.
I have found that placing the dolly under the rear of the motorhome requires little space. I like that the dolly when purchased right can be re-sold for the same money. Not sure about how the four down costs are recouped. I guess it depends on how serious (or how long) you intend to be a nomad. I generally tend to like to buy the toys right, sell them for what I paid (or for a profit) so my net expense is 0. Or close to it.
Thanks for your video and time! Can I tow a GMC Sierra 1500 4x4 on a tow dolly?
Hi Robert. I get a lot of folks wondering whether a specific vehicle can be safely towed or not and unfortunately I don't have that kind of expertise to be able to advise you on a particular make and model of vehicle. But I always recommend that you consult the vehicle's owners manual under the section about towing. It will usually tell you what you can and can't do with that model. The manufacturer's recommendations are always the best source of information. Thanks for watching and commenting!
excellent
I'm glad you enjoyed it Louis. Thanks for watching and leaving some positive feedback too!
Liked the video! What is the added weight on the hitch can be expected for a car of 4,000lbs when using a dolly? I want to respect weight limits of the tow vehicle. Thank you
Hi Harold. Since the vehicle's weight is mostly centered over the tow dolly axle, there is very little weight transferred to the tongue and hitch. Of course, there are ways to manually check the tongue weight too. Here is a good discussion on the subject - www.irv2.com/forums/f85/calculating-tongue-weight-on-a-tow-dolly-193012.html
@@RVInspectionAndCare Thank you very much, really appreciated.
I learned from a long tire dolly user that he much preferred a auto trailers.. he also got flats on both tires a couple miles apart.. maybe something on the roads .. ?
Everybody has their own opinion about RV gear that they like to use. And there lots of happy tow dolly users too. Thanks for watching Avelino!
@@RVInspectionAndCare Is either choice more labor-some over the other ?
@@avelinomiseray6349 Not necessarily as they both require loading the vehicle and then tying down the wheels to keep them from moving. Maybe the trailer dolly takes a little longer to load though. The big problem with trailer dollies for RVers is that it is much harder to find a place to store a trailer dolly on a campground site than it is for a tow dolly which is much smaller and more maneuverable.
Thank you for the information. I think also if you tow a front wheel drive vehicle with a dolly, the tow vehicle will not accumulate the miles of being towed. Just make sure the dolly has good tires and not the "China Bombs".
Good point. Keeping reliable tires on a tow dolly is a must. Thanks for contributing!
Well done and informative video. Thanks! One quick question: when actually underway, does the dolly tow and track as well as flat towing?
Thanks!
Hi Paul. Tow dollies do not track quite as well as flat-towed vehicles. It's not a huge issue but there is a slightly shorter turning radius with tow dollies. So you just have to be a little more careful when making sharp turns if you have a tow dolly.
Just a suggestion based on my 1st time use of a tow dolly.. Get someone to show you how to use it before you actually need to use it. It will save you a bit of grief.
Good suggestion. Thanks for contributing that tip!
I dont like the tow dolly because I have a rear wheel drive car that I wanted to tow but heard that it will hurt my automatic transmission unless I pull the drive shaft out when hauling it.
Hi Joe. Tow dollies do work best with front wheel drive autos. That way the drive wheels are off the ground. Thanks for watching!
What I meant to say was because it was a rear wheel drive automatic transmission I decided to tow the car with the dolly with the rear axel on the dolly and the front axel still being dragged on the road, essentially towing the car backwards, and that is wat make it dangerous while towing on the highway because the bulk of the weight (the engine) was behind the axel of the tow dolly which is not ideal distribution of weight while towing anything
czcams.com/video/XNhQdPpUpjY/video.html this is the product I was referring to
See other reply.
Duane, I watched this video and your other video on the pros and cons of flat towing. You do not mention in either video how towing another vehicle impacts the gas mileage of the RV. I have a class C that gets on average of 9 mpg. Does flat towing have more or less effect than dolly towing on mpg.
Hi Kent. That's a good question. I can't say for sure which towing method contributes to better fuel economy, but if I had to make a choice I would say that most likely flat towing would be your best choice in that area. The simple reason being that the only thing you are towing is the vehicle itself, whereas with a dolly tow setup you are also towing the weight of the dolly as well. That may be offset somewhat by the weight of the tow bar and base plate on the toad, but I think the dolly would still weigh more overall. Of course, that's considering that all other factors are the same.
I'm thinking about just getting bikes with a hitch hookup. The towing is a bit too much.
I understand. I'm seeing more and more people go that route these days. Especially since ebikes are getting popular.
I donât see much about how to find out what type of towing is preferred for an AWD minivan.. Iâm assuming dolly? Is that correct?
A lot depends on the kind of minivan and the model. The best thing to do is download the manual for the vehicle you are thinking about towing and check under the section for "Towing". It will usually tell you everything you need to know.
On the subject of dolly versus flat towing, which is easier to back up?
I personally wouldn't back up with either of them. When I am towing a vehicle with my motorhome I just consider that I don't have a reverse unless I stop and disconnect the toad first. And even if you see someone doing that kind of backing up with their toad attached to their RV, it doesn't mean that it is something that most RV owners should do. I hope that helps.
Just retired and have had a CDL B , licence for over 30 yrs.
That should be helpful if you have to drive a large RV like a Class A. Thanks for watching the video!
WAY 2 GEAUX..........questions answered! ~~~~Cajun
So glad you got your questions about tow dollies answered. That's the whole reason I make these videos. Thanks for watching and commenting!
Have been towing for 30+ years, some flat, some tow dolly, some with a trailer. You failed to mention the biggest disadvantage of towing with a tow dolly or flat towing, and that's if you have to back up more than a couple feet. Can't be done without unloading/uncoupling.
That's a good point Harald. Thanks for mentioning it. :-)
Not a real issue unless you are backing up uphill. 1% chance. Plus you would be wise to always make sure you don't out yourself in a situation where you have to backup.
@@hbuniotto Evidently you've never come to a dead end on a road that maps and GPS's have not been updated to show, or you've never actually tried to back up more than a few feet with a car on a dolly, of a four down car/truck on a tow bar.
@@haraldhanson9662 The voice of experience talking! Thanks
Anyone know why my vehicle is shifting left and right while turning on a dolly?. ITS THE INTIRE pivot plate that is shifting
It could be any number of reasons why that is happening. Here is a link where some discussion of that type of thing can be found - www.rvforum.net/threads/tow-dolly-problem-turning-corners-it-bucks-and-does-not-swivel-smoothly.26675/ I highly recommend that you call the manufacturer of the tow dolly about the problem. They usually can tell you what you need to do fairly quickly.
You mentioned the front wheel drive when using tow dolly. What about AWD? Can you still use the town dolly??
Any wheels that are on the ground while being towed must be wheels that are not connected to the drivetrain. And since an AWD vehicle's wheels are all connected to the drivetrain it means that the only way you can tow them easily is to use a tow trailer that lifts all four wheels off the ground.
@@RVInspectionAndCare , ok. Thanks
Can't you simply leave a 2 wheel dolly attatched to the RV? Then you just back the vehicle off for use and back on for travel. Just curious. We are looking at RV options now. Thanks.
It's fine to leave the dolly attached while traveling Dan. But when you get to the campground, most campsites will be a back-in affair. And backing a tow dolly is something that only a few people that I know of can do well while it is still connected to the motorhome. It's much easier to just unhook the dolly and roll it into a spot on the campsite where it will be out of the way until you leave.
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Sounds like you've already made the decision about your preferred towing method. Thanks for sharing!
do a video on vehicle weight restrictions when using a tow dolly. Example, tow dolly rated at 5,000 pounds with 750 pounds tongue weight. A Chevy Traverse or compatible size vehicle hits the scale around 4,600 pounds which leaves a margin of 400 pounds. Since the dolly is carrying approximately 2/3 of the vehicle weight, motor, trans etc., what is the safety factor or any concerns. The usually weight ratio from front to rear is divided as 60/40 as a general rule for front wheel drive vehicles. I would love to see a clear video on this topic because there isn't any clarity on this topic, not even from dealerships or towing companies such as U-haul. Now with that said, a gas motor coach is usually rated at 5,000 maximum towing capacity and a diesel motor coach can tow considerable more, theoretically speaking. Of course the hitch type can be a limit as well. What is your take on this? Me, just curious. (I flat tow)
Thanks for the video suggestion. I always appreciate getting feedback in that area. I'll se what I can do!
@@RVInspectionAndCare thank you sir
What about backing up a tow dolly
For most people, RV tow dollies are not something you want to try to back up. I know a few people who seem to do it well, but not many have those kind of skills. If you use a tow dolly, the best way to back it up is to unhitch it and move it around by hand. They don't weigh enough to be difficult to move that way. I hope that helps Jim.
BTW new sub here.
Thanks for subbing E.D! Glad to have you on board.
Great Video. Loved the discussion of brakes. I have a 2005 Mercedes Benz SLK 350 with a manual transmission. Of course, MB does not want any of their cars towed, but I can't find a reason not to get a tow dolly and disconnect the battery to avoid anti-theft issues, and put it in neutral. Will I damage my transmission?
I know this may not be what you want to hear Terry but I always recommend following the manufacturer's guidelines when it comes to towing a vehicle. There is always a reason why they recommend what they do in these kind of matters. So the best thing I can suggest is to look it up in the owners manual for your Merc and see what they say. Then follow their guidelines carefully.
@@RVInspectionAndCare Thank you for your prompt reply. You are correct, Sir. It wasn't what I wanted to hear. I just think Mercedes Benz and BMW don't like to have consumers see their cars being towed. Hence, mandatory use of flatbed. I understand your response; it's what MB states. I just wish I could find a mechanic that would give me an "off the record" response.
I hear you Terry. But just make sure that any mechanic you talk to about the issue really knows what he's talking about. A mistake in this area will not be cheap to fix! :-)
Wayne, is it practical to rent a tow dolly if you don't need to tow a car all the time?
I guess it depends on how much you plan on using it David. If it's only occasional use that you need, renting may be a good idea in that case. But the more you use the tow dolly, the less attractive renting becomes.
How could I get started as an RV inspector? Does it pay ok? Do you have an employer or freelance?
Hi Mario. To become certified as an inspector, visit nrvia.org and click on the link at the top of the page for "Become An Inspector". It will explain what you need to do to get certified with the NRVIA. You will not be an employee as an inspector. You will own your own business. Your income will depend on many factors, but there are quite a few inspectors doing quite well in their business. I hope that helps.
I have a question that I have had no luck in answering. How difficult is it to load a vehicle onto a tow dolly when someone is traveling solo? I am planning to do some extensive traveling on my own in a Class C motorhome and would like to have a tow vehicle with me. A tow dolly is ahead on my pros and cons list so far, except for this issue. Is it possible? Thanks, great informative video otherwise!
That's a great question Heather. Loading and unloading the tow dolly can certainly be done by a solo person if they just take their time and are careful. The issue will be with the physical aspects of strapping down the vehicle wheels on the tow dolly and also moving the tow dolly around when it is not in use. It does take a measure of strength to perform both of these tasks so it's something that a solo female RVer should carefully consider before buying a tow dolly. It would be good to practice strapping down a vehicle to a tow dolly and moving the dolly around if you can before committing to the purchase. If you can manage the more physical parts of tow dolly usage you will probably be fine with the rest of its operation.
@@RVInspectionAndCare It is important to have a tongue jack with wheel. It will help a lot with moving the dolly.
Loading and unloading solo is a breeze once you do it a few times. The only bummer for a dolly is the strapping and un strapping, but again, do it a few times and its a piece of cake. As for storing the dolly at the camp site, I put the dolly at the very end of my site and back the coach over the dolly as far as I can. I'm 40' without the dolly, so backing over it only adds about 4 or 5 feet to my space needs.
Sure I'd like the convenience of being able to flat tow, but my needs require that I tow a minivan. Yea it adds a bit of extra work, but in the larger scheme of things not that much. Not to mention the dolly was 1/3 rd the cost of all the required flat tow gear.
What about using using a tow dolly for 4wd or AWD vehicles. My wife has a 2018 Honda Pilot which is AWD am I not able to use a dolly to tow that vehicle? Honda says that vehicle is not flat towable.
Also, I appreciate the video. I am a newby and trying to soak up as much info as I can. Thanks
As far as I can tell, AWD vehicles and most 4WD vehicles should not be towed with a two wheel tow dolly Ryan. They are best towed on a flat trailer with all four wheels off the ground to prevent serious drivetrain damage. Here is an article that may help explain what you can do with AWD vehicles - www.etrailer.com/faq-tow-dolly-flat-tow-trailer.aspx . As always, obey whatever your vehicle's manual tells you about towing a vehicle. If a vehicle may not be towed easily, it may be best to get a different one that works well for RV towing.
@@RVInspectionAndCare Thank you
I hava an all wheel drive vehicle Will this work
It's possible Al. I recommend to look up the users manual for your vehicle and it usually has a section on towing and will let you know what you can and cannot do. Also, you can Google the vehicle's towing specs and you probably will find some kind of discussion online about it.
You didn't mention reversing
Well, if you're referring to backing up with a tow dolly, I have only seen a very few people who could do it right. I don't recommend that the average RVer try to back up with a tow dolly.
Can you flat tow or dolly tow a all wheel drive vehicle?
Hi Jim. You can't tow with any drive wheels on the ground. So unless there is a way to disconnect the two wheels on the ground from the drive system, you can't tow an AWD vehicle. Of course, to be sure about any towing question just find the owners manual for that vehicle and check under the "Towing" section. It will tell you what you can and cannot do with that vehicle.
Dewayne, where are you located? I need an RV I am about to purchase inspected. I also need to know if I can tow my 4wd toyota 4runner behind my rv
I am in PA right now Doris, but if you need a certified RV inspector quickly, just visit nrvia.org and click on the link for "Locate An Inspector". On that page check the map and see if there are inspectors near your RV's location. Then contact them and check on their availability. And I always recommend checking the owners manual for information about how to tow any vehicle. That would be the best first step for your 4Runner.
@@RVInspectionAndCare Thank you so much. I love watching your content. Very helpful
Thanks for such a positive comment. It's much appreciated. Have safe and happy travels in your new RV!
I tow a Honda Civic. The wheel covers on the dolly are scratching the hell out of my car. Already spent a ton to have them fixed and first time out since the fix it happened again. I want to cry. Any suggestions?
Wow! That's the first time I've ever heard of that Linda. I'm assuming that you mean the fenders on the dolly that are scratching the car. The fenders should be very stationary and should not be moving. The same with the car itself. You might need more pressure applied to the tie-down straps to keep the car in place. Or it may be that your car is too large for that dolly. Maybe a dolly with a wider loading area for the car may work better. I hope you can get that resolved soon.
@@RVInspectionAndCare I think what is happening is that when you turn a corner, it doesn't totally straighten out on a straight-away and so when you turn again the car is too close to the wheel cover. It's a small car so it fits fine and the car itself isn't moving, just the dolly itself that doesn't straighten all the way so another turn could cause the wheel cover to come in contact with the car. Does it need to be greased someplace so it moves better? Sometimes we have to kick it back in place in order to get the car on it. We're thinking about towing our suv which is not as low to the ground as the civic to avoid the scratches. Meh.
Sorry Linda, but I don't have any answer on this one. There are lots of different kinds of tow dollies out there and I haven't heard of this issue before. If you can contact the dolly manufacturer maybe they can help you with the problem. If not, it may require just getting a different tow dolly.
@@RVInspectionAndCare I truly appreciate your response and time on this annoying problem we have. I think if I just wrap the wheel covers in fake fur all my scratchy problems will be gone! I look forward to learning more good stuff from you!
Now that's an interesting solution :-) .... I hope you get it worked out soon Linda.
can you pull a tow dolly behind motorcycle lift on RV
can you pull a tow dolly behind an RV
can you pull a tow dolly behind a motorcycle lift
That's an interesting question and my take on it is that it may be doable but you need to make sure that you stay within the weight limits of the RV if you do that. A motorcycle and lift will certainly add significant weight on the back of the RV. Then the tow dolly will add weight on the tongue as well. The question is can the RV safely handle all of that weight on the back end? If both are mounted by means of the RV hitch, you could easily be overloading the hitch. But if the lift is not hitch mounted you still need to check to see that you aren't overloading the rear axle of the RV with too much weight. All vehicles have a GAWR (gross axle weight rating) for both axles. You must stay within those weight ratings to drive the RV safely. I hope that helps.
Can you please tell me... my husband has said we CANNOT back up with the tow dolly but... I see videos of people doing it. Sooo... are you able to back up a tow dolly with a vehicle hooked up or will there be damage if you do that?
Hi Tara. Well, actually both of you are right in a way. Backing up a tow dolly can be done, but only if you really know what you're doing. There are some experienced RVers that seem to be able to do it fairly well. But the vast majority of folks will find it really challenging for anything other than just a few feet. Also, it's much easier to back up an empty tow dolly than one that is already loaded.
@@RVInspectionAndCare thank you! I'll let him know! He didn't say it was too hard. He said you CAN'T because it's not meant to be. He could back up trailers all day with no issues but he was told not to back a tow dolly up while loaded. Thank you!
You can't really back up with a LOADED dolly. You CAN back STRAIGHT up but that is easier said than done. Think of the pivoting front wheels on the dolly doing their thing in reverse. I imagine this gets ugly quickly. An empty dolly can be backed up all day long.
Not enough info on towing rear wheel drive vehicles
I didn't cover towing rear wheel drive vehicles because you don't see that being done very often by RVers. It's just too much hassle in many cases. Here is a nice answer about the choices you have when towing rear wheel drive vehicles from Etrailer - www.etrailer.com/question-171888.html
Pi had a 98 Jaguar XK8 with rear wheel drive and automatic transmission. I would just back it on the dolly. Worked great.
Big mistake I never took into account how unstable the tow dolly was after that, because most of the weight will be placed behind the axel of the dolly making if unusable on highways because of the dangerous swaying from side to side, so I was wondering if it was possible to use the Collins dolly as well as a tow dolly, that would mean I can tow with 4 wheels off the ground as though I were using a full size trailer but without actually needing the space to store a full sized trailer when not is use. Any info regarding this will be much appreciated
After reading your third comment I understood why you are having sway issues with a tow dolly. Unfortunately, I have never heard of anyone using a Collins speed dolly to help solve that situation. So I guess I am of no real use to you on this one.
I have towed a 21ft boat many times with my Ford 150, but can only imagine towing a small vehicle behind a Class A RV when it comes time to back up with it on? Maybe one should always use a pull through site if towing with a Class A and never back up while towing?
In most cases, its not recommended to back up with a towed vehicle connected to a motorhome. So you generally want to make sure that you can get out of any spot that you get into by going forward.
I have seen videos in Tow Dollies that say that with the car loaded you cannot backup, is this true? If true what happens when you get in a spot where you must backup?
Hi Ken. If you have a small rig, backing up with a tow dolly can be done. But I wouldn't try it too often. Most of the time when you get in a tight spot you just have to unload the car and unhitch the dolly. Of course, the same is true of towing 4 down too. I just try to make sure that I never get in a spot where reverse is needed. :-)
Thanks for the fast reply. We have a 32â class A. Could we leave the car on the dolly and un hitch it and push it around as long as it is a flat area if we mount a Dual Wheel Swing-Back Bolt-On Trailer Jack on the dolly?
If you have a tow dolly with surge breaks, then the braking system will activate when you back up. Iâve heard you can try to go very slowly to not have the breaks come on but I havenât tried it. I think the general answer is just donât back up with surge breaks.
Certified RV inspector?
Who is issuing those licenses?
NRVIA.org
Many tow dollies need the steering wheel to be unlocked, so there is the potential for battery drain.
Actually Bruce, tow dollies require that the steering wheel remain locked to keep the vehicle stable while going around corners. I suspect that you were thinking about vehicles on a tow bar that often need the steering wheel to be unlocked and thus creating the potential for battery drain. Of course, there are ways to solve that issue pretty easily though. Thanks for mentioning this possibility.
Most? No, some? Yes, Acme Tow Dollies come to mind. Garbage. I do not recommend this style. You want the plate the wheels sit on to move/turn. Acme tow dollies don't and my CRV fell off mine when I turned into a gas station.
you didn't cover the #1 most important topic! Fixed deck verse Pivot deck, why? if you do not have a locking steering wheel you MUST have a Fixed deck
I'm saving that for another video. Thanks for watching!
I have a tow dolly. The first time I used it when I turned a corner it broke the steering wheel lock so that the front wheels turned to the right (the direction of the turn). I have not figured out why it did that. I have not had that fixed yet so now when I turn it turns the front wheels. Other than that it works just fine. Thanks for your info. If anyone had a reason for the front wheel turn let me know in here.
Hi E.D. It's hard to say why your tow dolly did that but some dollies require that the front wheels be able to turn and so you have to leave the key in the "ON" position as a result. But I recommend that you look up the users manual for the brand of tow dolly you have and follow their directions closely for setting up your car on the tow dolly.
@@RVInspectionAndCare Thanks!
1. An additional benefit to a tow dolly not covered is the weight issue. A trailer that you have your entire vehicle on weighs a lot more then a tow dolly. Therefor the vehicle you pull your vehicle behind has weight limits that easily exceed the tow limits where as a dolly keeps that weight significantly lower. 500lbs vs. 2000 plus. Then add the weight of the vehicle. IE my Jeep can't tow all that weight but can pull a dolly.
2. HOWEVER< I'm confused about one thing. I need to tow dolly a VW Bus Camper. It's rear wheel drive. I thought you would just put it in neutral and that's it. From what I'm hearing on CZcams videos, is that you can't tow a rear drive vehicle with a dolly. Is this true and if not, how can you safely tow a VW Bus with a dolly. Thanks.
Most RWD vehicles can only be towed by disconnecting the drive shaft. Here is a link that excplains more about that - towbeta.com/how-to-tow-a-rwd-car-with-a-dolly/
@@RVInspectionAndCare Even manual transmission RWD cars?
@@williambayliss2367 I think a manual transmission rear drive vehicle can be towed. However, our VW Bus camper is an automatic. I think that becomes an issue.
I have since found out my rwd Fiat 124 Spider can not be towed with a dolly. Something about the oil not lubricating as it's sloshing around. So I decided on racking a Suzuki Burgman on the back of my motorhome.
You forgot about mileage no extra miles on towed with tow dolly.
Good point Howard. Thanks for commenting on that!